Sue Marshall
Canaday Gallery, 24th November–13th December 2009
In Still Lives, Sue Marshall presents a series of reverential portraits, revealing the small details of a Blackbird and Wax Eye. Acknowledging that these are birds who are ‘long dead,’ the intimate studies of these seemingly inconsequential creatures seeks to reclaim their dignity and significance, and potential immortality. Otago Daily Times art critic Chanelle Carrick comments on Marshall's work: ‘Raising commonplace creatures to an elevated status, Marshall reflects on the collection, display and documentation of curios and natural artifacts.... Rather than disturb... these works fascinate, their intricate detail impossible to draw away from as each work combines to create an encompassing and enchanting sense of stillness.’