Drawing on personal experiences as a field ranger in nature reserves, Bouquet presents new sculptures and photographs that recollect first-hand encounters, traces of human interaction and ecological findings.
Past Exhibition
Paraire 6 Māehe -
Hātarei 13 Hune
Friday 6 March -
Saturday 13 June
2020
Image courtesy of the artist.
Cooper’s work often articulates aspects of landscape neglected by Western traditions of the scenic and picturesque. In doing so, it seeks to recreate landscape as a rich terrain of sensory experience, narrative and belonging.
Delving into various pockets of land managed by the Department of Conservation––including the “earthly paradise” of Sir George Grey on Kawau Island and the marine mammal breeding grounds in the Subantarctic Islands––this project illuminates some of the beliefs and cultural imperatives that have both produced and upheld the conservation estate in Aotearoa[1].
Bouquet is presented as part of the 2020 Dunedin Fringe Festival programme.
All artworks courtesy the artist and Mokopōpaki, Auckland.
View the exhibition roomsheet, designed and printed by POINT.
1 Yarwood, Vaughan. “The Governor’s Island.” New Zealand Geographic. 39 (Jul–Sept 1998), http://www.nzgeo.com/stories/the-governors-island/
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Flyknit (basketball), polyester twine, basketball, jandal, laces, based on Nike Flyknit technology and Flyweave (white rice), rice sack, jandals (South Pacific flotsam), laces, based on Nike Flyweave technology.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Flyknit (basketball), polyester twine, basketball, jandal, laces, based on Nike Flyknit technology and Flyweave (white rice), rice sack, jandals (South Pacific flotsam), laces, based on Nike Flyweave technology.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Koekoeā (Long-tailed Cuckoos), 3D printed whistles, cork bark, seeds (pūriri, nīkau, mānuka), marine rope.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Koekoeā (Long-tailed Cuckoos), 3D printed whistles, cork bark, seeds (pūriri, nīkau, mānuka), marine rope.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Koekoeā (Long-tailed Cuckoos), 3D printed whistles, cork bark, seeds (pūriri, nīkau, mānuka), marine rope.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Bō (fighting staff for working among rāpoka sea lion colonies), hand-planed and carved hardwood, charcoal, gesso, epoxy resin, made to the dimensions of an Okinawan karate bō staff, ornamented with subantarctic bladder kelp).
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Bō (fighting staff for working among rāpoka sea lion colonies), hand-planed and carved hardwood, charcoal, gesso, epoxy resin, made to the dimensions of an Okinawan karate bō staff, ornamented with subantarctic bladder kelp).
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Bō (fighting staff for working among rāpoka sea lion colonies), hand-planed and carved hardwood, charcoal, gesso, epoxy resin, made to the dimensions of an Okinawan karate bō staff, ornamented with subantarctic bladder kelp).
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Needles, silver gelatin, photogram of Pinus radiata needles collected on Kawau Island from descendant trees of the first Pinus radiata in New Zealand, in the garden of Sir George Grey; aluminium frame.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Needles, silver gelatin, photogram of Pinus radiata needles collected on Kawau Island from descendant trees of the first Pinus radiata in New Zealand, in the garden of Sir George Grey; aluminium frame.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Needles, silver gelatin, photogram of Pinus radiata needles collected on Kawau Island from descendant trees of the first Pinus radiata in New Zealand, in the garden of Sir George Grey; aluminium frame.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Flyknit (basketball), polyester twine, basketball, jandal, laces, based on Nike Flyknit technology and Flyweave (white rice), rice sack, jandals (South Pacific flotsam), laces, based on Nike Flyweave technology.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Flyknit (basketball), polyester twine, basketball, jandal, laces, based on Nike Flyknit technology and Flyweave (white rice), rice sack, jandals (South Pacific flotsam), laces, based on Nike Flyweave technology.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Koekoeā (Long-tailed Cuckoos), 3D printed whistles, cork bark, seeds (pūriri, nīkau, mānuka), marine rope.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Koekoeā (Long-tailed Cuckoos), 3D printed whistles, cork bark, seeds (pūriri, nīkau, mānuka), marine rope.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Koekoeā (Long-tailed Cuckoos), 3D printed whistles, cork bark, seeds (pūriri, nīkau, mānuka), marine rope.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Bō (fighting staff for working among rāpoka sea lion colonies), hand-planed and carved hardwood, charcoal, gesso, epoxy resin, made to the dimensions of an Okinawan karate bō staff, ornamented with subantarctic bladder kelp).
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Bō (fighting staff for working among rāpoka sea lion colonies), hand-planed and carved hardwood, charcoal, gesso, epoxy resin, made to the dimensions of an Okinawan karate bō staff, ornamented with subantarctic bladder kelp).
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Bō (fighting staff for working among rāpoka sea lion colonies), hand-planed and carved hardwood, charcoal, gesso, epoxy resin, made to the dimensions of an Okinawan karate bō staff, ornamented with subantarctic bladder kelp).
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Needles, silver gelatin, photogram of Pinus radiata needles collected on Kawau Island from descendant trees of the first Pinus radiata in New Zealand, in the garden of Sir George Grey; aluminium frame.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Needles, silver gelatin, photogram of Pinus radiata needles collected on Kawau Island from descendant trees of the first Pinus radiata in New Zealand, in the garden of Sir George Grey; aluminium frame.
Image: Eleanor Cooper, Bouquet, Installation View, 2020.
Needles, silver gelatin, photogram of Pinus radiata needles collected on Kawau Island from descendant trees of the first Pinus radiata in New Zealand, in the garden of Sir George Grey; aluminium frame.
Eleanor Cooper is an artist and writer who likes wild places and their stories. Her work often explores natural and cultural history, ecology and language. Originally from Tāmaki Makaurau, she has lived for the past two years on a small yacht and has recently moved ashore in Porirua to plant a garden. She holds a BA in Philosophy from the University of Auckland and an MFA from Elam School of Fine Arts. Recent exhibitions include Shipwreck at Paper Anniversary (2023), They covered the house in stories at Te Tuhi (2021), Iteration #11 at Mothermother (2021), The rustling wind reminds me of life on Earth at Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū (2021), Greywater at Mokopōpaki (2020), Bouquet at Blue Oyster (2020) and Flows according to rocks at Paludal (2020). Her recent writing has been shared on The Spinoff, and in the publications Snacks and Huarere: Weather Eye, Weather Ear, both published by Te Tuhi.