This sculptural piece is a study of Denis Glover’s poem ‘The Magpies’ (first published in 1964). This poem is a sad indictment of the struggle of rural life during the Great Depression in New Zealand. This piece of poetry has become literary folklore as New Zealand emerged with its own cultural identity.
‘A Conversation’ is a mixed media piece paralleling the struggles of the story’s protagonists. The chair is set as an embodiment of domestic life in this era – its redundancy of purpose (wall mounted) mirroring the couples struggles against the harsh economic tide. With the decrease in production from the land, comes the loss of their domestic space – the failure of the dream - and the dissolution of youth and subsequently all hope.
