Judy Darragh

Judy Darragh (born 1957) is a New Zealand artist who uses found objects to create sculptural assemblages. She has also worked in paint[1] and film.[2] Darragh is represented in a number of public collections in New Zealand. In 2004, The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa held a major retrospective of her work titled Judy Darragh: So... You Made It? [3]

Early life and education

Darragh was born and raised in Christchurch. Her mother worked in a clothing factory and her father was a freezing worker. Darragh has described being surrounded by "the joy of making" in her home environment,[4] and from an early age she enjoyed drawing and making things from craft materials such as Fimo and pipe cleaners.[5]

Darragh studied graphic design, graduating from Wellington Polytechnic with a Diploma in Visual Communication and Design in 1978.[6] Deciding that she was not "cut out for the (graphic design) industry,"[5] Darragh moved to Auckland where she gained a Diploma in Teaching from Auckland Secondary School Teachers College in 1980.[7] She has described how her teaching career has supported her art-making and provided her with a sense of freedom in her practice.[5]

Shrine series

Darragh developed her signature kitsch aesthetic while living in Auckland in the 1980s, where she was working as secondary school teacher.[5] She began making and selling domestic objects such as lamps and mirrors made from plastic plates at Cook Street Market[4] and collecting bric-a-brac from markets, second hand shops and op shops.[5][8] Her first assemblage works brought together these made and found objects into what she has described as "shrines".[5] She was interested in exploring the distinctions between high and low culture and art and craft (particularly crafts that have been historically undertaken by women)[5] and was influenced by Marcel Duchamp and his use of the readymade.[4][8][9] Darragh first exhibited her art at Artspace, in Auckland's George Fraser Gallery.[4]

Collections

References

  1. ↑ "Judy Darragh". Blue Oyster art project space.
  2. ↑ "Circuit: Judy Darragh". Circuit.co.nz.
  3. ↑ "Te Papa 2004 past exhibitions". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
  4. 1 2 3 4 MacDonald, Nikki. "Steeling the show". The Dominion Post – via www.stuff.co.nz.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Judy Darragh artist interview". YouTube.
  6. 1 2 "Christchurch Art Gallery collection record". Christchurch Art Gallery.
  7. ↑ "Judy Darragh". Page Blackie Gallery.
  8. 1 2 Gardiner, Sue. "The pleasure of making". Art News NZ.
  9. ↑ McAloon, William. "How to turn Te Papa into an op shop". NZ Listener.
  10. ↑ "Auckland City Art Gallery artist page for Judy Darragh". Auckland City Art Gallery.
  11. ↑ "Govett-Brewster Art Gallery collection record". Govett-Brewster Art Gallery.
  12. ↑ "Judy Darragh: Birth of Barbie". Dunedin Public Art Gallery.
  13. ↑ "Person: Darragh, Judy". Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.
  14. ↑ "Pacific Madonna". NZMuseums.
  15. ↑ "Visitor's Guide to Artwork, Building and Trees on the Lincoln University Campus" (PDF). Lincoln University.

Further reading

  • Conland, Natasha. Judy Darragh: So...You Made It? Exhibition Catalogue. Wellington: Te Papa Press, 2004. ISBN 978-0-909010-98-0
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