Style: May 06, 2016

42 Style | arts
Nature as
Metaphor
Anne Hudson takes us on a journey through Jim Wheeler’s
incredibly detailed bronze-casting sculpture, in which his
technique and meticulous detail creates uncanny life-like objects.
I like to think my preference in
abstract art is where the artists
freely express themselves. the
mark or gesture is the result
of some Zen-like moment of
creativity. When looking at Jim
Wheeler’s sculpture and its
refined realism the same sense of
wonderment is found, but there is
no expressionist gesture here, but
rather meticulous detail expressed
with an exactitude that takes your
breath away.
the object is such an
embodiment of the real object
that one can only be amazed. his
garden spade or fork if placed in
a vegetable or flower plot could
be mistaken for something left by
the gardener. the bronze handle
looks like an old oak handle, every
grain showing the years of growth.
the work is utterly convincing.
Do not be mistaken into
thinking this is mere copying of
nature, here we have a true artist
at work. Wheeler is originally
from a small town in North
Carolina and studied art and
biology at university, focusing on
how plant communities evolve,
which informs his art practice
today. Wheeler conceptualises
the work through thinking and
drawing then carefully executes
the piece through the difficult
process of bronze casting.
the central theme of Wheeler’s
work is the contemplation of
nature in its widest sense and
how nature and humans are
both participants of the natural
world. these metaphors make
us consider the complexity,
beauty and balance of nature.
he says that in essence his
practice is a spiritual one in which
he tries to demonstrate the
interconnectedness of all living
things and their interdependence
within the environment. he views
the natural world as a perfect
system, one from which society
and individuals can be inspired.
Man can learn from nature and
Wheeler’s work makes us aware
and mindful of this connection.
Narrative is not confined to
text, despite that an artwork
appears to be frozen in time. that
garden spade and garden fork
tell a story. From the handle, oak
leaves grow entwining themselves
around the piece. this is no
modern implement sourced at
the local hardware store but a
carefully constructed copy of an
english oak spade, which was
brought to New Zealand by early
British immigrants. used to dig
the soil here, to help the family
establish a home here, and then
discarded for a more modern
tool. Like the family, the life of
the spade is not finished – the
oak handle has taken root and
grown foliage. It has been reborn
in a new land – New Zealand –
offering hope of a new future.
this is a powerful metaphor of
immigration and regeneration still
relevant today.
Wheeler is a well-respected
sculptor who has exhibited
widely in New Zealand and
internationally. he works in a
variety of scales, both large and
small. his repertoire includes
pieces such as tiny pohutukawa
leaf, a medallion, or large works
suitable for civic spaces and
domestic gardens. Wheeler’s
sculpture is thoughtful, beautiful
and desirable. he is represented
by artis Gallery and the Vivian
in the auckland region and has
exhibited locally at art in Garden.
Wheeler lives in auckland with his
wife and daughter.
Do not be mistaken into thinking this
is mere copying of nature, here we
have a true artist at work.
– Anne Hudson
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