Venue: Arts Village, 1240 Hinemaru Street, Rotorua.
“Connections” explores the theme of humans influence on the Earth’s environment and how this affects the relationships between the land, the sea, and the people. Our role in the global climate processes are explored through a series of textile works.
Building on her previous environmental work of connections between human behaviour and water pollution, Ruth McMonagle’s current series links connections between environmental changes and human behaviour, such as droughts, wild-fires, floods, and rising seas. The changing environmental conditions will affect New Zealanders, particularly direct economic impacts to fisheries and land productivity, as well as coastal impact through sea level rise from melting ice, changing weather patterns, and altered ocean conditions.
The textile artworks prompt the viewer to reflect, and be aware of personal consequences, and of their own role in environmental changes.Over the past 30 years, Ruth has made a commitment to reduce her footprint on the planet. As a result, the majority of the artwork is created from at least 65% recycled materials.
Awarded nationally, for her soft sculpture, Ruth exhibits on a regional, national and international level. She has exhibited in Australia, South Africa, France, Italy, and the United States of America. Selected in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021, to represent New Zealand at the World Quilt Exhibition, USA. Ruth’s textile work has been described as “visually striking”, and “emotional”.
