Waitemata Series by Logan Brewer

A return to the fundamentals of sculpture, form and gravity, are the hallmarks of artist Logan Brewer’s exhibition, Waitematā Series, on show at the Northart Gallery from 19 August.

Brewer spent three years finessing the pieces that make up the collection, which takes inspiration from the deceptively simple clean, smooth lines found in boat building and mirrored in his use of folded steel.

Brewer explains the impetus for the current exhibition. “The idea to explore the complexity of boat construction came when my daughter gave me a book called The Logan’s: New Zealand’s Greatest Boatbuilding Family, documenting distant relatives and their unwavering pursuit of technical precision in the craft.”

“Just as yachts do when heeling on perilously steep angles, the pieces are purposefully constructed so that they always appear to be on the brink of toppling. The pieces are not only about tension but also balance and beauty,” Brewer says.

Showing until 4 September, each piece is enhanced by drawings that detail the curves of the steel in purely conceptual stages, reminding the viewer of the power of the sculptures and their simultaneous simplicity and complexity.