LUKE CALDER

Dunedin based mixed media artist Luke Calder produces work that explores notions of place, perception and experience. He has become well known for his series of strikingly modern globes and hemispheres. His artworks are inspired by his childhood fascination with maps, globes and exotic locations, far removed from his upbringing in Auckland, New Zealand. As a child, he spent many hours looking at old National Geographic magazines and hunting down vintage tin globes. This early fascination for maps and globes has become fodder for the body of work he exhibits today. Calder’s works are all hand-made from spun aluminium, painted meticulously and hand gilded. The process is slow and painstaking; the artist makes great effort to render detailed coastlines and tiny islands with precision. As the artist describes, "every land mass needs constant supervision while I coax the patina finish into life." The use of copper adds an extra element to the work, as the elegant shapes will change over time as the copper continues to react, creating an organic and unique piece of art.