At Your Service

Everyday objects take on new identities in a Waiheke artist’s intriguing work

It’s a fair step up in life for a gravy boat to become a service medal (or part of one at least), but in interior stylist and artist Anna Church’s latest series, one manages to get that promotion … as does a Formica serving tray, a tea strainer and ice tongs.
‘At Your Service’ is a stunning new series of works in limited edition by the Waiheke Island-based artist, which compel at least a second and third look. As in her previous series, Anna has brought together a collection of objects and arranged them to resemble something else. In this case, each large-scale photograph appears to be of a service medal, however on closer inspec¬tion, it reveals itself as being composed of a number of items of service ware. Silver spoons, linen napkins, platters and the aforementioned gravy boat all make an appearance as the more masculine bigger picture unveils itself to be far more feminine in its intricate detail.
Anna, who trained as a graphic designer at the National College of Design and Technology has what many would enviably term, a superb eye and an ability to group objects to form compelling, thought-provoking and ultimately beautiful compositions. For a number of years, Anna has used these abilities in her work as both an artist and freelance stylist. If you have ever read a New Zealand interior magazine, you will no doubt be familiar (if only subliminally) with this creative’s preceding work. She has worked on spreads for NZ House & Garden, Your Home & Garden and Life and Leisure. She has also lent her eye to advertising campaigns and catalogues for the likes of Citta Design, Trelise Cooper and Warwick Fabrics.
Her very first exhibition in 2008, ‘For NZ’s Sake’ was inspired by the Crown Lynn ceramics that would transform into geographical features of New Zealand before her eyes. She knew she had gone too far to turn back when she spied a Kingfisher perched on its porcelain base as Farewell Spit and a kitsch conch shell jug as the Taranaki cape. She spent three months trawling secondhand shops in the North and South Islands for the iconic crockery that made up the series.
Similarly, Anna spent two years processing and developing the concept and months scouring antique dealers and friends’ china cabinets for just the right piece for each composition of ‘At Your Service’. The components had to be perfect, both thematically and aesthetically. For example, ‘Sunday Roast’ is made up of a silver gravy boat, serving spoons, carving knife and fork, linens and china. Likewise, every piece in the partnering works in the series; ‘Ladies Luncheon’, ‘Elevenses’, ‘Nightcap’ and ‘High Tea’ have their vital role to play.
Unapologetically nostalgic, ‘At Your Service’ draws upon rapidly fading notions of service. It pays homage to a day when, whether one had ‘help’ or not, the utmost care was taken to present and serve meals impeccably on the best china; the silver polished to a sheen, the linen starched to within an inch of its life and a different fork for every occasion. Compared to today, when heaven forbid one should go to too much fuss, when casual is cool and relaxed reigns, ‘At Your Service’ celebrates the time when a nightcap warranted the cut glass crystal and a Sunday roast was, in itself, a reason to deco¬rate the table with the family silver.
The Sunday roast, as with most New Zealanders, resonates deeply with Anna. Her 94-year-old grandmother, Peggy Church, came to this country as a child and brought with her many traditions of the Queen’s land.
“When we stayed with her everything was prim and proper,” Anna recalls. “Beautifully polished silverware adorned the shelves of a vintage china cabinet that was never touched by the hands of children. Meals were always impeccably prepared and served with engraved silver napkin rings and our own individual napkins. That was always special.”
Peggy’s father (Anna’s great grandfather), Major Douglas Bryan served in both the British and New Zealand Army and later became appointed Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod in New Zealand. The major’s position permitted Peggy to attend a luncheon with her majesty and she treasures newspaper clippings of her father during the Queen’s visits to Parliament. In keeping with tradition, the Black Rod strikes the door of Parliament three times with his staff, and is then admitted and issues the summons of the monarch to attend.
‘At Your Service’ pays homage to her great grandfather and all the men and women called in their thousands to practise feats of the greatest bravery in order to preserve their way of life for Queen and country... and who were decorated in gratitude for doing so.
Similarly deserving of decoration, Anna has established a reputation for herself not only as an artist and stylist but as an entrepreneur as well. She was the co-creative director of wholesale and online linen and homewares company, Gorgi and was half the brain behind WAS: a unique concept using recycled vinyl to make bags.
What’s more, Anna juggles all her work with being a wife to Foster Moore IT general manager, Nick, and mum to daughter, Molly, as well as having another baby on the way. For someone whose work is about bringing together collections of objects, Anna is not really a collector herself: collator certainly, curator indeed, creator for sure, and composer definitely. She enjoys spending what little spare time she has walking her dogs along Waiheke Island’s stunning beaches. She is represented by The Poi Room in Auckland, Black Barn Gallery in Hawkes Bay, Clever Bastards and smaller boutique galleries throughout the country.
Nakita Ardern
www.annachurch.co.nz