What is it about Nets?

It’s taken me years to realise that nets are a substantial theme in my work. Lately I have got to thinking about my return to this recurring idea and what it might mean.

It’s not like I ever suddenly thought “Oh yes, I’m going to create images of nets”. My interest in nets was always much more intuitive & spontaneous. The imagery and the process of using nets felt right at the time, perhaps not just right, but also in some way necessary.

There was emotional safety for me in the structure of the net. It was as if part of me and my emotions could be hooked in and held by the net. Some of the trepidation I felt before a blank canvas was contained & soothed when I could keep the underlying structure of the net in mind.

I first started making work with nets many years ago.

It's been a long, long journey!

I remember going to a shop in inner Melbourne that specialised in nets for all kinds of purposes: fishing, shopping, sports, decoration etc.

Entering the cavernous space, I felt like I’d been given the keys to the lolly shop! I bought some amazing objects including a thick, bright orange lobster net which could be twisted or bent into different shapes. It was a huge shop. On bringing my purchases to the counter, the sales assistant let me know that ACCA (Australian Centre for Contemporary Art) had recently visited and purchased a lot of nets. I had no idea an obscure net shop could be a contemporary art hub!

My first net works were huge sculptural objects crafted from fishnet stockings stuffed with garments and drapery. I hung them from the ceiling so that they formed themselves into a teardrop shape (with help from me). Once this object was safely installed, I started drawing.

Halved Droplet (a net drawing in pencil from 2008)

Other works used lobster nets, net shopping bags and a variety of string nets purchased from the net shop.

Often I stuffed the nets with drapery, but sometimes I left them empty., enjoying the pattern and the way the nets could be moulded into various shapes that had resonance.

Another net drawing.

I feel now that nets were/are important as containers, but I understand that they also allow the air in, that they are porous rather than impermeable, soft and pliable, but also strong. Perhaps it was a new paradigm for growth, for transformation and post-traumatic growth.