A New York show is every artist's dream. But while Natalia Chaplin's artwork is enjoying US success, the Nelson artist isn't there to see it.
The chance to show her work in one of the world’s most arty cities was “incredible”, she said.
However, by the time Chaplin was ready to send her paintings in March, the rapidly evolving global situation gave her pause.
“I was debating whether to post them, or whether they'd end up getting lost.”
She crossed her fingers and posted the artwork a few days before New Zealand went into lockdown, putting her faith in the postal tracking system.
The paintings stalled in Auckland for a few months, then again on the US side.
“The paintings arrived to a very strange kind of New York at the start of June,” Chaplin said. “I never imagined how much the world would change in the time it took those paintings to complete their journey.”
While the paintings were in transit, the gallery director who had interviewed Chaplin died due to Covid-19 complications.
“It was awful to see the images and numbers on the news and to think that she was one.”
To honour their friend and colleague, the gallery set up a relief fund for people affected by coronavirus, Chaplin said.
Chaplin’s works, which feature Nelson scenery, have strong environmental themes: Turn A Leaf has 450 gold leaves, representing the number of trees that are deforested every second. Forgotten Forest, featuring Abel Tasman beauty spot Cleopatra's pool, highlights the world’s disappearing habitats, while Opaque Waters explores the growing problem of plastic in the ocean.
As well as highlighting the “shocking” environmental problems we face, Chaplin wanted her pieces to have a strong narrative.
“I like art that tells a story, you can read about it and discover something you didn’t know.”
While the other artists featured in the Turn a Leaf exhibition made it to the show for talks, Chaplin can’t join them.
While it’s disappointing to not be there herself, Chaplin is keeping herself busy with portrait commissions and plans for future exhibitions, she said.
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