Residue exhibition reimagines discarded materials

Residue, the latest exhibition at the Mangawhai Artists Gallery, draws together three artists whose diverse practices converge in a shared exploration of memory, decay and transformation.

Through textiles, paper, wire, metal sculpture and photography, Alysn Midgelow-Marsden, Christine den Hartogh and Howard Esler reimagine fragments and discarded materials, revealing the quiet beauty of what remains after time and process leave their marks.

Though distinct in style and medium, the artists create a cohesive and thought-provoking response to the exhibition’s theme, inviting visitors to consider residue not as waste, but as a record of change and meaning.

Alysn Midgelow-Marsden, an internationally exhibited fibre and mixed media artist, transforms textiles and found materials into tactile works that evoke both fragility and resilience. Her practice spans exhibitions across New Zealand, Australia, the United Kingdom and China.

“I’m drawn to materials that carry their own history,” she says. “Emotional connections inspire my gilded and patinated drawings, and sculptural forms in wire and metal meshes and cloths.”

Den Hartogh, who trained in the Netherlands in photojournalism and documentary photography, brings a contemplative lens to the exhibition. Now based in Northland, she captures fleeting moments of light and texture, reframing overlooked details as sites of reflection and narrative.

“I explore family history, beach treasures, botanical and rush printing, weaving them together with discarded materials into a cohesive whole,” she says.

Esler, a retired engineer, channels a lifelong fascination with the meeting point of mechanics and art. Working primarily with discarded and repurposed materials, he creates intricate large-scale sculptures that echo the structural beauty of bridges, machines and natural forms. Many of his sculptures are installed in his own sculpture park.

“The materials I use have already lived a life,” he explains. “By reshaping them, I honour their past while giving them new purpose. There is beauty in the residue of human endeavour.”

The exhibition, which is part of the Mangawhai Art Trail (Feb 28-March 1), offers an immersive experience that challenges perceptions of permanence and value, transforming remnants into objects of curiosity, strength and unexpected elegance.

Mangawhai Art Trail maps (featuring around 50 artists across 24 venues) are available at the gallery or from www.mangawhaiartists.org

Mangawhai Artists Gallery, 45 Moir St, is open daily 10.30am to 3.30pm (from 9am on Saturdays). Residue will be on show until March 5.