Jane Downes

Jane Downes is a sculptor and designer from Little River on Te Pātaka-o-Rākaihautū Banks Peninsula. She holds a Bachelor of Design from Christchurch Polytechnic and exhibits in galleries and at major sculpture events throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, undertakes commissions and also sells her smaller works online.

Jane’s work is constructed from scrap sheet-metal, profiles and, occasionally, other discarded materials, using shapes, forms and patterns that resonate with her. Natural and human-made, often common or from childhood, sometimes delicate and fleeting objects from nature, occasionally robust geometric forms from popular culture and industry – her choice of materials and forms seeks to challenge preconceptions of purpose and beauty, valuable and lowly, masculine and feminine, permanent and ephemeral.

More info about Jane:
www.janedownes.co.nz

Jane Downes, Self Seeded, 2024, rusted mild steel.

The Burrill People’s
Choice Award
Vote for this work:

Jane’s work in this year’s exhibition is an installation of 12 poppy pods constructed from plasma-cut mild steel. The seed pods celebrate plant life-cycles, acting as both a reminder of the past and a promise of things to come. Seed – germination – growth – flowering – pollination – fertilisation – seed. Each pod is from the same species, but is unique in its shape, size and appearance. The seeds within store information for the next generation, with their success dependent on receiving a nurturing environment.

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