Mountains, Cass 1936

Curator: Rita Angus created this watercolour, titled "Mountains, Cass," in 1936. It’s currently held at the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū in New Zealand. Editor: My immediate impression is one of stillness and starkness. The colors are muted, but there’s also something comforting in the angular shapes. It feels like a landscape of the mind. Curator: Angus's use of watercolour here really emphasizes the raw materiality of the landscape, doesn't it? You can almost feel the grain of the paper, and the precise control in the brushstrokes makes the whole composition feel quite solid, even architectural. Look how the planes intersect! It echoes the labour involved in constructing a landscape both physically and conceptually. Editor: Absolutely, but what truly draws me in are those repeating triangular shapes throughout—the peaks, the roofs, the fields. They almost feel like variations of a sacred symbol pointing upwards. Considering the historical moment, might Angus have intended a more uplifting image, countering the grim reality of the Depression with these visual beacons? Curator: That’s a fascinating point. There’s definitely a sense of striving, or at least a desire to bring order to the landscape. But I also think it's interesting to see the geometric forms in relation to New Zealand modernism at the time. How do you interpret this in a national context, especially regarding representation and material conditions? Editor: The cottage, for me, signifies resilience, a sanctuary amidst a vast and powerful landscape. You know, rural isolation and finding solace in nature were becoming quite potent national narratives by the 30s, perhaps influenced by global events? This isn’t merely a landscape study but an embodiment of an ideology, seen through the symbolic weight of each element. Curator: That makes me consider how watercolour, a "humble" material, has been traditionally perceived compared to oil paint, particularly concerning labor and the marketplace. Perhaps choosing this medium reflects something similar about the artist herself. Editor: Incredibly perceptive! I am just struck, really, by how a simple visual of "Mountains, Cass" reflects not just geographic location, but emotional, social and historical strata so richly woven together. Curator: Exactly, it makes you reflect how this artwork can offer such varied and fascinating views through the lens of materials.