McIver appetiser

Sharu Delilkan | 15th October 2009

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A piece of Annie McIver's work.

It is fair to say that Annie McIver is "absolutely terrified" about her first solo exhibition. "I feel like I'm putting my head on the line," she says.

McIver, the runner-up in the 2008 Titirangi Community Arts Council Emerging Artists awards, has made art and painted things all her life but she says a solo exhibition exerts far more pressure on her skills.

The 55-year-old who lives in Titirangi, got stuck into formal art training in 2000 when she finally found time for herself, after raising her kids.

Her exhibition, Appetites, is part of her final assessment for her Advanced Diploma in Ceramics from Otago Polytech.

"I have tried to approach Appetites in a metaphorical sense, holding a mirror up to man's appetite for domination over the natural world, his appetite for political power, and his tendency towards addictions which, I guess, are uncontrolled appetites," she says.

For authenticity, McIver has researched, among other things, dancing bears, honey bees, poultry farming and the use of laboratory rats and chimps.

"I'm not a hugely political person, but I can't deny my absolute horror when I found out how regressive we are in our treatment of animals."

In keeping with the appetite theme McIver has also looked at "man's appetite for life and issues surrounding fertility".

"I'm having my first grandchild at Christmas, so not only have I been thinking about new life, but also have been preoccupied thinking about his/her future and what world we'll be leaving behind."

McIver plans to display 15-20 pieces, most of which will be sculptures.

"I love the plasticity of clay and the fact that once it's fired it's permanent."