We’ve all had little souvenirs at some time, whether bought or gifted. Wherever they come from, some of them we love, some of them make us cringe. They raise some questions, one being do they do their job, of reminding us of a time, place or event? It’s a big ask for small, cheap trinkets – coated plastics, low grade metals, painted resin, and so on. Some people turn their noses up at these and prefer more sophisticated fare, or resist their charms for right minded ecological reasons. As for local populations, we mostly disdain the representations of our own places that others buy.
Comprising new works, Ruth Watson’s first solo show in Christchurch for over a decade uses thousands of souvenirs to explore ideas about place, memory, and cultural representation.
