Poplar Tree in Winter

Caroline McQuarrie and Marci Tackett

10×12 inch screenprint diptych on cotton rag paper (framed)

Edition 1/5 plus artists proofs

‘Poplar Tree in Winter’ depicts a mature poplar tree photographed by Caroline McQuarrie on The Gullies farm, during an art residency in July-August 2023. Reminded of Fox Talbot’s iconic photograph ‘Oak Tree in Winter’ (1842 -1843) by the poplar tree she could see across the paddock from her studio space, McQuarrie photographed it numerous times during the residency, thinking about the relationship between the invention of photography in 1839 and the founding of the country New Zealand through Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840. Idealised farming landscapes emerged after the signing of Te Tiriti, as European immigrants laboured to re-create the pastoral landscapes they knew from home; landscapes such as Fox Talbot’s property Lacock Abbey where the oak tree was photographed. Native trees were felled, European trees were planted in their place.

For the exhibition Plus 1 Caroline invited printmaker Marci Tackett to collaborate. Marci and Caroline met in 2006 when they both taught at The Learning Connexion art school, and have remained friends since. They share an interest in contemporary interpretations of the histories of their respective image reproduction processes. Marci developed Caroline’s photograph into colour separation screen prints; rather than using a standard colour separation, Marci utilised a process she has developed over time as an experienced printmaker in order to interpret Caroline’s image. The reading of this work changes depending how closely the viewer positions themselves to the print; either revealing or concealing evidence of the process of its creation as they move. Reproducing both the positive and the negative image as a diptych (referencing Fox Talbot’s positive / negative calotype process), together the two artists worked on fine tuning the colour relationships in order to capture subtleties of colour and tone, and illustrate the softness of the winter light falling on the pastoral landscape.