Diurnal Aspect

Paula Collier

03.04.25 — 03.05.25

In Diurnal Aspect, artist Paula Collier considers the implications and ideologies implicit in the architectural design of 233 Willis Street; the premises of play_station artist-run space. The building is now heritage listed as an example of the ‘Combination Factory Style’, a modernist architectural movement of the interwar period. This movement focused on structural integrity and worker efficiency, utilising the structural grid, allowing for open-plan design and flexibility of use. Also referred to as ‘Daylight’ factories, this movement prioritised natural light for workers' well-being, resulting in the expansion of windows into window walls.

Considering this, Collier’s installation observes a mostly unseen light phenomenon that occurs when the sun shines down the narrow space between the adjacent building to the gallery, illuminating the now-covered windows. By recording this phenomenon, Collier reactivates the window’s original function. Recalling the workers of various industries who spent their time here, this installation places the viewer as an active participant in the lifecycle of the space.

Accompanying text by Marcus Moore.

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Paula Collier is an artist from Ōtautahi, now based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara, who works with installation and sculpture. Interested in the practical realities of materials, scale, and unique light qualities of a site; Collier’s installations engage with the ongoing life cycles and active invisibility of spaces and materials. Through manipulating our perception of light and space, her work explores how this relates to the philosophical idea of what Carl Mika calls 'the dual hiddenness and presence of an entity,’ acknowledging the role of mystery and uncertainty in forming thought processes.

Collier studied sculpture at Elam University, graduating in 1997, and in 2024 completed a Masters of Fine Arts at Massey University. Her recent exhibitions are To Be Sure, We Are Speaking (The Engine Room, 2024); and A Series of Actions and Observations (The Wellington Working Men’s Club, 2024).

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Poster Design by Harris Wilson

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