Introduction (2)
Knock and come in
A small sign on the door reads “knock and come in.” This permanent invitation to Fergus Collinson’s home in Wellington accents the artist’s warmth to both stranger and friend. Entering into Fergus’s home is to literally step into another world... visitors must squeeze themselves down the hall past a myriad of paintings — some are Fergus’s, some his grandma’s. All spring out at you, vital and alive. At times it can take quite a while just to walk these few metres.
Everywhere there are paintings — against walls, behind chairs. So many paintings, diverse topics. A series with blues singer Billie Holiday’s lyrics tapped for inspiration; flowers — big blousey numbers on the verge of petal drop; trains — journeys taken; and lots of friendly people — recognisable but new. Juxtaposed with these paintings are often poems. Scraps of paper that read like clues in a game of detection into the artist’s psyche.
The poems and paintings bounce off each other and are sometimes surprising in their interpretation of each other. What seems to be simple is revealed as a studied and intricate idea.
Imparted to the viewer through this art is the overall picture of someone’s life but with themes we can all relate to — life, death, love, relationships, fear, solitude, journeys. By doing this Fergus’s paintings give the viewer tools to appreciate his relaxed and accessible style.
The crossover of these two mediums in this book make for a complementary biographical journey that is both fascinating and definitive.
~ Anna-Marie O'Brien
Artist