Craft / The Gardener’s Bar – Tamara Henderson, Canberra Contemporary, until August 29. Reviewed by MEREDITH HINCHLIFFE

Tamara Henderson is an internationally recognised multi-disciplined artist and this is a multi-faceted and large exhibition.

Henderson has recently relocated to Australia, and we are told that compost has occupied a central position within her practice. Maybe more accurately, this refers to recycling, regenerating and reusing materials.

In this exhibition she is using glass as a central material. A central work in the show is The Gardener’s Bar, a reclaimed back garden glasshouse, for which she has constructed new panels. Fused glass panels, made at the Canberra Glassworks, incorporate flowers, leaves, blocks of colour and coloured glass fragments and make up the walls, ceiling and doors of the glasshouse. The flooring is made from recycled garden hose formed into various patterns. The sunlight pouring through the windows of the gallery hit the glass walls, creating patterns and reflections. It is an imposing work.

At the rear of the gallery a film titled Green in the Grooves, 2003 (also the title of her major exhibition at Camden Arts Centre, London) runs for nearly 27 minutes, which elaborates some of the works in the show. Stools and benches, seemingly made for this show, are scattered for viewers to sit on. Henderson has made these, including dyeing the hemp fur upholstery fabric using natural dyes. Through the film, we see that Henderson is a prolific and committed gardener.

Another large work is the Sunspider Chair. Green, hemp upholstery fur and foam make up the legs which are finished in coloured blown glass spheres. It is a playful piece.

Opposite the entry to the glasshouse, is a wall of works made in glass all related to the garden, including a piece titled ‘The Gardener’s Body Fountain.’

Placed throughout the gallery are a series of lamps, variously titled Mushroom Floral Lamp and Floral Lamp.

I found this extensive exhibition a little disjointed, as though the artist is trying to say too much.

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