Govett Brewster Art Gallery.

Nations by NS Harsha.

Nations is an installation of treadle sewing machines and hand-painted flags that represent the 192 countries in the United Nations, all entangled with threads. Through this work, Harsha highlights international politics and the outsourcing of disenfranchised and alienated labourers in response to the demands of world economies. Unlike the previous presentations of this work at the 2009 Sharjah Biennial in the United Arab Emirates and also in 2009, at INIVA in London, this installation at the Govett-Brewster features heirloom sewing machines loaned from people and museums in Taranaki and Whanganui, calling to mind personal and social histories of Aotearoa New Zealand.

 Here is my sketch. I was told this was one of the oldest sewing machines used. I found this an exhibition well worth visiting. I enjoyed the old sewing machines, and the vibrancy of the colours used in the flags.
Jackie.