Rachel Silver + Florian
Rachel Silver is a mosaic artist based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington. This is her second year participating in the Kiwi Art Trail.
Describe the inspiration behind your kiwi.
What if the kiwi had not always been nocturnal? I created Florian as part of an imaginary world where his camouflage of vibrant greens and exotic flora blends beautifully in a lush environment permeated in dappled sunlit lower jungle shrubs and saplings.
Describe the design process. How did your idea turn into a kiwi?
I’m heavily into maximalism and took inspiration from colourful textiles I collect including Japanese obis and embroidered Indian throws. Mosaic is very much like a tapestry. I kept coming back to the greens and golds of kiwifruit varieties but thought a cloak of only fruits would be limiting so I chose to represent native flowers instead. In saying that, Florian is definitely a bit fruity!
What's your favourite thing about your sculpture? What makes it super cool?
Florian means ‘one who blossoms and flourishes’. I felt so happy and uplifted creating him and I hope he makes people feel happy too.
Why did you say 'yes' to joining the Kiwi Art Trail - and why did you say ‘yes’ again?
I will jump at any chance I can get to showcase mosaic as a public art form. It is so underrated in New Zealand compared to the rest of the world. Mosaic comes in a variety of styles and techniques just like any other artistic medium. Tiles are a resilient material built to last that will not fade in the sun so what’s not to like?
I loved creating ‘Manukura Spirit’ last year and I had such amazing feedback so was delighted to be invited back in 2024.
What do you like about kiwi and kiwi conservation? Why is the kiwi important to you?
The more I read up about the kiwi’s unique and quirky traits, the more fascinated I become. Particularly how they are far from docile and actually feisty, aggressive and territorial, and are not shy of a fight to protect their turf. And they can run as fast as a human! They have survived millennia with limited sight and no ability to fly so that's a mighty lot of inner strength and resilience. It is imperative we do all we can as a nation to conserve these incredibly unique and beautiful animals.
Have you ever seen a kiwi?
I have never seen a kiwi in real life. After mosaicking giant ones, they have certainly slipped into my dream space once or twice. I would love to see a kiwi in real life. With the number of kiwi released into the Wellington hills recently, I may get lucky yet!
Why do you do what you do? What inspired you to become an artist?
I only ever wanted to be an artist. I have an innate obsession to create every day. It relaxes me. When people say after seeing my mosaic art, “oh you must have so much patience”, it’s actually funny because it's kind of the opposite. I’m an impatient person with a lot of scattered energy. The repetition and attention to detail needed when working with mosaic tiles means you need to be decisive and work quickly. When I undertook an apprenticeship In Europe in the early days we needed to produce a square metre of micro mosaic in a day so there was no time for mucking around.
These days most of my art projects include community input which I love. I teach a cross section of different groups including adults experiencing mental health distress. The focus and concentration for building a mosaic shifts energy and therefore can be highly therapeutic. I urge everyone to try it. It’s quite addictive.
