Spectrum in Suspension

Spectrum in Suspension is a collection of works born from experimentation, created using a diverse range of mixed media, from food colouring to ink pen. These techniques imbue the pieces with a rare vibrancy and energy. Céra Dernhagen is drawn to the inherent beauty of objects, rendering them with delicate precision. She depicts glass objects with duality, offering the objects a tangible weight while they appear to float effortlessly within the plane. Spectrum in Suspension, features paintings of glass objects inspired by photos Dernhagen has taken in op shops around Ōtautahi and other familiar spaces of interesting looking glass objects. Each piece is paired with a line of poetry by award-winning Dutch poet, Laura Hermans, capturing the essence and deeper meaning of each artwork.

The collection balances creative freedom with the constraints of form, showcasing a harmonious dance between aesthetic beauty and structural boundaries.

Since Céra is a FinTech masters student, she is passionate about making the financial institution more accessible for everyone through technology (to give you a tangible example, if you think about all the doors internet banking has opened for people living in remote areas - that is in part thanks to the field of FinTech). Therefore, she has decided to make these works available as NFTs (high quality prints will also be available to purchase at the exhibition) and a percentage of proceeds from the NFT sales and fine-art prints from the exhibition will go towards supporting Kiwi Trust for Palestinian Children's Relief are a charity that supports refugee children affected by the war on the Gaza strip.

Much like the qualities of glass, NFTs provide a unique translucency, allowing objects to be experienced in new, remediated forms.

Artists' Biographies:

Céra is a self-taught artist who has been passionately honing her craft since discovering the joy of drawing as a kid. She resides in Ōtautahi, but considering herself a citizen of the world as she has lived and worked in various different places in the world. While art has always been a significant part of her life, as of late she has been dedicating much of her time to her master’s degree in financial technology (FinTech). When she is not doing her masters course work, she is paragliding or running!

https://www.instagram.com/cera_dernhagen_art

Laura is an educator, poet and storyteller born in the Netherlands, currently reading in Ōtautahi. They are also the founder of Soft Pals Club (a poetry collective) and have written a book of poems. Laura is an outdoorsy person and when they aren’t working on their postgraduate Outdoor Education and Sustainability degree, you might find them hiking up a mountain or writing in a quiet corner.

https://www.instagram.com/llaurahermanss

Céra and Laura are both in their 20’s and live together in a wholesome intentional community.

And if you’re one of the very few people still into NFT’s you can find Céra's listings here:

https://opensea.io/Cera_Dernhagen_Art