Pip McManus: Saw Points

Pip McManus is a local Mparntwe/Alice Springs artist who has been reflecting on the timeless issues of dispossession and migration.

Saw Points encompass a selection of new artworks alongside matured installation from years of refined reflection with outstanding pieces drawn from the Araluen Arts Centre collection.

“You will find here a wide selection from my art practice, pieces ranging from silk screened ceramic tablets to multimedia assemblages and recent video works. While often exploring serious subjects, both near and far away, it’s the universal elements of human struggles that most interest me. But this dealing with the dark stuff necessitates a flip side. I take most pleasure in playing with the piles of abandoned detritus which find their way to my studio.

The dark edges of our world are leavened by any creations that might provoke a glint of laughter in people’s eyes. For decades I’ve been eyeing off an old cross saw which has been kicking around my yard until it finally sprang into action with a sharp enough idea for repurposing. Nearly all the wood featured in recent pieces, is sourced from driftwood thrown up onto a remote and wild beach in Kangaroo Island. I love the salty surface, so perfectly pickled by months or years tossing about in the Southern Ocean. Cutting into the outer crust you never know what manner of seasoned timber might emerge.”

Pip McManus, 2025