Various Artists with Beth & Sofia

This week on Various Artists!

Beth speaks to Exhibition and Artist Coordinator for the Auckland Festival of Photography, Daniel Ho, about the festival.

Sofia has a kōrero with the author of Ans Westra: a Life in Photography, historian Paul Moon, and Suite Gallery owner and director, David Alsop, about Westra and her work. 

Beth also chats with artist Matt Tini about his exhibition, the essentials of being a native.

And Nicholas speaks to co-curator of Derek Jarman’s upcoming exhibition, Delphinium Days, at Gus Fisher Gallery, Lisa Beauchamp.

Whakarongo tonu mai!

The book, Ans Westra: a Life in Photography by Paul Moon, was released on the 10th of May. 

Westra is one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most well known social documentary photographers, best known for her candid black-and-white photography of New Zealand life and culture. 

Some of her most notable photographs included images of life in remote areas, Māori communities, and anti-apartheid protestors who clashed with riot police during the 1981 Springbok tour.

In light of Westra’s death in February 2023, Ans Westra: a Life in Photography is a richly illustrated biography of her life and her remarkable, and sometimes controversial, practice, which continues to be debated today.

Sofia had a kōrero with the author of the book, historian Paul Moon, and Suite Gallery owner and director, David Alsop, who manages the Ans Westra archive and copyright, about Ans Westra: a Life in Photography. 

the essentials of being a native is an exhibition by Pōneke-based artist, Matt Tini (Waikato, Ngaati Tiipa, Ngāti Rakaipaaka, Ngāti Kahungunu), showing at the Corban Estate Arts Centre until the 22nd of June. 

He uses photography and moving images to explore colonial influences on the representation of Indigenous peoples, and challenge the narratives upheld by both colonisers and the colonised. 

Beth caught up with Matt about the essentials of being a native and what went into putting it all together.

Robyn Kahukiwa (Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti, Ngāti Hau, Ngāti Konohi, Te Whānau-a-Ruataupare, Te Whānau-a-Te Aotawarirangi) is an internationally acclaimed artist whose work explores heritage, identity and rangatiratanga of Māori. 

The kaupapa of her work ranges from exploring ideas surrounding colonisation, dispossession, motherhood, wellbeing, whakapapa, and tikanga Māori. 

Her newest exhibition, Tuawahine, at Season Gallery centres images of wāhine Māori, emphasising mana wāhine and mana Māori motuhake. 

Sofia spoke to co-curator of Season, Francis McWhannell, about the exhibition and Kahukiwa’s practice.