DCM group exhibition - 'Together we can end homelessness in Wellington' - Fri. 13th Sept to Sat. 28th Sept. 2019

Invitation to DCM group exhibition

We thank Toi Rauwharangi - the Massey University College of Creative Arts - for its support.

‘The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members’
- Mahatma Gandhi

The Downtown Community Ministry (DCM) has been working in the city of Wellington since 1969 to “focus on the needs of, and to help empower, those marginalised in the city” (quotation from DCM official constitution). In 2019 DCM will celebrate 50 years of working with the most marginalised people in Wellington. DCM has also adopted the by-line “Together we can end homelessness in Wellington” and to mark their 50 year milestone, the exhibition together we can end homelessness in Wellington will be a curated selection of 50 images by different photographers of what “together we can end homelessness in Wellington” looks like. The exhibition is designed to shine a light on the issue of homelessness and the responses of DCM and its numerous supporters and stakeholders. Too often mainstream media coverage around the issue of homelessness concentrates on those who are sleeping in the streets and begging in doorways. While this highlights some people’s experience of homelessness, it doesn’t identify or offer solutions or support to resolve the needs of some of the most vulnerable members of our society, neither does it offer suggestions to concerned New Zealanders as to how they might respond to homelessness.

The exhibition will be positive and aspirational in nature and will include but is not limited to documenting the contributions including the annual DCM Book fair, community and professional groups who contribute food, expertise and volunteer their time to DCM as well as of people who have experienced homelessness and now have an opportunity to support others. 50 photographers with wide-ranging backgrounds and expertise will each contribute one photograph to mark each year of DCM’s community contribution. The photographers include academics, professional and artists.  The exhibition selection will be curated by Senior Lecturer and Photographer Helen Mitchell from Massey University,  Photographer and Educator John Williams, Photographer and Curator James Gilberd, and Michelle Scott from DCM.

The photographers who contributed to this exhibition are:
Helen Mitchell, James Gilberd, John Williams, Chris Coad, Mary Hutchinson, Craig Thomson, Catherine Cattanach, Gabrielle McKone, Dean Zillwood, Daniel Mooney, Jessica O’Brien, Emma Robinson, Mark Beehre, Antony Kitchener, Chris Bing, Pat Shepherd, Tam Webster.

'Together we can end homelessness in Wellington' runs from Friday 13th to Saturday 28th September, 2019, at Photospace Gallery.
Hours are 10am-4pm Monday-Friday, 11am-4pm Saturdays. Closed Sundays and public holidays.

For further information, please contact James Gilberd at Photospace Gallery, 37 Courtenay Place, Wellington - (04) 382 9502 after 10am, 027 444 3899, j.gilberd@xtra.co.nz
Exhibition info on the DCM site.

Article in Dominion Post 'Capital Day' 16th Sept 2019

Photo from DCM exhibition 'Together we can end homelessness in Wellington' Photo: John Williams