This exhibition has been extended: Monday 6th to Thursday 9th May, 10am to 2pm only. 'Digital' opens on Saturday 13th April, 11.30am-2pm in gallery room 1 along with vintage photographs of Johnsonville in the 1960s by John B. Turner. Both exhibitions run till 4th May 2024. 'Digital' - Mary Hutchinson
"Human hands and feet, with their tones, textures and associated adornments, are recurring themes in my street photography. The variety of interacting gestures, skin surfaces, jewellery, body art, clothing, and objects such as bags, toys, and pets, which we carry around with us in public, have always intrigued and drawn me in. "Such detailed observation perhaps echoes my previous work as a doctor, and my lifelong passion for up-close exploration and noticing in the natural world. "Whilst photographing personal human details, I fleetingly experience moments of connectedness to my subjects; focusing in on the poignant visual stories ‘told’ by hands, feet, clothing and decoration. In these instances, I feel in some ways that my hands, holding my carried camera or phone, mirror what is going on with the hands, and even feet of my subjects, as they, like me, go about their daily journeys in the street. "
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I went to a show in Toyko last year. One of my friends was showing his photos. He'd made a photobook to go along with them. I liked this idea, so I determined that I would make a photobook too. I only had about a week left, then I had to return to NZ before my visa ran out. So, one day, I decided that I would take as many good photos as I could and make this into a photobook. This is that day. I was staying in a place called Nakano-Shimbashi, which is where I had my first job teaching English many years ago. I hadn't been back there in at least 10 years. The little English School, run by two Australian brothers, was in the basement of a building, round the corner from the station. I remember my first time going there, being unable to find it and asking for help at the convenience store. The girl at the convenience store walked with me round the corner into the office building where on one of the letter boxes a small sticker was placed with the name of the school 'Friends'. Now, the English School was no longer there. It had gone bankrupt soon after I left. Coming back here after all those years, my intense love for Japan came rushing back at me, full force. This day was a hot summer day, just like any other. I made my way to Shinjuku, one of the main city centres. On the way I passed gas stations, daycare centres, mechanical workshops... then gradually as I approached closer towards Shinjuku more people started appearing. I felt the closeness of my relationship with the camera. The camera became like an extension of myself. Rather than looking for anything special, it was a document of my steps and my senses. This day too, wasn't anything special. Just a hot summer day, like any other. Artist bio Pascal Harris was born in Dunedin and grew up in a family of artists. He studied music at the University of Otago and then at the Royal College of Music, London. He has played concerts as a pianist for many years and released two CDs of Schubert Impromptus and Mozart Sonatas. Harris lived in Tokyo for several years and developed an obsession with photography there. Since returning to New Zealand he has had several photography exhibitions and more recently has exhibited assemblages and sculptural work involving found objects. Currently he has an exhibition on at Gallery 85 in Whanganui 'Caring for the Lost Body', which is the result of an artist residency at the Glasgow Art Centre, Whanganui in August 2023 and January 2024. In April, Harris will have an exhibition at Tata Bookshop / Gallery in Tokyo and will also start a course in Fashion Design at Bunka Fashion College, Tokyo. Pascal's brother Felix Harris will be exhibiting recent paintings in gallery room 1, next door, opening on the same evening. (His exhibition is under our Gilberd Marriott Gallery brand, for artists working in mediums other than photography.)
'Growing up in Silence' is extended - Monday 29 January to Friday 2 February, 10am to 1pm only. Viewing by appointment also available. We're marking the occasion of the gallery's 25th birthday on 9th December 2023 from 12 noon till 2pm, cutting the cake at 1pm. There is a display of laser-copied photos from the history of the gallery showing in room 3.
I'd like to acknowledge here the support the gallery has received from so many people, recently and over its quarter-century of existence. In particular, my wife Denise Durkin; Mark Marriott - who literally helped build the place, and for his solid ten-plus years of help and creative energy; and Karen Lee - who helped mind the place for years to give me a bit of a break, and for a lot of good advice. I couldn't have started the gallery and kept it running without all of you. The wall display in room 3 is far from comprehensive; it will show just a smattering of the goings-on over the decades. Compiling the photos has been an emotional experience as there are many people in them who were regular visitors and exhibitors but who sadly have died, some just this year. I would like to thank Reg Feuz, Mark Beehre, John Williams, Mark Marriott and Helen Mitchell for contributing photos. Your time, effort and generosity is greatly appreciated. The photo display will be on show till 27th January 2024. Photospace will be closed from 23rd December to 7th January, inclusive, with exhibition viewing by appointment available. |
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