artscalendar.co.nz newsletter 21 June 2005

artscalendar.co.nz newsletter
21 June 2005

artscalendar.co.nz newsletter

Greetings from artscalendar.co.nz

The Terrible Boredom of Paradise
New Zealand Premiere
A book and exhibition by Derek Henderson
McNamara Gallery Photography, Wanganui

Derek Henderson's first exhibition in New Zealand is something of a homecoming. Since leaving Auckland, he has been living and working between Australia and London, working largely on fashion editorials for magazines such as ID, Arena, Homme Plus, Vogue and is well known in New Zealand for his fashion work in Pavement magazine.

His latest body of work resulted from a 13,000 km road trip around New Zealand over four and a half months. "The first images are from the West Coast of the South Island. The images are in chronological order. It is a bit of a cathartic journey for me as well. Exorcising my obsession with New Zealand, now I can see a bit more clearly in New Zealand," says Henderson. "The last image is right at the top of the North Island, the Maori flag at Kaitaia, a state house and a road."

Henderson says about the series, "I intentionally went to places that you don't read about or see so much about. Those rural areas where there is a small pocket of urban."

"Just visiting those small towns, you only have to drive into those towns at 5 o'clock, and there would be a rush hour, for half an hour, and then there wasn't a single person on the street. In a car, walking down the street, communicating with anyone, they are all inside, watching television. I find that socially - well that's the boredom factor."

"It's a beautiful landscape but everyone seems to be quite bored. I think it is because they are living their lives vicariously - through TV, satellite TV, the internet, playstation, they are all inside."

BOOK LAUNCH: The Terrible Boredom of Paradise has been published as a book to coincide with this exhibition. The publication is full colour and features an interview with Henderson by London curator Magda Keaney and an essay by local curator Hanna Scott, as well as a full suite of colour images from the series. Recommended Retail Price: $80

Derek Henderson will be available at the Opening to sign copies at McNamara Gallery Photography, Wanganui on Friday 1 July at 5.30pm. The exhibition will conclude on 30 July.

"Patience is the best remedy for every trouble". Titus Plautus

From the team at artscalendar.co.nz

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