Doc Ross Photographic Exhibition

Doc Ross Photographic Exhibition

We are delighted to announce that we have added an additional visual arts element to the already packed 2013 festival programme. The exhibition by Christchurch photographer Doc Ross was inspired by the February 2011 Canterbury earthquakes. It features portraits of artists, writers and other members of the local arts community who, like all residents of the city, were profoundly affected by the events of 22nd February 2011.

Called simply '37' the inspiration for the portraits came from the duration in seconds of the quake that shook Christchurch to its core and the effects of which still resonate both physically in terms of the city's appearance and emotionally amongst the people who were affected.

Each of the 37 photographs were exposed for 37 seconds and are accompanied by 37 words written by each individual subject to describe their own personal experiences.
Speaking about his latest work, Doc Ross said, "Each person was asked to sit totally still in a chair and support their head while a 37 second exposure multiple image portrait was made of them. Some people moved a lot, while others were frozen to the spot, which reflects the way people reacted differently to the violent shaking.

“The results are not necessarily how the sitter, or their friends even, see them, instead they are records of how we looked and felt in the aftermath of the earthquakes. It is my hope that these unmasked, intense and revealing portraits, along with those condensed experiences of the moment our city changed forever, will remind us how effecting an event like this is.”

The exhibition will take place in the Armstrong Room of the Lake Wanaka Centre for the duration of the festival, 16-21 April. Entry is by gold coin donation. It was previously on display at the New Zealand Portrait Gallery Te Pukenga Whakaata in Wellington.

Dirk McBeath

Festival Pick of the Week

This week Trust Chair Hetty Van Hale makes her pick ‘I’m really looking forward to seeing what Sara Brodie creates with the drama students and our cast of locals for the production ‘Tracing Hamlet’. Anyone who saw Riverside Drive last festival knows that she is a director at the top of her game and really brought out some amazing performances from the team of local actors. This time round she is using Shakespearean text – but with a twist. It sounds like great fun with the audience being split into two and walking round Puzzling World to try and piece together what has happened to Hamlet – from what I’ve heard we only get fleeting glimpses of him, even a skype call! So I really am quite intrigued to see what it’s all about. It’ll be great fun, and there’s some of those really talented high school musicians in it too. Sara came down this weekend and they have started rehearsals so watch this space ‘

Tracing Hamlet is at Puzzling World from Tuesday 16 to Saturday 20 April. Tickets $25 adults and $10 students

Book now

Tickets available now - www.festivalofcolour.co.nz (no booking fee) or phone 03 443 4162.

In person at the Lake Wanaka Centre box office Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm, Queenstown i-SITE and Cromwell i-SITE.

ENDS

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