Fiona Amundsen and Kanariya Eishi An Ordinary Life (video still) 2021. Two-channel HD video, colour, sound. Courtesy of the artists
John Miller Amandla. Unite against Racism 1981. Photograph. Courtesy of the artist
Tim J. Veling Support Structures #3, Tonbridge Street, 2011 2015. Photograph. Collection of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, purchased 2015
Matthew Galloway Work from The Silver Bulletin 2010-2021. Courtesy of the artist.
Things That Shape Us installation view.
Ella Sutherland Composition for Two Planes 2021. Silk screen on paper. Collection of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, purchased 2021.
Janneth Gil Darkness into Light series installation view 2019-2020. Courtesy of the artist and PG gallery192, Christchurch.
Things That Shape Us installation view.
Graeme Atkins, Natalie Robertson and Alex Monteith Te rerenga pōuri o nga parawhenua ki Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa installation view 2019. Three-channel HD video, colour, sound, duration 16 mins 26 secs. Courtesy of the artists.
This exhibition is now closed
Art, democracy and collective action in the aftermath of trauma.
Things That Shape Us includes artists who use documentary practices to encourage collective action. Working in the aftermath of traumatic events, they ask us to reconsider how we think of ourselves and demand a more democratic society. In addition to the ongoing challenges of racism, inequality, climate change and Indigenous politics, in the past decade the people of Ōtautahi have faced both the devastating 2010/2011 earthquakes and more recent mosque attacks. How can we gather in the long shadow of these events and use the impact and memory of loss to work towards a better democracy?
Featuring Fiona Amundsen and Kanariya Eishi, Graeme Atkins, Alex Monteith and Natalie Robertson, Matthew Galloway, Janneth Gil, John Miller, Miranda Parkes, Ella Sutherland, Tim J. Veling
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Date:
24 July – 21 November 2021 -
Curator:
Melanie Oliver -
Exhibition number:
1124
Collection works in this exhibition
Related
Director's Foreword
Director's Foreword
Welcome to the spring edition of Bulletin. As I write this, the country has once again entered a period of level four lockdown, which will mean some uncertainty and anxiety for many of us. It's not yet clear when we will leave lockdown, which means that printing deadlines and exhibition openings dates may have to be moved, so please do check on our website for updates.
Interview
Texture of the Time
John Miller (Ngāpuhi) is a special figure in Aotearoa, having photographed protests and important events throughout the country from 1967 right up until the present moment. His work covers everything from the 1960s and 1970s anti-Vietnam war and anti-nuclear protests to the 1975 Māori Land March, 1977–78 Bastion Point occupation and 1981 Springbok Tour protests, as well as many more examples of civilian dissent. John uses the camera as a witness, capturing moments of collective voice in action, and he also honours the people who have led the charge for changes in thinking and our society. Looking at his work is like walking through our history backwards into the future. Curator Melanie Oliver sat down with activist John Minto and photographer Conor Clarke (Ngāi Tahu) to talk about John Miller’s work.
Commentary
Art Over Nature Over Art
Place branding increasingly stands as both a visual practice and a modality of governance. That is what makes it slippery. There is much more to branding than a logo or style. It is a manifestation of power.
Notes
Things That Shape Us
Things That Shape Us reflects on how we cope with trauma, and how it changes us as a community, at Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū from 24 July to 7 November.