STILLS

Stills is a diverse photography exhibition from the large body of photographic works held by the Arts House Trust. The selected photographs, all by New Zealand artists, present a range of subject matter through time, with an emphasis on contemporary practice.

Several portraits of renown NZ artists feature in various media, rich black and white or luscious Cibachrome. Other works show the figure in roles of performance and various states of dress. This is a long-standing tradition in photography following key artists such as Cindy Sherman and Tracey Moffatt. Included are photographs presenting rituals specific to indigenous cultural practices.

Some recently acquired works on display highlight a sense of the present moment, concerns of our time. Several works are by tertiary and secondary school graduates. The three photographs by Beth Garey were produced in 2023 in completion of her Graduate Diploma in Visual Arts at the Dunedin School of Art, Otago Polytechnic.

Beth Garey writes: Pollen, pheromones, nectar, disease. Our relationships with other creatures in the world are generated through our senses; coming to know multispecies resonances, new terrain. In my work I have explored moments of encounter and relation with the honeybees I live with. An awareness of their needs, sensory worlds and speculations has rearranged me, making me better attuned to the living constellations I operate within.