鈥淲e are a bi-cultural city with an increasingly multi-cultural makeup. The collaboration between our students, Christchurch City Libraries and听Place in Time: The Christchurch Documentary Project听presented a challenge to document real people in real places across 艑tautahi,鈥 Veling says.
鈥淭his has resulted in an online documentary archive, accessible via canterburystories.nz and Place in Time鈥檚 own website (). Work made by students, especially seen in conjunction with pre-existing resources and other upcoming projects and initiatives, is an attempt to capture and share the wonderful sense of community and collective identity of the city we call home.鈥
In one extraordinary image, a girl dressed in pink walks out of a tomb reconstructed in Halswell Quarry Park as part of Easter celebrations. The carved, angular rockface of the old quarry mimics stylised stones that have been painted on the flat, wooden surfaces of the biblical structure 鈥 鈥楬e Is Risen鈥 written above its entrance.
The photographer is Ellie Waters, who spent her teenage years in Halswell and took part in the project during the first year it was offered to students as part of the University鈥檚 Professional and Community Engagement (PACE) programme. A Bachelor of Fine Arts graduate, Waters began the project by photographing people she knew.
鈥淭his project is quite sentimental to me,鈥 she says.听鈥淚 began by photographing people in their homes 鈥 people I knew who still lived in the area 鈥 and then I reached out听to different community groups, churches, schools and local events.鈥
Waters says she benefitted from the experience in numerous ways. 鈥淭his method of reaching out to groups proved useful in upping my confidence as a photographer. Reaching out to new groups of people and photographing them is an exercise which I鈥檓 sure has added to my skill level as a photographer today.鈥澨
In another image, Raymond and Colleen Holland share lunch in their Bishopdale kitchen. Raymond flashes a cheeky grin and Colleen laughs out loud. The joke is not revealed, but it鈥檚 clear Raymond is proud of himself for telling it. The photographer, Janneth Gil, also honed her skills as a UC Fine Arts student participating in the听project.
鈥淒uring the development of the work it gave me the opportunity to gain skills I鈥檓 currently using in my work life as an artist and photographer,鈥 she says.听听
The benefits, however, went well beyond developing photographic technique and learning to work with different people.
鈥淚t听became a stepping stone听on the pathway to start working with community projects that are encouraging positive social change and unity in diversity,鈥 Gil says.
鈥淢ost importantly, it gave me an excuse to explore and learn from our communities in 艑tautahi Christchurch, giving me a feeling of connection and helping me to find my t奴rangawaewae, my place to stand.鈥
The project was initiated by Christchurch City Libraries. University of mini传媒 students contributed to it through the university鈥檚 Professional and Community Engagement (PACE) internship programme, which gives students credits for working with community and company projects.
The exhibition opens with a free public talk by Veling and well-known photographers Glen Busch and听Doc Ross,听, on 9 July at 6pm-7pm.
Explore the听鈥檚听free, online archive based at the University of mini传媒鈥檚听School of Fine Arts.听
A city for children
听is a collaboration between students at Christchurch East School and Tim Veling, Senior Lecturer, School of Fine Arts, University of mini传媒, is presented alongside听We Stand here 鈥 Celebrating five years of the Christchurch Documentary Project听at T奴ranga from 10 July.听
Inspired by conversations and workshops that asked children to consider their connection to the central city and ideas that would make it feel like their place, the resulting panoramic artwork reveals creativity, imagination, and an aspirational city they would feel proud to call 鈥榟ome鈥.听
Children who visit the exhibition can create their own artwork to express their feelings about a more liveable 艑tautahi.听
Both exhibitions run until 27 September.
