Laurence Aberhart

Laurence Aberhart Installation view City Gallery Wellington, 2007. Photo: Michael Roth
Laurence Aberhart Installatoin view City Gallery Wellington, 2007. Photo: Michael Roth.
Laurence Aberhart Lodge Ara #1, St. Benedicts St. Auckland, 1978. Image courtesy of the artist.
Laurence Aberhart, Dargaville (Mt. Wesley Cemetery) Northland, 2003. Image courtesy of Artist.

12 May - 29 July 2007 in the Entire Gallery

This major exhibition of New Zealand’s most eminent photographer brings together over 200 key works from the last four decades—among them his signature images of landscapes, facades, monuments, and interiors from New Zealand, Australia and further afield. Using a 100 year old view camera, Aberhart produces images which are steeped in the history not only of his subjects but also of his chosen medium. In recent years, Aberhart’s work has been acknowledged as a vital ingredient in the visual arts culture of this country. This exhibition underlines that significance while also asserting that Laurence Aberhart is a photographer of truly international significance.

Laurence Aberhart was born in Nelson in 1949. He travelled to America in 1988 as a Fulbright Fellow and in 1993 to France as the Möet & Chandon Fellow. In 1999 he was artist-in-residence at Dunedin Public Art Gallery. He has staged numerous solo exhibitions in New Zealand, Australia, Europe, America and Asia, including recently Laurence Aberhart: Selected Works, Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne (2005); Laurence Aberhart: Photographs at the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam (2002); Ghostwriting: Photographs of Macau, Macau Museum of Art Macau (2001); All Gates Open: Photographs by Laurence Aberhart, Fisher Gallery, Auckland and touring. His work was included in Flight Patterns, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2000), and is shown regularly in group exhibitions. He is represented by Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland; Peter McLeavy Gallery, Wellington; McNamara Photography, Wanganui and Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney. He lives and works in Russell, Northland and travels extensively.

Exhibition curated by City Gallery Wellington’s Gregory O’Brien, working closely with the photographer and the Curator of Contemporary Art at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Justin Paton. The exhibition was developed in partnership with Dunedin Public Art Gallery. A major monograph will be published by Victoria University Press in partnership with City Gallery Wellington and Dunedin Public Art Gallery will be released on the same day as the exhibition opens in Wellington.

Public Programmes

Exhibition tours
Saturdays and Sundays,12 noon.

Artist's and Curator's talks
Presented by Mark Strange and Gregory O'Brien