Exhibited Witness to Change: Life in New Zealand (Photographs 1940-1965) City Gallery, 11 November - 8 December, 1985

Marti Friedlander was one of the most important photographers of twentieth-century New Zealand. In the 1960s and 1970s her work was included in numerous publications, including the New Zealand Herald, the New Zealand Listener and Art New Zealand. It was during this time that she captured the image, Louise Henderson Studio. This portrait depicts Louise Henderson, now known as one of New Zealand's leading twentieth-century abstract artists, seated directly in the middle of the composition, dressed all in white against an immaterial black background.

This emotive, monochromatic capture of an enigmatic subject is characteristic of Friedlander's style. This is evident too in her iconic image, Eglinton Valley. Here, Friedlander depicts a ubiquitous New Zealand symbol, the sheep. The band of sheep stand close together, gazing warily out at the viewer as if questioning their presence. This is one of Friedlander's best-known works and was used as the key image for her 2001 solo exhibition at the Auckland Art Gallery. In 1999 Friedlander was made a CNZM for services to photography, in 2011 an Arts Foundation Icon, and the University of Auckland granted her an honorary doctorate in 2016.

Ans Westra remains one of New Zealand's best known social photographers. Born in the Netherlands in 1936, Westra moved to New Zealand in 1957. By 1962 she was working as a freelance photographer, and in 1964 the first book of her photographs was published. This collection of photographs, entitled Washday at the Pa drew great attention for Westra when it was removed from distribution by the government. It was during this controversial time when the image Ruatoria, 1964 was captured. Not printed until 1985, this image pictures two Māori women standing proudly in the middle of a home interior. These women have closed eyes and open mouths and appear to be singing to the other women in the room. This scene elicits a joyous response, presenting female strength, support, and comfort. Westra has produced many books of photography throughout her career.

In recognition for her work Westra was made a CNZM in 1998, in 2007 she became an Arts Foundation Icon, and in 2015 she received an honorary doctorate from Massey University. Acclaimed photographer Adrienne Martyn was born in Wellington in 1950. At the age of 18 she moved to Dunedin to train with a commercial photographer. In 1975 her photographs illustrated Australian feminist Kate Jennings' seminal work Mother I'm Rooted. Since this time, she has been the subject of numerous exhibitions and her work is held in a vast array of collections, including Auckland Art Gallery, Christchurch Art Gallery, and Te Papa.

Martyn works across a wide range of subjects, including portraiture, architecture, landscape, and still-life. Her works are often black and white, and her portraits are intimate and thoughtful representations. This is evident in Portrait of Beatrice Grossman, where Martyn presents her female subject in a striking position of power within the picture plane. Dressed all in black with a plain white background, Grossman stands out as a monochromatic force of nature. Grossman was an Auckland Art dealer in the 1980's. When viewed together, all of these photographic works capture the unique perspectives of female artists and allow us to celebrate their importance to New Zealand art history.

MIRABELLE FIELD