Artist seeks roots in Maniototo landscapes
Click to enlarge
Towards Mt Ida
Click to enlarge
Portrait - Tony Bridge
Media Release
Monday 06 November 2007
For Immediate Release
Artist seeks roots in Maniototo landscapes
This summer’s Rural Art Deco Artist in Residence is photographer Tony Bridge. Maniototo born and Canterbury raised
Bridge has returned to his ‘roots’ to photograph the region for an exhibition to coincide with the Ranfurly Rural Art
Deco Festival February 22-25 2007.
Rural Art Deco Maniototo Inc. Deputy Chair, Edna McAtamney invited Bridge, who was re-visiting the region earlier this
year, to consider the residency sponsored by the Society with the assistance of the Central Otago District Council. ‘We
wanted a photographer this year to give an intimacy to visitors on the Rail Trail of the wider Maniototo area” said
McAtamney. After returning from a recent expedition in South Africa co-tutoring the renowned Freeman Patterson
Photographic Workshops, Bridge decided he had something to say about the area. ‘’I want to enter into a dialogue with
the landscape that reflects aspects of this stunning region that are special to me and engage the public in its
uniqueness,” said Bridge.
Bridge is living in the apartment above the Centennial Art Deco Gallery until the exhibition closes at the end of March
next year and will produce between 8 and 12 large format landscape images for the mid-February opening. “While living in
Ranfurly he will also undertake a workshop for local Maniototo photographers and school visits to talk about
photography, art and landscape,” says McAtamney.
A professional photographer, Fellow of the NZ Photographic Society, Kodak NZ Professional Mentor, former Specialist
Advisor to the NZQA Photo Access Programme, and art teacher; Bridge has a depth of experience to match his passion for
New Zealand landscapes. His imagery can be seen in print in a recent Montana Award nominated book on New Zealand films
and film locations, - ‘White Cloud Silver Screen’ co-produced with Waitakere Mayor, Bob Harvey. Bridge is currently
working solo on a second book about his life’s work.
“As I was born in Ranfurly this residency has a dual purpose I suppose” says Bridge; “it is almost an exploration of my
roots, my whenua – a rebirth of myself in a way.”
Tony’s Bridge’s imagery can be viewed online on his website: www.thistonybridge.com
ENDS