PRESS RELEASE
McCahon House – Dr Fiona Pardington - Studio Open Day
Sunday 8 September
A special opportunity to view the working studio of Dr Fiona Pardington, New Zealand’s leading photographer, to see how
during her artist residency, she has transformed selected ephemera into luscious painterly still life photographs that
explore and reference Colin McCahon’s still life paintings.
In her residency application Dr Fiona Pardington proposed “He Whakaotia: An Answering Hark”. Her application referred to synergies between her interests and McCahon’s, in particular with his identification with
the local landscape and flora, and the way he used simple objects as transcendental motifs.
During her residency Dr Pardington collected garden specimens (directly and freshly from McCahon’s former property next
to the residency), flotsam and jetsam from personally significant coastal environs, and sourced bowls, candlestick
holders and other material to collate into a suite of still life images.
“The vessels are sourced in second hand and charity stores and are serendipitous finds, operating much like the
surrealist and dada objet trouve.” Dr Pardington Residency Application 2012 The resulting works are emotionally charged, technically awe-inspiring
photographs evocative of baroque large-scale still-life paintings. This body of work will be incorporated to a
publication featuring an extended body of Fiona Pardington’s still life photographs.
Dr Pardington is represented by Two Rooms Auckland. She is New Zealand’s premier contemporary photographer, and received
the Arts Foundation Laureate Award in 2011. She has received many fellowships, residencies, awards and grants including
the Moet & Chandon Fellow (France) in 1991-92, the Frances Hodgkins Fellow in both 1996 and 1997, the Ngai Tahu residency at Otago
Polytechnic in 2006. Born in Devonport, New Zealand and of Kai Tahu, Kati Mamoe and Scottish descent. She has recently
completed her Doctor of Fine Arts at Elam, School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland.
What: McCahon House Studio Open Day Fiona Pardington Artist in Residence Where: 67 Otitori Bay Rd, French Bay,
Titirangi, Auckland NZ Date: Sunday 8th September Time: 2pm – 4pm
ENDS