So. From what I’ve heard the photographic dark room of my former high school has been condemned. The demise of traditional photography in high school is not exactly a surprise, even for my own – for one year we operated a darkroom in the bathrooms while the actual dark room served as a smoko room for the builders. When we returned to the intended dark room we soon missed the in floor drainage provided by the bathroom. This aside, it’s envigorating to see that, despite such a climate, photography is alive and rocking in New Plymouth. There are great exhibitions on at the moment at both Puke Ariki and the Govett-Brewster.

As part of the Fixated exhibition Puke Ariki have arranged a slew of photography related events. These include preservation, workshops and building a pinhole camera. I visited New Plymouth the weekend that Brian Scadden presented a wet-plate photography demonstration. Even though I’d already learned a little about the subject I was still as entertained for the full demonstration as were people who knew nearly nothing about the process or photographic history. Brian made the process look easy (though I’m sure it’s anything but) and finished the demonstration by rather quickly producing an ambrotype of the attendees.

The Fixated exhibition at Puke Ariki runs until October 26th and includes both contemporary photography, old wet-plate photographs and new prints from archive material. The range of material will interest the photography newcomer, the historian or the curious pro. This exhibition also includes one of my favourites, Wanganui artist Ben Cauchi.

Ben Cauchi - The Lowest Note

The Govett-Brewster is currently featuring China in Four Seasons until September 6th and Photo Histories until August 30th. Swing by to see some of the most definitive and final photographs of the remains of the Patea Freezing Works by Jin Jiangbo as well as the documentary photography of Mark Adams, Bruce Connew and John Miller.