Ans Westra: {Suite} Ponsonby & Wellington

On show at both (Suite} galleries until 8 May are exhibitions of colour images by New
Zealand Arts Icon artist Ans Westra. 

(Suite) Ponsonby is exhibiting a group of images made at a Ratana church event in 1965 at Te Rere a Kapuni, a waterfall on the slopes of Mt Taranaki. From 1919 to 1939, T.W. Ratana the founder of the Rātana Church made frequent visits to Te Rere a Kāpuni to meditate and refresh his powers.  In 1925, Rātana prophesied that the marae at Opunake would be ‘over-run by people’ in the Easter of 1965.  To fulfil the prophecy, a huge Rātana meeting took place that Easter at Opunake.  Organised by the Rātana Youth Clubs of New Zealand, it was attended by people from all over the country, with busloads of people continually coming and going from Rātana Pa to the mountain all weekend. 

Ans Westra was on-hand as photographer for Te Ao Hao magazine.  She spent the weekend documenting worshippers and activities going on that weekend, which included dances, brass band contests, a Maori cultural competitions, a talent quest as well as the religious services. The large colour prints, made with Ans’s twin-lens Rolleiflex camera, capture the excitement and vibrancy of the event and the huge crowds in attendance.  Other images on show in the exhibition include colour images of Rotorua in the early 60s. 

On show at (Suite} Wellington are Ans' ever popular floral studies from the early 2000s, an example of her 'creative' practise which sits alongside her well-known documentary work.