Nz Cultural Landscape Assignment 2

Tour of Aotearoa.New Zealand Cultural Landscape Assessment #2 Photo Essay/Art Work Submission Date: Thursday 18 October 3.30pm Produce a photographic series of works that explore the concept of landscape framed by a set of cultural ideas. These ideas might reinforce New Zealand’s cultural myths (landscape as ownership, landscape as Eden, landscape as wilderness, landscape with too few lovers) or undo these myths. Try to avoid clichés. You are also required to write a 600 word outline of your conceptual framework. An annotated bibliography must be handed in. Be prepared to discuss the work and its theoretical discourse as part of a critique. Word Count: (including in-text references)

652

Controlling Space (or Space Control) From the earliest pictures of New Zealand to the present, there seems to have been a continuum of issues and features defining, directing and bounding space within the landscape. In general, the defining of space has been a result of allocation, occupation and/or ownership of land (this appears to have become more prevalent since the arrival of Europeans in New Zealand, although a lack of suitable records makes previous analysis impossible (Harmsworth, Reasons for collecting Maori Values Information, paragraph 4)). Over time, the defining of space has tended to tighten and compress the way we interact with our environment. This is particularly noticeable where populations have accumulated. I am interested in how aspects of contemporary space within the urban New Zealand landscape have been defined, directed and bounded. Once, man was free to travel pretty much anywhere he dared with only landscape itself hindering him. Now there are many definitions and boundaries that dictate the way in which we interact with our landscape, restricting access and freedom to the land, air and waters, and imposing cultural changes upon its inhabitants. Harmsworth claims, “Traditionally, land was not something that could be owned or traded as a commodity. Māori did not seek or possess anything, it was more important to belong.” (2001, Maori Values Definition, paragraph 2). Although the Maori did fight for land and put boundaries around their pa sites, the legal defining and bounding of land through ownership and/or government came with European culture as it spread throughout New Zealand. One has only to look at the work of early New Zealand photographers such as A.C. Barker (Turner, 1970, p.12) or D.L. Mundy (Turner, 1970, p.19) to see how unbounded the landscape was in the pioneering years of the 19th century. It is clear that much of the landscape was not owned or restricted in any cultural way. Other photographs by

photographers of the same era, such as F.A. Coxhead (Turner, 1970, pp24-25) reveal how quickly definitions and boundaries began to dominate and dictate the way they interacted with their environment. Gary Baigent’s photograph entitled Newsboy and Drunk, Wellington, 1967 (Turner, 1973, 10) reveals new spatial issues and definitions. In a comparably claustrophobic situation, the entrance to a towering building is invaded by a sleeping drunk and a newsboy. Outside of the picture, one realises that even the photographer is an intrusion to the space. It is little wonder that the newsboy appears to be somewhat uncomfortable. Although the wild uninhabited landscape of F.M.B. Muir’s Paradise Flat, c.1890 (Knight, 1981, p.) still exists, it is now defined as Crown land and National Park. It is more accessible than it was then and, therefore, seems somewhat less wild and more of a tourist attraction. The wilderness portrayed by John Fields in his work titled, Storm over Whitianga, 1971 (Turner, 1973, 75) has been lost to compression of space through investors building holiday resorts. This series takes a closer look at condensed space in Wanganui. It has been defined, restricted, owned, leased and bounded for a multitude of reasons pertaining to our current cultural climate. Wanganui has grown from a trading town defined by the end of the mighty Wanganui river, to a railway town, defined by a major junction for the network of railway lines running through the North Island. Much of the space became unused as the railway trade fell into recession. With tourism and education, Wanganui has now grown to become a small city. Space has become a sought after commodity, fought for and claimed, bought and sold, redefined and redirected. More easy to access, yet painfully inaccessible, private carparks surround communal space. Perhaps Paratene Matchitt was prophetic when he created Papakainga, 1987-91 (The Guide, 2001, p.173). This work talks about communal homes, humility and combined European and Maori history. Although compact, I think I could find freedom to live fully in that kind of culture.

A.C.Barker

D.L.Mundy

F.A.Coxhead

F.A.Coxhead

G Baigent

F.M.B.Muir

P. Matchett

Bibliography: Harmsworth, G (2001), Maori Values for Land Use Planning, retrieved 16-10-07 from http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/sustainablesoc/social/nzarmwebpap.asp Turner, J.B. (1970), Nineteenth Century New Zealand Photographs, New Plymouth: Govett-Brewster Turner, J.B. (1973), Three New Zealand Photographers, Auckland: Auckland City Art Gallery Knight, H. (1981), New Zealand Photographers, A Section, Dunedin: Allied Press N.A. (2001), The Guide, Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tamaki, London: Scala Publishers