Out of Time: Maori and the Photographer 1860- 1940, The Ngawini Cooper Trust Collection

John Leech Gallery is pleased to announce the release of this eagerly anticipated publication by Michael Graham-Stewart and John Gow. Focusing on the decades either side of 1900, more than eighty vintage photographs, many previously unseen, are thoughtfully reproduced and presented as taonga and as works of art. The text balances information about the sitters and the photographers to provide insight into the historical context around which the photographs were taken, illuminating the moment of exposure.

Authors John Gow, Director of John Leech Gallery and Michael Graham-Stewart, an art researcher, have assiduously compiled material sourced from Britain over the last fifteen years. This volume presents a selection of these images taken by accomplished photographers operating between the years 1860 - 1940. Many of the major figures from the period are included from Elizabeth Pulman through to Josiah Martin, Alfred Burton and Una Garlick. Subjects range from Maori Kings, famous guides, Maori in London and early examples of the photojournalist style revealing the realities of rural life. Inevitably, images synonymous with a generic perception of Maori were a reality. However, while sometimes displaying awkwardness in constructed poses, the humanity of the subjects is clearly evident.

Given the fraught historical context of the book’s focus which straddles the period from the Maori Wars to the Second World War, 'Out of Time: Maori and the Photographer 1860-1940' offers the viewer alternate levels on which to interpret these photographs: as snapshots of Maori history, an illustration of the story of New Zealand photography, or as a springboard to more profound issues of race and exploitation.

For further information or to purchase a copy of the publication please contact the gallery.

RRP- $99.00 (incl. GST excl. postage)