Here [English : in place and time / Te Reo : bound, to bind] : a night time photographic journey where the relationships between the stars and land weave time, sense of place, and connection : an exegesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts at Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand
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2023
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Massey University
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This exegesis discusses complex relationships between the human sense of time and place in the context of the photographic installation 'Here'. The series emerged from the desire to attempt to make time and light tangible photographically. Exploring perception and perspective of night-time, place and land in Aotearoa New Zealand, the photographic project investigates what it means to understand a place and oneself in relation to it. The photography depicts the surrounding area of Te Rimurapa / Sinclair Head on the south coast of Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington at night, utilising long exposure techniques to record geological and astronomical senses of time and place. The research investigates the relationships between humans and night-time, wonder and the experience of place – reinforced by authors who discuss Aotearoa's significant cultural identity and history concerning the night sky. The layers of time and multifaceted history of human interaction with land in Aotearoa New Zealand provide important context to this research surrounding landscape photography in Aotearoa. Within the research, I recognise the varied perspectives on how people perceive the physical and spiritual aspects of their relationships to place and connection to the universe. Discussing the durational methodologies used to create the photographic work, I investigate how walking, memory, and experience incorporate the relationships between the body, imagination and wide-world in relation to the sense of place. I conclude on the importance of inner reflection and well-being when uncovering meaning and purpose relative to personal relationships with place. Here reveals how the night adjusts our perception of time, the cosmos and land, how intimately their connection is woven together, and the deep pleasures of walking in the dark. As measured astronomically in the photographs, the sense of time is reflected in the process: walking through and feeling the terrain, a sense of place accumulating over time, and uncovering traces of the past. The project leads to the importance of maintaining a deep, compassionate and respectful connection to the places we inhabit.
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John Gossage and Ron Jude images published with permission; Appendix 4 reused under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 NZ Deed license.