Photography duo start virtuous movement

The fruits of two New Plymouth photographers’ hot days and long nights in Cuba adorn the walls in their new inner-city hub of creativity.

Gina Fabish and Brooke Lean have recently launched The Virtue, an exhibition space in a tangible sense but one with an empowering movement at its core.

The two 34-year-olds have been working photographers for about 10 years, the last five of which have been spent working as a collaborative.

In August last year the women finished shooting a wedding in Los Angeles and then made their way to Cuba for a whirlwind, five day trip.

There they spent every waking moment capturing snippets of chaos, history and raw beauty from the streets of the Caribbean country.

‘‘We pretty much didn’t sleep,’’ Fabish said.

They ventured off the beaten track and were invited into the homes of locals.

Fabish said that was where the magic happened.

But the pair only knew basic Spanish and because they ‘‘stood out’’ it was, at times, quite terrifying.

That was when Lean’s talent for accents came in handy, Fabish said.

‘‘It’s really a skill and a curse,’’ Lean joked.

One of the trip’s successes was how the women fed off one another.

‘‘When there’s two of you, you are always learning and pushing the envelope,’’ she said. ‘‘It helps you to be brave.’’ And that was the crux of The Virtue, located on Devon St West.

More than just a space to display and sell their work, the artists say it’s about empowering women.

The evolution of the art haven would involve other female artists getting involved.

‘‘We want to empower other women. Give other women permission to do what they want to do, and create,’’ Lean said.

The women say they realised the ‘‘power’’ when they began working together.

‘‘We realised the momentum when we support each other and what we can create.

‘‘And we love the process of letting go and sharing,’’ Lean added.

‘‘We’re not anti-men, that’s for sure, but we’re definitely prowomen.’’

In addition to the photographers’ current exhibition, Viva La Cuba, the women are also showcasing a bridal collection by Brooke Tyson, and ceramic work by Ruthie Frank.