Looking back at Naenae today
The work of one of New Zealand’s most highly regarded photographers, Ans Westra, is being celebrated in an exhibition at the Dowse Art Museum, and on the streets of Naenae.
Time Capsule: Ans Westra in The Hutt features highlights from Westra’s residency at The Dowse between 1988 and 1989, when she explored Naenae, capturing the true heart of the community.
A standout feature is the nine billboards around Naenae, placed at the actual locations where the photographs were originally taken. This is an opportunity for locals to reminisce about the changes to familiar sites in their suburb and for visitors to explore a different way to see a place, while getting some insight into the recent history of Naenae.
Widely regarded as one of Aotearoa’s foremost documentary photographers, Westra was a pioneer of the art form in New Zealand. Now a resident of Tirohanga, she made it her life’s work to document the lives of everyday people and communities, over a career spanning seven decades.
Exhibition curator Sian van Dyke put a call out on social media last year to identify people in the images.
‘‘It created a buzz around the Te Awakairangi community, with photos of cousins, aunties and neighbours being seen by many whānau for the very first time.’’
Eastern Ward councillor Andy Mitchell is excited to see the images return to Naenae.
‘‘The places and faces familiar to the Naenae community [in Westra’s time capsule of Lower Hutt] remind us how we lived three decades ago and it’s so great to have them on display right here in our own neighbourhood.’’
Images from Time Capsule: Ans Westra in The Hutt are also on display at CoCo Pop Up Community Space, Hillary Court, and at The Dowse, until May 1.