Mark Adams
Land
of Memories 1988 Te Koroka, Wakatipu Waimaori, Otago, Te Wai Pounamu
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Gold
toned silver bromide fibre-based Photos.
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This
series of Photographs Mark Adams took were from around the South Island. Adams photography often has a cultural perspective
and meaning behind. This series he did alongside Fiona Pardington, shows a
journey of the history of Pounamu discovery in the South Island (Adam
photographed the Landscapes and Fiona photographed the Pounamu from these
sites). The end collection tells a geographical story of where this Pounamu
came from which is unique to New Zealand[1].
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The
Iconography of these images is these photographs of these places were taken
because these places are where Pounamu was found in the ground and they are
completely free of human interference and show the land as it naturally was
when the Maoris took this journey as they searched for Pounamu so we feel as
though we are seeing the same views they saw years ago. These picturesque
landscapes are iconic to New Zealand as you can only find these mountains and
Lake in New Zealand without the pollution people and technology bring. They
symbolise land that is scared to the Maoris back then and our culture now
which we protect. The large quantities found of Pounamu found were important
to the Maoris’ because of the characteristics of the stone. It was strong and
tough and the Maoris’ were able to use it in weapons and tools where as now
it is mainly wore as jewellery. This series of photographs show a historical
journey of the Maoris as they found the Pounamu and show the land as it
naturally is, without the influence of technology advancement which has seen
power lines and telephone poles go up all over the natural landscape
destroying places like this, but showing how our understanding of our
cultural past can persevere our landscapes and our culture.[2]
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The
style of this photograph is naturalistic. It is a black and white
semi-panoramic landscape photograph which has been captured on film and
produced in the darkroom. It has few textures of the surface of the water,
the sky and the rocks smooth while the hills and mountains of the horizon are
covered in shrubbery but very lightly textured. The tones shown in the
photograph separate these elements while linking them through similar tones
and the depth in the image. The composition shows depth and separates into
halves although not identical, matching which evoke and investigate the
historical context. The gold toning used reduces the black and produces a
more blue/black look to the photo which gives the tones a denser and more
luminous look so it looks precious and valuable. The way and style it has
been produced relates the photograph to history and the processes involved in
creating photographs back in our history and shows how even through
technology is more advanced we still have an option to let our history
influence our present and our future by continuing on using these practises.
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[2] The Arts Foundation, Mark Adams, http://www.thearts.co.nz/artist_page.php&aid=58&type=bio.
Date Viewed 27th March 2012.
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