New Zealand Photographers Abroad

To mark its fortieth year (2002), Wellington-based international development agency Te Tûao Tâwâhi/Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA) invited eight leading and emerging New Zealand documentary photographers to embark on photographic assignments in the fourteen countries to which VSA sends volunteers.

A selection of just 60 of the thousands of images taken is on show at the City Gallery, Wellington from August 17 to October 6. The images in New Zealand Photographers Abroad have been selected by VSA, City Gallery Wellington and photographer Bruce Foster from the thousands taken in journeys by the photographers throughout Africa, Asia and the Pacific.

The resulting exhibition provides rare glimpses of the both inspiring and disturbing realities that are part of the daily lives of communities in the developing world.

A collection of more than 400 pictures by Bruce Connew, Nicola Dove, Bryn Evans, David Gurr, Gil Hanly, Louise Hyatt, Glenn Jowitt, and Terry O’Connor is being published by Bridget Williams Books in November of this year. New Zealand Abroad: the story of VSA in Africa, Asia and the Pacific, consists of 15 photo and text essays on the countries and territories where VSA has volunteer programmes. Trevor Richards, Jeremy Rose and Margot Schwass have contributed the essays.

VSA recruits skilled New Zealanders to work in countries as diverse as Tokelau and Tanzania, Bougainville and Bhutan. These volunteers help local communities to achieve their own solutions to problems by sharing their skills, energy and experience.

To find out more about VSA visit its website www.vsa.org.nz or email: vsa@vsa.org.nz

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