Exhibition Celebrates Power of Arts

Exhibition Celebrates Power of Arts

The power of the arts to change lives is being celebrated in a photo exhibition.

The exhibition is held at the Albert-Eden local board office on Dominion Rd until 9 May. It comprises images drawn from The Auckland Dance Project, an annual event led by Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra (APO) with artistic direction from leading dance professionals including Atamira Dance Company’s Moss Patterson. The project features young people who rehearse for up to six months before giving a performance to a paying audience with the APO providing live music.

So far the Auckland Dance Project has featured nearly 400 dancers, drawn from north, south, east, west and central Auckland, encompassing schools from decile one to 10. Several of those participants have gone on to study dance or performing arts at tertiary level.

The images were taken by leading photojournalist Adrian Malloch, who has followed the Auckland Dance Project since its 2011 beginning. “At heart I am a documentary photographer, so I try to tell stories with my images,” Mr Malloch says. “Being able to follow this over time has been a wonderful opportunity to create a body of work that will have increasing meaning and resonance.”

Like the Auckland Dance Project itself, the photographic exhibition is collaborative, and is part of an ongoing series hosted at the Albert-Eden local board office, celebrating local artists and arts organisations and facilitated by Auckland Council’s Community Development Arts and Culture team. The exhibition has been curated by Raewyn Whyte and Dr Linda Ashley.

“The photographs capture exceptional moments of excitement, learning and achievement, when music and dance combine to transform an ordinary experience into something extraordinary,” says Dr Ashley.

APO Chief Executive Barbara Glaser agrees, and believes the greatest value of the Auckland Dance Project lies in what it contributes beyond the worlds of music and dance. “What’s even more important is that participants develop life skills they will carry for ever, and catch a glimpse of something inspiring that lies outside their experience or imagination. That is the power of the arts.”

WHAT: The Auckland Dance Project: Selected Images 2011-2013
WHERE: Albert-Eden Local Board Office, 135 Dominion Rd, Mt Eden
WHEN: Monday to Friday, 8.30am-5pm, until Friday 9 May
COST: Free

Background
• There have been three dance projects: Sacre (2011), Fireworks (2012) and Takarangi (2013)
• Sacre was choreographed by Berlin-based dance personality Royston Maldoom, Fireworks andTakarangi were choreographed by Moss Patterson.
• Schools and universities to have taken part include: Tangaroa College (2011, 2012, 2013), University of Auckland (2011, 2012), Pakuranga Intermediate (2011, 2012), Kristin School (2011), Mt Albert Grammar (2011), Hay Park Primary (2011), New Lynn Primary (2011), Wiri Central School (2012), Unitec (2013), Waitakere College (2013), Balmoral School (2013).
• The 2014 dance project, Te Manu Ahi, again features Moss Patterson as artistic director, and takes place at the Aotea Centre on 22 October.
• Adrian Malloch has made the images available to view on Facebook: www.facebook.com/events/827551163926620/

ENDS

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