Home and Away

Recently an artist friend in Munich ( Penelope Richardson) came up with an idea for a photographic exhibition exploring the ex-pat experience of “home and away” during these unprecedented times. The project invited selected artists to provide 3 photos – one of themselves with an object representing ‘home’, another with an object that represented ‘away’, and one photo of both objects together.

I was excited to be invited to have a new creative project and deadline to work towards whilst in New Zealand.  I decided on making 2 objects that I could wear or physically inhabit. These recycled cardboard objects would be collaged with road maps of New Zealand, reflecting my travel to and within the country. In interacting with these 2 forms – a house and a plane – I could add a performative element that I hoped would also speak to my emotional and psychological experience of “Home’ and “Away”.

For a bit of background, New Zealand is my birth home and the home of my family. I left at a young age and lived in Australia for the longest time. In Sydney I established loyal and enduring friendships. My 3rd home is in Munich where I live with Christian – my husband, and Laksa – our Australian cat.

You see the question of home is a tricky one for me. I am, in fact, frequently  both ‘home’ and ‘away’.

The following  is a selection of the images. The photos are credited to my dear artist friend, Leigh Martin. Without his enthusiasm and artistsic vision, I would not have achieved such a range of wonderful images. I struggled to select just 3 images in the end!