Auckland Festival of Photography is proud to present an unrivalled photographic event - Magnum - an outdoor projection of 5 internationally renowned nominee Magnum photographers.
Magnum was founded in 1947 by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, George Rodger and David "Chim" Seymour in response to the revelations of the world they had photographed during World War II. Recognising the need for humanity to be documented in its darkest feats of injustice, poverty and war as well as in its highest endeavours and for the individual experience to be seen foremost within the sweeping events of history, Magnum has developed into the most esteemed photographer's collective in the world, with a portfolio of photographer members as remarkable and diverse as the subjects of their images.
British born Olivia Arthur explores the East/West cultural divide through her documentary photography of the individual lives of women and girls in the East while Danish photographer Jacob aue Sobol seeks out the individual amongst the overwhelming, alienating metropolis of Tokyo through highly subjective black and white photography which blur the distinction between documentary and art photography.
New York born, Argentinian raised, Alessandra Sanguinetti documents the inner worlds of two adolescent girls through her carefully constructed dreamlike images. Though the girls are photographed within the context of their everyday lives on a farm just outside of Buenos Aires, the scenarios are created out of their described fears and fantasies of the passage from childhood to adulthood.
South African Mikhael Subotzky documents the cold realities of life inside a maximum security prison in Cape Town while American Peter van Agtmael confronts us with images of life in a warzone for both US and Afghan soldiers and images of Iraq. He interlaces images of Afghan civilians living with the war as part of their day to day lives.
Herald arts story here.
Weather forecast is for clear but cool nights, so wrap up before heading out. The work takes about half an hour to see once and then repeats. For those who cant bear the cold a good view can be got from level 1, Central Library.
