Following the great success of the Talking Culture Series in 2010, the Festival aims to continue to grow its audience by offering an engaging three-week programme for 2011. This year's symposium will focus on the topic of 'Conflict' as witnessed in photography. It will be a one-off event that is sure to raise some critical debate around photography's role in responding to conflict, from civil unrest to war.
Véronique Cornille presents her project Kiwis in Flanders in Auckland for the first time. She is a Flemish New Zealand photographer and social historian whose work, photographing the graves and memorials of the 4,633 Kiwi soldiers who perished in Flanders in WWI and the 78 in WWII, began in 2005.
From Vietnam war and human rights photographer and UN ambassador Tim Page, to the anti-Vietnam protests in the '70s in New Zealand by photojournalist John Miller, the period of the late 1960s to early 1970s saw much expression of civil dissent against the New Zealand Army's and Air Force's involvement in the Vietnam War. As a schoolboy, John Miller photographed (with an uncle's borrowed camera) his first demonstration against a visiting South Vietnamese politician in January 1967.
"Susan Moeller said 'war is very photogenic' - it's also an adrenalin rush, exciting, devastating, horrific, heroic and hazardous to your health. The images that come from it define our history; possibly none more so than those of the Vietnam conflict, which has shaped the honesty of coverage ever since." ... Tim Page
Jon Stepheson is an award winning journalist who has worked in many war zones. He will talk about the role of photography in his work in conflict and trauma.
Symposium speakers and our MC will start the day at 10:30am. Admission is free.
1030am Opens
1045 Veronique Cornille - Presentation & Q + A
1200 Tim Page - Presentation & Q + A
1300 Lunch break
1330 John Miller - Presentation & Q + A
1430 Break
1445 Jon Stepheson - Presentation & Q + A
1545 Ends
