What will become of this city?

A collection of A4 prints on Canson^® Infinity Rag Photographique.

Seeing photos in good quality print is a completely different experience from seeing them on screen.

In the last post – Why Blog? – I mentioned the value of blogging through the Christchurch Earthquakes (an old blog which I no longer use). As a result I’ve accumulated hundreds of images. I was requested a set of B&W photographs from around the city for display.

The trickiest part of photography, but a most important one, is editing down to a cohesive set.

I start with a sense of ‘falling apart’ – the awfulness of life having been ripped open. (And end with one where the wonky grid has been straightened and the future, though not resolved, has a sense of order).

The disbelief that everyday life was disrupted.

The brutality of dealing with the aftermath of the earthquakes.

Coming to terms with the loss and giving space to begin to contemplate a new city.

The ironies (and humour) that are so important to get through crises.

New build – completely different from what was there before – but now the city is functioning.

A returning to normal.

‘Half and half’ – light and dark – a construction in progress. Many more new builds still to come – we are still a city in transition.