Wednesday 1st June to Tuesday 7th June

Where did you go to my lovely ...
In a lush, colour saturated 20 minute DVD two women reflect on friendship, art, mental health and the 1975 Wellington United Women's Convention. While still a student Jane Zusters shot a roll of black and white film at that Convention. The resulting images will be seen for the first time ever at Pataka. The show runs from 1 - 7 June at PATAKA Gallery, Norrie and Parumoana Streets, Porirua.

Image: Women's Convention 1975 (detail) by Jane ZustersWednesday 1st June to Tuesday 7th June

Where did you go to my lovely ...
In a lush, colour saturated 20 minute DVD two women reflect on friendship, art, mental health and the 1975 Wellington United Women's Convention. While still a student Jane Zusters shot a roll of black and white film at that Convention. The resulting images will be seen for the first time ever at Pataka. The show runs from 1 - 7 June at PATAKA Gallery, Norrie and Parumoana Streets, Porirua.

Image: Women's Convention 1975 (detail) by Jane ZustersWhere did you go to my lovely... occurs as an invited guest of another cultural gathering. It is the 30 year reunion of New Zealand's Women's Convention in Wellington from the 3-6 June 2005. Zusters says "From those photos I shot at the convention in !975 I revisited two women captured in the same frame , who have been my life-long friends. Allie was a controversial keynote speaker at the 1975 Convention. Julia was in my 3rd form class at Christchurch Girl's High. Recently I was part of a group of friends who supported her during her cancer treatment in the last great adventure of her life. Julia had a well informed political consciousness. As students we marched against the Vietnam War, nuclear ship visits, US military installations and the abortion law. I discovered that my two friends, who never knew each other, had something in common. They had both been given ECT shock treatment in the 70's. This is my retake on those times."

Where did you go to my lovely...is an ongoing project that Zusters began in 2001 when she participated in an artist's explore digital technology project at the ASA Gallery in Auckland. Seated in a recreated 70's lounge, visitors will have the opportunity to don white gloves and view Zusters' 70's photographs. This collection is a unique treasure. Christchurch born Zusters in her youth, moved in creative and radical, political circles. Student film maker Vincent Ward, photographers Lawrence Aberhart and Rhondda Bosworth and painter Jeffrey Harris, are a few of the names now familar to us. A second album revisits 25 people who have been rephotographed in relationship with their photograph from the past.

Stephanie Beth's groundbreaking film I want to be Joan, will also be shown. It is a 16 mm film commissioned in 1977 by the organizers of the second New Zealand Women's Convention. It was shot during the actual convention and gives voice to ordinary women who had never before spoken in public. The paintings of Jacqueline Fahey and Robin White accompany the dialogue.

These compelling and highly charged works by Beth and Zusters invite us to step back in time and reflect on how our society has changed in the intervening years.

PATAKA Hours: Mon-Sat 10am - 4.30pm Sun 11am - 4.30pm Mon (Queen's Birthday) - 12 -4pm

Julia : Where did you go to my lovely..." DVD