A portrait of John Psathas Photographer Gareth Watkins has completed a portrait collection inspired by one of New Zealand’s most distinguished composers, Douglas Lilburn. Watkins last year began the project Composed in Light to celebrate the gay composer’s extraordinary influence on New Zealand music, by documenting 15 prominent and up-and-coming local composers. The selection of participants took place in consultation with SOUNZ - The Centre for New Zealand Music, the Wallace Arts Trust and the Lilburn Trust. “The support of the Wallace Arts Trust and the Lilburn Trust has allowed a significant body of work to be created that documents and celebrates composers in New Zealand,” Watkins says. The composers in the collection include: John Psathas, Anthony Ritchie, Chris Adams, Gillian Whitehead, Eve de Castro-Robinson, Jack Body, Leonie Holmes, Victoria Kelly, Ross Harris, Robbie Ellis, Karlo Margetic, Claire Cowan, Philip Norman, John Ritchie, Alex Taylor and Lyell Cresswell. “The majority of the composers were established practitioners, with a selection of up-and-coming composers completing the body of work”, says Gareth. “It was delightful to be able to spend time with such creative and inspiring people.” The portraits were all shot in situ and concentrated on the relationship between the composers and their surroundings. All of the images, along with audio interviews, are now available online.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 11th June 2012 - 10:59am