I recently documented a Small Press Fest that took place in Ōtepoti Dunedin, Aotearoa New Zealand, from August 16-18. Organised by Frances Pavletich of Evening Books, the festival brought independent publishers and small presses together for three days of panel discussions, workshops, talks, readings, and a book fair. The final day included an ekphrastic poetry workshoprun by Emma Neale, a Dunedin-based author and poet.
Ekphrastic poetry is a form of poetry that attempts to capture the essence of a work of art and the poet’s emotional response to it. This form goes beyond mere verbal description and interpretation, aiming to communicate what the poet sees and feels in response to the artwork. It makes connections between the visual and the emotional, exploring broader philosophical questions inspired by the piece.
The workshop took place at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, where participants were invited to respond to Stars, Lands 2024, an installation of paintings and moving images by Christchurch-based artist Nicola Farquhar (the participants, the artist, and the gallery gave their permission for photos of the event to be taken and shared). Her work uses geometric shapes, bright colours, and layered, textured surfaces to draw attention to the space between earth and sky, helping viewers see space as something physical that separates objects, ideas, and people. The placement of the works creates a set of connections between the pieces that encourage us to contemplate the spaces and relationships among them. Our presence extends the installation, activates the space, and establishes new connections and spatial dynamics that change as we move through the gallery.
The space between things is a central concern for photographers. The more closely we study a scene, the more aware we become of the relationships between objects in our field of view. Areas that we initially considered blank or empty take on form, weight, and significance. These spaces play an important role as connectors, separators, and mediators. They can also be as substantial, meaningful, and important as any object. By zooming in and out, altering the framing, and changing the position of the camera relative to other objects, we mould and shape the spaces between things, altering the relationships between them and their relative importance.
72a. Dunedin author and poet, Emma Neale, Small Press Fest, ekphrastic poetry workshop, Nicola Farquhar Stars, Lands2024, installation view, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, New Zealand, Sun. 18 Aug. 2024 (Photo by Mark McGuire), Camera: Sony A7iii, Lens: Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, 1/125, f/2.8, 105 mm, ISO 1,250
72b. Small Press Fest, ekphrastic poetry workshop, Nicola Farquhar Stars, Lands2024, installation view, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, New Zealand, Sun. 18 Aug. 2024 (Photo by Mark McGuire), Camera: Sony A7iii, Lens: Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, 1/125, f/2.8, 56 mm, ISO 400
72c. Small Press Fest, ekphrastic poetry workshop, Nicola Farquhar Stars, Lands2024, installation view, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, New Zealand, Sun. 18 Aug. 2024 (Photo by Mark McGuire), Camera: Sony A7iii, Lens: Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, 1/125, f/2.8, 45 mm, ISO 320
72d. Small Press Fest, ekphrastic poetry workshop, Nicola Farquhar Stars, Lands2024, installation view, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, New Zealand, Sun. 18 Aug. 2024 (Photo by Mark McGuire), Camera: Sony A7iii, Lens: Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, 1/125, f/2.8, 94 mm, ISO 640
72e. Small Press Fest, ekphrastic poetry workshop, Nicola Farquhar Stars, Lands2024, installation view, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, New Zealand, Sun. 18 Aug. 2024 (Photo by Mark McGuire), Camera: Sony A7iii, Lens: Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, 1/125, f/2.8, 68 mm, ISO 320
72f. Small Press Fest, ekphrastic poetry workshop, Nicola Farquhar Stars, Lands2024, installation view, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, New Zealand, Sun. 18 Aug. 2024 (Photo by Mark McGuire), Camera: Sony A7iii, Lens: Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, 1/125, f/2.8, 48 mm, ISO 320
72g. Small Press Fest, ekphrastic poetry workshop, Nicola Farquhar Stars, Lands2024, installation view, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, New Zealand, Sun. 18 Aug. 2024 (Photo by Mark McGuire), Camera: Sony A7iii, Lens: Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, 1/125, f/2.8, 59 mm, ISO 500
72h. Small Press Fest, ekphrastic poetry workshop, Nicola Farquhar Stars, Lands2024, installation view, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, New Zealand, Sun. 18 Aug. 2024 (Photo by Mark McGuire), Camera: Sony A7iii, Lens: Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, 1/125, f/2.8, 105 mm, ISO 400
72i. Small Press Fest, ekphrastic poetry workshop, Nicola Farquhar Stars, Lands2024, installation view, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, New Zealand, Sun. 18 Aug. 2024 (Photo by Mark McGuire), Camera: Sony A7iii, Lens: Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, 1/125, f/2.8, 70 mm, ISO 640
72j. Small Press Fest, ekphrastic poetry workshop, Nicola Farquhar Stars, Lands2024, installation view, Dunedin Public Art Gallery, Dunedin, New Zealand, Sun. 18 Aug. 2024 (Photo by Mark McGuire), Camera: Sony A7iii, Lens: Tamron 35-150mm f/2-2.8 Di III VXD, 1/125, f/2.8, 37 mm, ISO 500
What’s next?
A few days ago, I visited Karitane, a small town 35 kilometres north of central Dunedin. It’s a popular holiday destination for Dunedinites, and there are some impressive hedges there. I might show you what I found.
