
Exhibition: Ans Westra 1936–2023
This exhibition celebrates the life and work of Ans Westra, one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most renowned photographers.
Closed
18 Mar – 17 Sep 2023
Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga
Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Open every day 10am-6pm
(except Christmas Day)
Free museum entry for New Zealanders and people living in New Zealand
Dutch-born New Zealand photographer Ans Westra is known for her black-and-white documentary photography of the people of Aotearoa New Zealand, including protests and marches, Māori communities, street photography, and industrial scenes.
This exhibition celebrates the life and work of Ans Westra, one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most renowned photographers.
Closed
18 Mar – 17 Sep 2023
Exhibition Ngā whakaaturanga
New Zealand photographer Ans Westra passed away on 26 February 2023 at age 86. Here curator of photography Athol McCredie reflects on some aspects of Westra’s work.
Ans Westra (28 April 1936 – 26 February 2023) is one of New Zealand’s best-known social documentary photographers.
This excerpt is from a conversation between photographer Ans Westra and Curator Photography Athol McCredie for the book, ‘The New Photography’.
“If people didn’t want me to take the photograph they would chase me away.”
– Ans Westra
‘Washday at the Pa’ was a school bulletin published in 1964 by the Education Department’s School Publications section. It has faced criticism as well as praise since publication.
Although Ans Westra is best known as a photographer, her training was in artistic needlework. She studied towards a Diploma in Art and Craft teaching at the Industrieschool voor meisjes in Rotterdam from 1953 to 1957. It was during those studies that she produced these needlework samples which demonstrate a range of artistic influences, stressing the connection between fine art and craft.
Our collection of over 10,000 Ans Westra images includes a large selection of working prints which can be used for study purposes.