Vincent Ward: Breath, the Fleeting Intensity of Life

Vincent Ward’s memorable filmic work has long offered a powerful and unique contribution to Aotearoa New Zealand’s visual experience. This new exhibition: Breath – the fleeting intensity of life, draws together Ward’s career as a feature filmmaker and his early training in fine arts. His recent exploration of the still image presents works that coalesce photography, painting and digital imaging alongside filmic vignettes and sound.

Ward’s ongoing concerns with metamorphosis, light, darkness and immersive experience has led him to create a series of physically imposing works that delve into otherworldly landscapes and transcendent states, seeking elusive ‘transformational moments’ that connect with the human psyche. His films have seen recognition at both the Academy Awards and the Cannes Film Festival and have repeatedly received acclaim for their strong iconic imagery. The Boston Globe has called Ward ‘one of films great image-makers’.

This exhibition is the first survey of filmmaker Vincent Ward’s work within an art museum context. A publication with a commissioned essay by novelist Louis Nowra will accompany the exhibition.