"The Vault" is a touring exhibition of nine large limited edition prints by Wellington photographer Neil Pardington, who has ventured into the fascinating netherworld of the storerooms of some of New Zealand's largest collections of cultural heritage. The areas are usually closed to the public.
Works in the show include photographs of animals and birds in taxidermy storerooms, paintings fastened to sliding storage walls, specimens in jars, rooms of mannequins, shelves of films in tins, taonga Maori, buildings full of army vehicles, textiles, card catalogues and more.
Mr Pardington took a large format digital camera into the back rooms of Otago Museum, Canterbury Museum, Whanganui Regional Museum and Te Papa, among others.
The prints average 1.5m by 1.2m in size and are priced about $5000.
As a prelude to "The Vault", the artist, designer and film-maker will discuss his work at a presentation at Dorothy Brown's Cinema at 5.30pm. Bookings can be made by contacting the cinema and entry is $5.
Mr Pardington will attend the launch of the exhibition, which opens at 6.15pm.
Gallery owner Nadene Milne said Mr Pardington has steadily built a reputation as one of New Zealand's most highly regarded photographers.
"There are two things I find interesting - how cultural objects are catalogued, how they are managed in a museum context. And, in some instances, only as much as 5% of a museum's collection is ever seen by the public, because they have so much work and only so much space to show it.
"Neil's work gives us access to previously unseen cultural artefacts."
• "The Vault" by Neil Pardington at Nadene Milne Gallery, in Arrowtown. Opens Friday, November 13, 6.15pm. Free entry. A preceding presentation by Mr Pardington at Dorothy Brown's Cinema, at 5.30pm. Bookings advised with the cinema and entry is $5.
