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Pre-production

Aldo Leopold observed in A Sand County Almanac that “the rich diversity of the world’s cultures reflects a corresponding diversity in the wilds that gave them birth.” There is no doubt that in a country where 1/3 of the land is dedicated to National Parks, wilderness shapes New Zealand culture on both personal and communal levels. Through the research of Dr. James Higham's at the University of Otago, I began thinking of the  ides that 'wilderness' is not merely a legislative concept, but a subjective term that is dependent on one's cultural background, personal landscapes and experiences. This idea intrigued me and drew me to New Zealand, where landscapes collide in a very short distance and cultures mingle through tourism, immigration and indigenous cultures.

My foundational questions:

Why do we go to the wilder places?

What makes a wilderness experience?

How do our past experiences affect our current ones?

Through the generous support of Fulbright New Zealand and the Harvey Fellows, I spent 15 months in New Zealand, traveling to the remote areas in search of wilderness stories. My wandering route took me from the very tip of the Island to the southernmost bays of Stuart Island, and a lot in between. Many places and people couldn't be found just off the road so I hit the tracks and open seas, tramping, sailing and kayaking in pursuit of the unique voices of Aotearoa.

But before I packed my bags, I did a lot of tests and preliminary work to determine my visual and thematic approaches. I experimented with a few short pieces. You can see them here:

The Great Yosemite Adventure  

A Painting Story 

Trio en Plein Air  

The State of New Zealand Wilderness (pdf) published by Department of Conservation - Te Papa Atawhai

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