For those in need of a break from the World Cup fever that has overrun central Auckland, two very different exhibitions are on show in the Britomart precinct – the 2011 World Press Photo Exhibition and the New Zealand Fashion Museum’s ‘Black in Fashion’.
The 2011 World Press Photo Exhibition showcases the best in international photojournalism from the last year, displaying award-winning photographs across a range of categories including sport, current affairs and nature.
The overall prize for the World Press Photo of the Year has come to be regarded as the most prestigious international award for photojournalism, and the breathtaking images exhibited reflect this.
Subjects range from the haunting – including pictures taken in the immediate aftermath of Haiti’s 2010 earthquake – to the serene, with a photoessay of Whooper swans wintering on Lake Kussharo.
The exhibition – which will be visited by over 1 million people in 40 countries – is a moving and memorable collection of the year’s defining moments.
Just a few blocks away the New Zealand Fashion Museum has put together a very different exhibition – 'Black in Fashion', which aims to assist New Zealanders examine the country's ongoing love affair with black clothing.
Curator Doris de Pont has assembled garments dating from the Victorian era through to the present day, all with one thing in common – the colour black.
The exhibition builds a sense of the evolution of black in New Zealand clothing - from the black dresses worn by Victorian women and early sporting uniforms through to iconic designs from New Zealand labels, including Karen Walker and World.
Activist Tame Iti’s suit is in the collection, as is former Governor-General Keith Holyoake’s; an early policeman’s uniform is displayed next to the TOA Aotearoa gang patched leather jacket from the film Once Were Warriors.
A fascinating glimpse into the country’s love affair with black, 'Black in Fashion' shows the true depth of New Zealand’s favourite colour.
The 2011 World Press Photo Exhibition is at 40 Customs Street East until October 9
‘Black in Fashion’ is at the corner of Galway and Gore Streets until October 24
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