Whanganui UCOL Quay School of the Arts, Fine Arts Photography exhibition, Photosynthesis 2009, will open at the Federal Hotel Gallery on Friday 17 April at 5pm.

Photosynthesis 2009 features creative applications of photography by UCOL lecturers, Fine Arts students and other exhibitors who include secondary school students and alumni.

Photography tutor and Head of UCOL Fine Arts Photography, Rita Dibert, says that this is an excellent opportunity for students to exhibit their hard work to staff, other students and members of the public. “We’ll have a lot of different work on display like cyanotypes, Holgas, and various other photographic processes,” Rita says.

Cyanotype is a printing process (pictured above on cloth) which gives a cyan blue print while the Holga is a toy camera which is now appreciated for its low quality aesthetic.

This year Whanganui UCOL has also invited high school students from the Manawatu and Wanganui to also exhibit and one room will feature their work. This part of the exhibition is being coordinated with the assistance of Cat Sleyer, a Whanganui Quay School of the Arts BFA graduate, who now teaches photography at Wanganui High School.

Special guests at the open will be the attendees to the National Photo Conference, Whanganui in the Raw, which will draw over 300 photographers to Wanganui over the four days from 16 – 19 April.

Photosynthesis is held every two years and will be on show until 9 May. Open hours are 11am – 1pm Thursday to Friday and 10am – 1pm on Saturday.

For more information please contact:Rita Dibert, H.O.D UCOL Fine Art Photography: 06 965 3801 ext 62359 or Susie Johnson, UCOL Communications Coordinator: 06 952 7001 extn 70348, 021 190 2447.