Souvenir, Aotearoa
Maker
Natalie Robertson
Production date
2002
Description
For this series Natalie Robertson collected vintage scarves and photographed them in an attempt to recontextualise their cultural significance. Drawn to their inherent characteristics as objects of memory, Robertson suggests that these photographs ‘restore the scarves to a position of artifact and reinforce the shonky mapping characteristics. Dating from mid-20th century they recall journeys and holiday destinations or the travels of relatives who have sent these easily-transported souvenirs. For me, the scarves present a conundrum - that of blatant cultural appropriation and insensitivities, coupled with luscious kitschness.’
Natalie Robertson ( 1962-) is Ngati Porou and Clan Donnachaidh and was born and raised in the Eastern Bay of Plenty town of Kawerau. Robertson left to take up a job as a topographical draftsperson for an aerial photography company which was to provide an ongoing source of direction in her later art career. After a period pursuing an interest in documentary photography, Robertson completed a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Auckland where she began to draw together ideas of cartography, surveying and the relationships between Maori and Pakeha conceptions of the land. Robertson has since developed an impressive exhibition history which has seen her move between photography, film and multi-media installations.
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