This project was born out of observing rapid change in the place I was born and have grown up in, and a sense of urgency to try and capture what was and is fast being lost.
Selwyn is one of the fastest growing districts in the country in both commercial and residential development. Much of the this development was planned and initiated after the 2010 and 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. Government and council agencies established the Land Use Recovery Plan in 2013 to free up land for development. With the construction of The Christchurch Southern Motorway stage 2 commencing in 2016, the physicality of the area began to change significantly. While photographing, I became most drawn to the strange in-between nature of the place as it changed and land use and engagement with the area shifted.
Mitchell Bright
Mitchell Bright is a photographer living in Canterbury, New Zealand. Born in 1994, he recently completed his MFA at the University of Canterbury School of Fine Arts.
Growing up he spent his time in Selwyn and the West Coast of the South Island. He addresses these areas in his work, frequently exploring them and documenting his findings, with a particular interest in the ways in which individuals and society view and interact with the landscape.
Bright’s practice delves into areas of fine art and documentary photography. Exhibiting in print form, which can be found in private collections around New Zealand, and also in engaging with photo-books as a medium of display and as record.
