The Artist: MintFace
MintFace said he chose then to photograph the bridges that he said were the most beautiful or rarely seen. MintFace said most of the artworks which were available to purchase were “one-of-ones” so it meant whoever came to own the photograph had the only version of that work.
The Collection: Roads and Rivers
The photos on display were taken on a drone between 2022 and 2023. MintFace has worked across the country to capture the images from above, with the last photos taken in January 2023.
“I kind of like that juxtaposition of the beauty of nature, which is untouched, yet here is a high utility asset such as infrastructure of roads that can live side by side and add something to the beauty of the surroundings – because it gives us access to it,” Jennings said.
A Specific Artwork: R&R #7
Being able to see into the back of the truck, and seeing the contents, reminded me of what Alejandro Cartagena achieved with his Carpoolers collection. A vignette into the daily lives of those who travel for work.
What The Collection Means
The Roads and Rivers collection was photographed in the immediate aftermath of the pandemic… …in a desire to explore and adventure in the pursuit of a feeling of freedom again. New Zealand’s highways were completely empty… …enabling open roaming to capture rarely seen aerial views of well known roads and rivers.
Post pandemic, many of us felt like life was at a crossroads. Throughout our lives… there are times we travel roads and times we go with the flow of the river. When the two overlap… you get to decide which way you go.
Roads are the metaphorical symbol for travelling on a mission. You choose the route and speed of your journey on your way to the next destination. Rivers are symbolic of going with the flow. You surrender to its course and travel at the pace of its drift.
Less than a month after the completion of the project… Cyclone Gabrielle washed away many of these bridges… caused billions in damage and 8 people tragically lost their lives. 2.5 years later and only now are some of these bridges and communities being reconnected.
The narrow subject matter of ‘Roads & Rivers’ and repetitive focus was inspired by the work of two photographers. Alejandro Cartagena @halecar2 ‘Carpoolers’ for its commentary on the lives of workers through a repetitive aerial motif…that brings the contents of each pick up truck into focus.
‘Anxious Pleasures’ collection by @amyelkinsphoto for its exploration of a single subject… …created during the pandemic with cyanotype, a simple 19th Century process.
The Roads and Rivers is being shown as part of ‘Photofest’… …including multiple exhibitions at a number of NZ galleries.
21x Roads & Rivers 1/1 are available for 0.069 eth …and editions for 0.03 eth. Roads & Rivers 1/1s (and 2x ed.) Roads & Rivers editions.