An MP, a volcanic photographer, a National Librarian/Archivist and a Geologist/Historian walk into a bookshop (that has a bar). It was a great set up for a joke, but instead we got a wonderful and eye-opening look into NZ’s past. Joseph Divis was a Czech immigrant who lived and worked in Blackball and Waiuta in the early 20th century. As a photographer Divis took beautiful images of life in and around these mining towns, recording in detail a view of early NZ that remains unrivalled to this day, many on display in this second, expanded edition of ‘Through the Eyes of a Miner: The Photography of Joseph Divis’.
Margaret Hurst, from the National Library, along with West Coast MP Damien O’Connor, introduced the crowd to the people and places of Waiuta, demonstrating an obvious pride and love for the West Coast.
And Wayne Barrar, documentary photographer, gave the audience an understanding of the photographic context of the day, explaining the uniqueness of Divis’ work and how it stands out even now.
Simon Nathan, author and geologist, spoke with obvious passion and fascination about Joseph Divis, revealing the serendipitous path his research took him on and the beauty of Divis’ vernacular photography, an affirmation of Divis’ own place in his community.
The launch was wrapped up beautifully with Simon Nathan calling on all with strong West Coast ties to gather for a group photo, celebrating their connections with the glass plate, duotone beauty represented in his stunning book.
