Neil Pardington The Vault

Wellington-based Neil Pardington is one of New Zealand's best-known contemporary photographers. His exhibition The Vault will show at Suite (Newtown, Wellington) from Friday 12 September – Saturday 4 October.

The Vault was initially inspired by Pardington's commission for Te Papa's 2004 collection showcase publication, Icons Nga Taonga, which took him into the collection stores of the national museum.

Within these rooms and those of other national organisations such as Canterbury Museum, The New Zealand Film Archive and Christchurch Art Gallery, Pardington found carefully ordered, wrapped and stacked artifacts, or incongruous groupings – where objects were side-by-side not because of a cultural or historical closeness, but simply due to size, shape or mere chance. The resulting images reflect on the diversity of these collections through Pardington's cool, detached lens.

In addition to The Vault, Suite stocks Pardington's back catalogue including The Clinic, Rehutai, and Elsewhere series', amongst others.

Neil Pardington is of Kai Tahu, Kati Mamoe, Kati Waewae Māori and Pākeha descent.