Photographic exhibition at Zest Cafe

The People Project: Wishing to remain anonymous, this member of our community volunteers tirelessly around Gisborne at the Curtain Bank, Gisborne Alzheimers, The Blind Foundation, Bible in Schools and runs a craft group. She also volunteers with an International Christian outreach organisation through which she has aided on several missions nationally and internationally.

EYES are windows to the soul but hands tell its story, which is what inspired hobbyist photographer Isabella Grant to shoot various people’s hands. Called The People Project, the 10 intimate images are a way of acknowledging some of the inspiring people from around the Gisborne and East Coast community.

“It’s about the helping hands of Gisborne,” Grant said.

“Hands have all the hard work marks, callouses, lines, they really tell a person’s story. In some of them you can see the hard work that has been part of their lives.

“The focus of the exhibition is on their hands, the hard-working, helping hands of our community. None of the photos are for sale because I want the exhibition to be focused on acknowledging the people I photographed.”

Grant photographed the people’s hands in black and white to present naked forms free of distraction.

“It makes the images more powerful. I’m hoping the pictures will inspire other people to acknowledge people they respect.”

A caption accompanies each picture.

The hands with ta moko designs on the wrists belong to Pura Tangira, who teaches kapa haka and inspires children in many local kindergartens, kohanga and schools.

In another picture, the subject wishes to remain anonymous, writes Grant. She runs a craft group and works tirelessly around Gisborne at the Curtain Bank, Gisborne Alzheimers, The Blind Foundation and Bible in Schools.

The youngest person’s hands in the selection of framed images hung in Zest Cafe are very different from the rest, Grant said.

“Someone put it perfectly: her story has just started.”