Prominent photographer features in Whanganui Regional Museum’s Spring Lecture Series

The exhibition Between skin & shirt is on at Whanganui Regional Museum. Photo / Kathy Greensides, Whanganui Regional Museum

Prolific Whanganui photographer William James Harding is the subject of the Whanganui Regional Museum’s second talk of the 2023 Spring Lecture Series.

National Library of New Zealand exhibitions adviser Dr Fiona Oliver, of Wellington, will speak in a supporting event for the exhibition Between skin & shirt: The photographic portraits of William Harding, currently on show at the museum. Oliver curated the exhibition, which is on loan from the National Library of New Zealand.

Harding operated a photographic studio in Whanganui from the 1850s to the 1880s. His photographs depict the township of that time and most notably its people.

The collection held at the Alexander Turnbull Library is one of the country’s most significant photographic collections.

“As a photographer, William Harding was prolific – photographing over 6000 portraits of Whanganui residents from his Ridgway St Studio between 1860 and 1888,” Oliver said.

The talk will be an exploration of Harding’s photographic studio and the conventions of his time.

“Harding used the poses, backdrops, props and facial expressions we’re used to seeing in Victorian portraiture – but he also veered away from these to get beyond the sitter’s social identity and create a psychological portrait.

“Harding’s photographs have a directness and honesty that is unique and striking.”

Oliver said the talk would showcase some of the many portraits that didn’t make it into the exhibition.

“The talk will build a picture of the studio and the people who visited it. We will look at some of the conventions of studio portraiture and the way Harding uses or breaks these to bring us closer to the inner being of the subject.”

The free talk is on Tuesday, September 5, at 5.30pm in the Davis Theatre, Watt St. Bookings are not required but seats are limited to 200 people.