Self-Portrait by Marti Friedlander

'The light in New Zealand was so strong, so bright. Such bright strong sunlight against the rather dour national character of the people. A bright sunny land, and yet it wasn’t a sunny life.’ - Marti Friedlander

Born in 1928, Friedlander had a tough start to life. At the age of three, she and her older sister, Anne, were sent to live in an orphanage in London’s East End. After a couple of years, plagued by serious health problems and lack of care, she was moved to a Jewish orphanage in Norwood. Here, she received life-saving surgery, security, a sense of Jewishness, and an education that culminated in a Trade Scholarship. Photography was suggested, and she agreed.

Marti Friedlander immigrated to New Zealand in 1958. It was supposed to be a temporary stay, to meet her new husband’s family and to see the countryside that he so glowingly praised. But, circumstances turned out otherwise and this bright, curious, and spirited young woman with a passion for people and culture found herself marooned in a sparsely populated, bland post-war suburban society without the consolation of motherhood to occupy her. Tragedy had found her again, and the quote above, with its reference to light and sorrow, captures Friedlander both as the outsider struggling with loss, as well as the artist.

The black and white photos throughout the book showcase her outstanding collection and cover the major areas of her work, from portraits of New Zealand’s emerging and celebrated artists to photos of the protest movements in the 70’s and 80’s. Highlights include the photos of kuia with moko for a book with Michael King and snapshots in time of quintessential New Zealand characters and locations. All vividly show why she is regarded as New Zealand’s leading photographer.

While Friedlander shares details of her life and the ups and downs of her marriage, these are not delved into too deeply, nor are they the primary focus of the book. It is very much the artist talking about how her life has infused her art, never separate from one another, and that symbiotic way that art emerges from it. It is a beautiful touching illustration of a full life, well lived, courageous and unconventional – the fruits, of which, have added much to our collective cultural heritage. 

If you're not going to read this book or one of the libraries' other books on Friedlander (which you should!), you can visit Friedlander's website to see examples of her work - the link is below.

Reviewed by Spot

Catalogue Link: Self-Portrait

Marti Friedlander - website