This air is a material

This air is a material. The work of Ann Shelton.

Ann Shelton left her hometown of Timaru in the 80's on a mission. Her sense of social justice coupled with an interest in human narratives saw her working as one of N.Z's first female photojournalists, initially in Oamaru and then at the Dominion Post in Wellington. From there Ann moved to K' Rd in Auckland, and attended Elam School of Fine Arts. Her seminal project Redeye captured the zeitgeist of the 90's, and catapulted her to public notoriety. Ann has made many rich and complex bodies of work that unearth local mythologies and ghosted stories and give voice to characters previously written out of history. Challenging the conventions and assumptions of the medium, Ann's photographs and artist books form a significant contribution to the history of contemporary photographic practice in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

This air is a material looks in depth at Ann's work, illuminating it through the words of curators, art historians, her peers and Ann herself. The film journeys to places where the artist lived and worked and revisits the sites of some of her most powerful photographic works.

There has never been a better time for me to make this film, and to open up a wider audience for the rich photographic practice of this artist. I am thrilled to have the support of The Chartwell Trust to help me complete this project, as a matching donor. So any donation you choose to make will be generously doubled.

In November 2016 a major survey exhibition of Shelton's work opens at Auckland Art Gallery, staged by Zara Stanhope, Principal Curator at the gallery. The film will offer insight and a heightened appreciation of Shelton's work to a wide audience of art lovers, students and New Zealand and New Zealand visitors. This air is a material will screen as part of the program of events during the exhibition, which runs through the important summer season. Beyond the gallery screenings there will be the potential for global outreach via film festivals and competitions. As an archival document of an important female practitioner the film contributes to the photographic landscape and territory of contemporary art in Aotearoa/New Zealand. It's also a significant project for me as my practice moves further into the dynamic arena of filmmaking.

Reaching my target will mean I can cover some crucial aspects of production for the film. A successful Boosted campaign will enable me to cover travel and expenses associated with the location shoots and to pay for key elements of editing and post-production. Filming will take place in Auckland and Christchurch, recording interviews with curators and art commentators as well as some behind-the-scenes footage shot at Christchurch and Auckland Art Galleries.

Exceeding my target will mean I can include some beautiful archival footage that we have discovered, as well as contributing to the creation of a trailer for potential New Zealand release.

So please continue to donate! Thanks so much for taking the time to read this profile, to watch the video, and for any donation you are able to make. Every little bit counts, and I am truly grateful for your support.

Support for Becky Nunes and This air is a material.

"Having watched some of the early footage that Nunes has captured of Shelton and her work, I have been impressed by the speci?c and uncompromising vision she has developed for the project. Nunes is already tackling the ?lmmaking process with the same intense precision and perfectionism that she would with any of her projects and I am convinced she will succeed in creating an engaging and well-crafted documentary."

Briar March. Filmmaker.

"Becky is able to move freely between the commercial/editorial and fine art worlds of photography. At the heart of this is a deep understanding of the complexities and nuances of documentary practice, particularly as it relates to postcolonial Aotearoa. She and Ann Shelton are perfectly matched for this project. Like Becky, Ann emerged from an editorial background and made a transition into an art context. Like Becky, she shares an intense interest in the role documentary photography can play in mining some of Aotearoa's darker histories and episodes. Becky is an absolute pro - experienced, intelligent, and deeply committed to making work of the highest quality. I think this [film] has the potential to be a very important new strand in the critical discussion of contemporary New Zealand art."

Anthony Byrt.
Art critic and writer for Metro, Artforum New Zealand and Frieze 2013 Critical Studies Fellow at Cranbrook Academy of Art, Michigan 2015 Review of the Year, Canon Media Awards