The Wanganui

This black and white photograph by Anne Noble was taken in 1980. It was part of a project that the artist began in 1979 to photograph the Whanganui River. Noble, who was born in Wanganui, the coastal town where the Whanganui River meets the sea, published the results of the project in a book called The Wanganui in 1982. In this particular photograph, she has photographed the river in high contrast, which creates a dramatic image. One can sense the intense silence on the river at dusk, as the light is pulled into darkness.

Things unseen
Looking at the full context of Noble's series, of which The Wanganui is a single image, it is clear that her purpose is not scenic. Rather, she is interested in conveying things that are less visible. The landscape itself is obscured by darkness and mist, leaving only the interplay of light and dark, and the different qualities of light in the sky and reflected in the rippled surface of the river. Noble's photograph seeks to capture the feel or spirit of the location - a place steeped in history.

A popular scene
The Whanganui River has long been a favourite subject of photographers. Alfred Burton's 1885 images of the Drop Scene, for example, were the first of many photographs that captured the splendour of this particular cliff-lined stretch. Noble's photograph sets out to achieve different ends to these earlier representations of the Whanganui River and reveals her awareness of the practice of photography in New Zealand. Her series of enigmatic images is an important addition to the iconic quality of this place in New Zealand's visual culture.