McLeavey Gallery presents There is no twilight, photographs of Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington by Les Cleveland and Hendrix Hennessy-Ropiha. Opening on Wednesday 26 June.

Les Cleveland, a McLeavey Gallery artist from 1990 - 2007 and a prominent Wellington identity, best known for his social documentary photography, capturing scenes of rural and urban life in Aotearoa, New Zealand and overseas. This exhibition will focus on Les’ photographs of Wellington, familiar buildings, streets and scenes (some since vanished) dating back to the 1950’s. Les’ photographs were the subject of a survey exhibition at City Gallery Wellington in 1998, Les Cleveland, Six Decades: Message from the Exterior.

Hendrix Hennessy-Ropiha (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Raukawa) is a Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington-based artist working with photography. His practice often revolves around social and political issues within Aotearoa and how art can help examine these issues in different ways. Recent exhibitions include Tilia at City Gallery Wellington (2022) and Kura Huna, Courtenay Place Light Boxes (2023).

Hendrix’s photographs for this upcoming exhibition, taken in 2023 & 2024, capture familiar Wellington scenes from his unique perspective...'I wasn’t really thinking about the physical city so much. For me the highrise buildings and glass and concrete structures were just something that allowed these momentary reflections of light to happen…These reflections are constantly moving and changing but if you’re open to seeing them they’re everywhere.’

To find out more about Hendrix and his practice, read this short Q&A.

This exhibition is a love letter to Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Wellington that traverses over several decades.