Local photographer Marcus Adams travelled many miles to gather the 8000 images from which his Wheels of Change exhibition was drawn. When Marcus saw that the recent Kokomai Festival, then in the planning stages, included all sorts of creativity but not photography, he contacted the organisers and put forward a proposal for an exhibition.
A trip to SE Asia resulted, with the broad theme of “investigating change following conflicts”. As Marcus narrowed and clarified his theme, the idea of changes brought about by the wheel came to the fore. As he says, “we take wheels for granted, but that’s not the case for south-east Asian peoples”.
Marcus came home with the headache of selecting which photographs to include and says “selecting 100 from 8000 wasn’t too difficult, but getting down to 50 was the hard part”.
The resulting exhibition takes both a literal and metaphorical look at the place of the wheel in Cambodia, the Philippines and Vietnam. These countries have spent much of the last six decades involved in and recovering from a variety of conflicts and war. Modern wheels are changing lives and societies during this process, yet the wheel has also been part of Asian cultures for hundreds of years.
One image shows two boys walking with a cart pulled by water buffalo and Marcus commented that “apart from the clothing that shot could have been taken 1000 years ago, because the cart and the wheels on it, the animals pulling it, even the rice crop in the fields behind them – all haven’t changed in centuries”. In other photos mopeds, bicycles and cars contrast sharply with environments and economic conditions that have altered little over the years.
Placing the exhibition outdoors was an inspired decision, despite the vagaries of Martinborough’s spring winds. Almost all of the 50 images forming Wheels of Change are outdoor shots and deserve a reflective wander beneath the trees as they reveal the often subtle and layered messages behind the impressive and vivid photography.
Marcus’s stated mission is to “make a lasting contribution to the world with my photography by raising awareness of and leveraging current affairs – and promoting the need for change through my images”. The countries represented in this exhibition are popular tourist destinations for many western tourists, yet few will see the places and conditions revealed. Taking a few moments to look beyond the immediate in these images is a reward in itself and a lesson in what is really most important in life.
Note: Part of the recent Kokomai Creative Festival, Revolution! Wheels of Change in SE Asia was set up in Martinborough’s town square and opened by the Mayor, Adrienne Staples. Although the festival is now over, you can enjoy Marcus’ work at www.marcusadamsphoto.co.nz.
Rachel McCahon
