
Marti Friedlander (1928 - 2016)
Presentation Type
Presentation
Start Date
8-3-2025 1:40 AM
Description
Linda Yang, Archivist, Gerrard and Marti Friedlander Charitable Trust and Freya Elmer, Archivist, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Auckland, New Zealand
Marti Friedlander (1928 - 2016)
Marti Friedlander (1928 - 2016) was one of New Zealand’s most prominent photographers, capturing 50 years of New Zealand society, history and landscape with a keen and sharp eye. Her legacy continues through the work of the Gerrard and Marti Friedlander Trust and her archive, which is on loan to the E.H. McCormick Research Library, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.
Born in London to Jewish Russian refugees, Marti was raised in orphanages and trained as a photographer as a teenager. She found work retouching photographs while enjoying a lively, independent London life. In 1958, having married a Kiwi, she was abruptly displaced to the rural outskirts of Auckland. Photography became a way for Marti to acquaint herself with her strange new surroundings. It also connected her with a community of artists and writers who shared her outlook on life. While travelling the country photographing artists, Marti also captured their wives, who were often artists themselves. Her lens revealed the invisible domestic labour of these women, highlighting the stories of female artists whose careers were slower to be recognised.
Marti’s work consistently uncovered overlooked aspects of New Zealand society, with a focus on women's lives. She photographed the United Women’s Convention in 1979, capturing the fervour and division around women’s rights. One of Marti’s most iconic assignments was a portrait series of Māori kuia and their moko. These delicate and sensitive photographs are tributes to these women, their lives, and how they were upheld in their families.
This paper provides an insight into Marti’s practice, focusing on her portrayal of women in New Zealand. It also discusses the collaborative efforts between the Trust and the Gallery to preserve her archive of over 10,000 photographs, ensuring the continuation of her legacy.
Linda Yang is an art historian, educator and the Archivist for the Marti Friedlander Archive, held by the Gallery. Freya Elmer is the Archivist at the E H McCormick Research Library, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.
Relational Format
Conference proceeding
Recommended Citation
Yang, Linda and Elmer, Freya, "Marti Friedlander (1928 - 2016)" (2025). Women of Photography: A 24-Hour Conference-a-thon Celebrating International Women’s Day 2025. 6.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/womenofphotography/2025/schedule/6
Marti Friedlander (1928 - 2016)
Linda Yang, Archivist, Gerrard and Marti Friedlander Charitable Trust and Freya Elmer, Archivist, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Auckland, New Zealand
Marti Friedlander (1928 - 2016)
Marti Friedlander (1928 - 2016) was one of New Zealand’s most prominent photographers, capturing 50 years of New Zealand society, history and landscape with a keen and sharp eye. Her legacy continues through the work of the Gerrard and Marti Friedlander Trust and her archive, which is on loan to the E.H. McCormick Research Library, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.
Born in London to Jewish Russian refugees, Marti was raised in orphanages and trained as a photographer as a teenager. She found work retouching photographs while enjoying a lively, independent London life. In 1958, having married a Kiwi, she was abruptly displaced to the rural outskirts of Auckland. Photography became a way for Marti to acquaint herself with her strange new surroundings. It also connected her with a community of artists and writers who shared her outlook on life. While travelling the country photographing artists, Marti also captured their wives, who were often artists themselves. Her lens revealed the invisible domestic labour of these women, highlighting the stories of female artists whose careers were slower to be recognised.
Marti’s work consistently uncovered overlooked aspects of New Zealand society, with a focus on women's lives. She photographed the United Women’s Convention in 1979, capturing the fervour and division around women’s rights. One of Marti’s most iconic assignments was a portrait series of Māori kuia and their moko. These delicate and sensitive photographs are tributes to these women, their lives, and how they were upheld in their families.
This paper provides an insight into Marti’s practice, focusing on her portrayal of women in New Zealand. It also discusses the collaborative efforts between the Trust and the Gallery to preserve her archive of over 10,000 photographs, ensuring the continuation of her legacy.
Linda Yang is an art historian, educator and the Archivist for the Marti Friedlander Archive, held by the Gallery. Freya Elmer is the Archivist at the E H McCormick Research Library, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.
Comments
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