Giovanni Intra

Kia ora koutou,
 
It’s been exactly a month since Giovanni Intra: Side Effects opened at Dunedin Public Art Gallery!
 
A key work I’d like to highlight from the exhibition is an archival reproduction of Giovanni Intra’s Unrequited Passion Cycle (1993), detailing the 14 stations of the Cross in Catholic theology using contemporary medical imagery. The recent archival reproduction of this series for Side Effects involved an extensive process of permission requests, digitisation of negatives, and digital image retouching to get it to the printing stage. Intra’s close friend and fellow contemporary artist Ann Shelton generously provided her insight and technical knowledge throughout the process. The Giovanni Intra Archive, housed at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki’s E H McCormick Research Library, was donated in 2007 by Intra’s mother. This archive was crucial in reproducing the series in its entirety, three decades on from its conception. The reproduction process and exploration of this archive accentuated the value of archival material as a key resource for collective memory and reflection within the context of art history.
 
Giovanni Intra: Side Effects is on the ground floor’s BNZ gallery until 25 August 2024. More information and installation images can be found here.
 
Noho ora mai

Anna McLean
Ihupukutaka Kairaupī Curatorial Intern
Dunedin Public Art Gallery

[image: Giovanni Intra Unrequited Passion Cycle – IX: Not To Be Attempted Without Parental Supervision 1993. C-Type colour photograph. Giovanni Intra Archive, E H McCormick Research Library, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki]