Max Oettli

Simon Buis was part of an influential group of photographers, including Tom Hutchins, John B. Turner, and Gary Baigent, who helped to elevate photography into the realms of fine art in New Zealand during the early 1970s. An early member of PhotoForum, Buis’ approach was shaped by debates led by Turner about the role of documentary photography to capture and preserve history before it was lost. Buis was also influenced by the new waves of photographic practice emerging out of the University of Auckland’s Elam School of Fine Arts – the only institution in the country offering tertiary study in photography. An enormously social person, Buis’ eclectic body of work reflects his wide network of friends, as well as his desire to record his own countercultural milieu with a sense of flair and informality. His portraits of people evince an empathy and genuine connection with his subject.

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