Book launch ‘Ans Westra: A Life in Photography’

Join us for the launch of Ans Westra: A Life in Photography

Celebrate the Wellington book launch of Ans Westra: A Life in Photography in Paul Moon’s richly illustrated biography, published by Massey University Press. Paul's book outlines six decades of Dutch-Kiwi photographer Ans Westra’s remarkable career and interrogates her sometimes controversial and always distinctive practice.

Ans Westra and the Alexander Turnbull Library

Ans developed a relationship with the Alexander Turnbull Library in the 1980s, when she started donating her film negatives to ensure their preservation and long-term access for the people of Aotearoa.

In 2013, the Library partnered with Ans and her agent Suite Tirohanga to collaborate on a digitisation project to enable wider access to Ans’ vast body of work (PA-Group-00941). To date, over 6,000 images have been digitised and are available to view through the National Library’s website.

Ans Westra photographs (PA-Group-00941)

Kōrero and book signing

The launch will open with a panel discussion featuring author Paul Moon along with {Suite} Gallery director David Alsop and Ans Westra’s daughter Lisa van Hulst, representing Suite Tirohanga.

The kōrero will be followed by a book signing and refreshments. Copies of Ans Westra: A Life in Photography by Paul Moon will be available to buy on the night at Te Āmiki, the National Library’s store.