Blue view from East to West

Marc Daniel McFadyen is a West Auckland photographer who has spent over 13 years living abroad in the United Kingdom, France and eight years in China.
Returning to Auckland next month, McFayden will share his images in an exhibition based on a migrant community living in Shanghai, China. Cognizance-Reflections of a Blue Community is a collection of images formed from Marc's observances and interactions with the Chinese. His hopes the images may help New Zealanders to deepen their understanding of Chinese people.
"Often, our perceptions are based on the Chinese we see immigrating to New Zealand," McFadyen says. "However, they only represent a tiny portion of the culture and often our stereotyping is inaccurate."
Marc spent eight years living amongst the local people, mingling especially with those whom travelling abroad is a virtual impossibility. He sees a beauty in them and has a special affinity with the culture that strongly shows through his images.
The exhibition will start on June 3 at the Packing Shed café/gallery in Oratia, and runs in association with 2011 Auckland Photography Festival Fringe Programme.