Feilding and District Art Society's new exhibition: From Where I Sit

This photo by Palmerston North's Maureen Jensen is part of the From Where I Sit exhibition in Feilding.

Do you usually stand up when you take a photo? But what if you were in a wheelchair? What perspective would you get then?

From Where I Sit - an exhibition of photographs by wheelchair users opens at the Feilding and District Art Society on Sunday, February 21.

The exhibition is presented by The Seated Photographers and the works on display are by local, national and international photographers.

Maureen Jensen, of Palmerston North, is the founder of The Seated Photographers and organiser of the exhibition. She became an unexpected wheelchair user a number of years ago and is an arts access advocate, a passionate water colour artist and a photographer.

Maureen says the thought-provoking exhibition invites audience participation and shows us the view of everyday life from a wheelchair.

Some of the photographers are experienced but many are novices who have found a love for photography as an exciting, creative outlet since being in a wheelchair.

Maureen's work is in the exhibition and the other local participants are Corban Christensen, 14, of Feilding, and Terry Oliver-Ward from Foxton.

"By placing the seated photographer as an integral participant in the world of arts, we hope to build more awareness of diversity and the importance of inclusion," Maureen says.

"The Seated Photographers aim to do for the arts what the Paralympics have done for sport.

"I started The Seated Photographers to encourage those in wheelchairs to 'get off their bums', figuratively speaking, and do something worthwhile to promote themselves and the fact that a wheelchair does not define who you are. Wheelchair users have a place in society and should be included and feel valued, but not without using a little initiative and a little effort on their part."

All works in the exhibition are available for purchase, with proceeds going into a trust for wheelchair users who are interested in photography but perhaps don't have the means or support available to pursue it.

The exhibition runs to March 13.

Feilding and District Art Society, 104 Manchester St, Feilding. Open weekdays 10am - 4pm, Saturdays 10am - 1pm. Free Admission.

Photos and participant profiles are on The Seated Photographers website www.seatedphotographers.alboompro.com/home