Wednesday 23 January 2019

The WWI exhibition at Te Papa

Before Kirsty left to head back to Sydney, we had lunch together in town, and then David and I went to Te Papa, our national museum. I only saw one exhibition - the WWI which was put together by Peter Jackson's Weta Workshops. Absolutely amazing, and extremely moving. It was a very good thing I took tissues ...
The models are extremely life-like, as you would expect from Peter Jackson's team. I would guess that the models are at least 1.5 times lifesize. One of the things that impresses me so much is the attention to detail: the draping of the uniforms, the wear and tear of them, the hairs on the arms, the dirt under the fingernails. Just amazing to see and experience.

In this display/tableau the doctor is looking in pain and despair at a dead soldier (see the photo above). In the room of this tableau, there was a recording playing a reading of the doctor's letters home. Very moving.
See the detail on the sole of the boot and the puttees.

The draping is done so well - as if there is a real body inside the clothes.
Note the pores on the skin ...

... and the hairs
If you are in NZ, then get down to Wellington and go to see this - it is on until mid-April, I think.


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