21 Nov 2021

Away from the front-line - doctors as artists

From Standing Room Only, 12:46 pm on 21 November 2021

Medical practitioners from around the country with a side-hussle as artists are about to put their works on show.  The exhibition is called Beyond the Mask.

As part of the annual conference of the country's doctors and dentists, they've chipped in around 50 paintings, drawings, sculpture and photography for the show.

Even though the conference itself is now only happening virtually, the exhibition is going ahead in the Capital. 

But don't expect graphic depictions of medical procedures.   The paintings, photographs and sculptures on show cover very different territory.

Southland anaesthetist Roger Wandless is also a well-known landscape and wilderness photographer with several books to his name.  And relative newcomer Dr Amanda Tristram is an obstetrician/gynaecologist at Wellington Hospital.   Lynn Freeman talks to them both about using art as an escape from often life and death decisions.

Beyond the Mask opens on the 25th of November at the Academy of Fine Arts in Wellington.