https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iDf0TGGyZZLqv-tZHs1FgnrRiqD42KWu/view?usp=sharing

'MY FRIENDS ARE HOME II', acts as a homecoming for the photographic works by Cheska
Brown and Millie Dunstall, after the works’ debut exhibition, MY FRIENDS ARE HOME, in
Waihi. Presented on window vinyl, the photographs of Tāmaki Makaurau flats –and two of their
inhabitants– gives a small but intimate look into the homes of the artist's friends. Photographed
by Brown, this is the fourth iteration of a series originating from a photoshoot in 2022, where
Brown and Dunstall first collaborated.

An image is a time capsule, an image in an image is the past realised.
What does an image become when it is applied to an object? Dunstall investigates this with her
application of images to large format banners, stringing them up in Tāmaki flats. The banners
bisect her friends' homes, altering the reality of their lived-in spaces. In the context of the flat, the
superposition of the banners raises questions around ownership of place, housing, sentimentality,
nostalgia, temporality and relationships between people.

In the delicate sway of looking forward to looking back, it is important to remember to catch eyes
with ones present.

The retrospective nature calls on the viewer to question their perception of time and sentiment. In
the WINDOW display, the images are partially obscured. Discarding half of their information
with perforation, we are forced to imagine the rest –this is more easily done at a distance; our
minds create the matter. By creating distance between the work and the viewer there is an
opportunity for insertion –or at the least the visual interference of floaters and mote.
The glass of WINDOW gallery acts as the vessel for communication. Oily smudges, smears and
scuffs cover the surface of the glass. Bitsy-bits of confetti colour scatter across the composition,
with neon-plastic buckling and puckering. Like looking at a vacant storefront or a half-picked-at
bus window advertisement. This composition is informed by the everyday; the mundane
becomes the muse.

Cheska Brown (b. 1994, Batanes, Philippines) is an art documentor and artist currently based in
Te Whanganui-a-Tara. Cheska continuously examines her role as an observer to inform her
practice. She is interested in memory recollection, the essential nature of friendships, and
collaborative storytelling. Cheska completed a BFA (First Class Hons) in 2016, graduating from
Massey University Toi Rauwhārangi, Pōneke Wellington.

Millie Dunstall, b. 2000, is an artist from Waihi. Currently based in Tāmaki Makaurau, she is
interested in transient spaces, the absurd, pop culture, the celebrity status, advertising media and
the urban environment. Branding, tagging, and promotions that cover living cityscapes –as well
as online forums– inspire her processes, informing the symbols and mediums she uses. She is
currently investigating interpersonal relationships through photography and painting.
Millie completed a BFA (First Class Hons) in 2021, graduating from Massey University Toi
Rauwharangi, Pōneke Wellington.

Text by Millie Dunstall