John Miller was interviewed by Denys Trussell for the Cultural Icons project Aug 2011, The Depot.
- 1950
Born North Shore, Auckland, New Zealand - 1961
Earliest images – views from Auckland Harbour Bridge & Auckland Zoo - 1967
First images of an anti-Vietnam War demonstration;
First images of a Māori cultural event (meeting house opening) - 1969
Began photographing demonstrations in earnest while at Victoria University, Wellington - 1971
Began photographing new wave of Māori protests at Waitangi - 1977
Photographs Māori land March - 1981
Photographs Bastion Point occupation - 1950
Photographs Springbok Rugby Tour – widely shown in New Zealand and overseas - 2003
Media Peace Prize Lifetime Award in recognition of his photography, and its role in helping to promote the cause of peace - 2007
Audio-visual presentation of 350+ slides on 1981 Springbok Tour in Restless group exhibition, MIC Toi Rerehiko Gallery - 2009
Māori protest photos in group exhibition Photo Histories
at Govett-Brewster Art Gallery;
Marti Friedlander Photographic Award recipient
Biography
John Miller - PhotographerNgaitewake-ki-uta, Uritaniwha, Ngati Rehia hapu of Ngapuhi
Attending Victoria University in 1969-70, John then worked as a Craccum (Auckland University Students' Association Magazine) photographer in 1971-72. He became focused on the various protest movements taking place at the time, the activities of the anti-Vietnam War and anti-South African sports tour movements and the first Waitangi protests before moving to record the historic Land March and Bastion Point occupation. His work reveals the connections between peace and equality and that peace will not come without freedom for all members of society. He considers himself a self described sympathetic observer of these manifestations of civilian dissent, saying “I tend to support the causes that motivate such protests, rallies or meetings”.
John Miller’s photos documenting social and political dissent and cultural events, for more than four decades, have featured in exhibitions and publications, including the books By Batons and Barbed Wire, on the 1981 Springbok Tour; Negligent Neighbour, about East Timor, and Hikoi - Forty Years of Māori Protest.
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| (B&W) Land March 1975-2004 Lambton Quay (time transition). |











