Rewa Rendall – Contemporary Wet Plate Photographer

Rewa Rendall is a contemporary photographic artist based in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand, working with the 19th-century wet plate collodion process to create handcrafted tintype and ambrotype portraits. Her work blends analogue photography, Antarctic history, and immersive storytelling, inviting visitors to step into the legacy of exploration and leave their own mark.

Her practice is deeply grounded in place and legacy, rooted in the historic Kinsey’s Den & Darkroom at Ferrymead Heritage Park — the former Christchurch studio of Sir Joseph Kinsey, confidant and supporter of Captain Robert Falcon Scott. It was here that Herbert Ponting’s Antarctic photographs were once developed. Today, Rewa revives this tradition, using the same space and historic photographic techniques to create evocative portraits that bridge past and present.

Drawing from her own expedition across the Drake Passage to Antarctica, Rewa’s work honours both the pioneers of Antarctic exploration and those continuing their journeys today — from scientists and conservationists to writers, artists, and modern explorers. Her portraits are created through a slow, deliberate process that allows each sitter to become part of a living narrative.

Rewa is the artist behind The Visitors Book, an evolving exhibition and immersive installation that breathes new life into Kinsey’s historic guest book. Combining portraits, letters, and archival storytelling, the project invites audiences to step beyond the photographic frame and into a shared legacy that spans generations.

Through her lens, Rewa captures moments of presence, connection, and reflection, creating portraits that are both contemporary artworks and heirlooms. Her practice offers a rare opportunity to experience wet plate photography in New Zealand, standing in the same space where Antarctic explorers once gathered — and becoming part of the story.

Time ticks patiently…

Step inside Kinsey’s Den and Darkroom and experience the alchemy of legacy and light.