Christopher Young
Nine #13
Edition 1/1 
16 x 20 inch
 
Printed on Hahnemühle Fine Art 
 
$145 AUD 
Includes GST & postage within Australia 
 
Bio
In 1984, my parents decided to take up the lease of a motel on the outskirts of a small village in New Zealand. 
 
The country was upbeat with a recently elected, well-spoken leader who quickly attracted the ire of the USA by declaring New Zealand nuclear-free. Combined with the sinking of Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior in 1985 and the resultant diplomatic conflict with France, these proved key moments in the rewriting of NZ’s national identity.
 
In the early days my parents were optimistic but very much dependent on heavy industry. This included an oil refinery that was under construction and a local dairy factory.
 
However, once the construction of refinery was completed in 1986, bookings dropped off considerably. Mortgage interest rates were also close to a record 20% meaning that they needed to take on extra jobs. This led to long days, frequent night shifts and sleepless nights.
 
Due to these pressures and by necessity, my younger brother and I both worked in the motel, cleaning rooms, interacting with guests and serving food.
While this phase of our life was extraordinarily stressful, it exposed us to the outside world and we encountered many people with – to us at least – fascinating lives. Collectively recounting their stories became central to social occasions and lightened darker times.
 
These events in some ways mirror the contemporary fragility of regional WA communities who are heavily reliant on certain industries.
 
This body of work explores some of those motels.
 
Statement
In 1984, my parents decided to take up the lease of a motel on the outskirts of a small village in New Zealand. 
 
The country was upbeat with a recently elected, well-spoken leader who quickly attracted the ire of the USA by declaring New Zealand nuclear-free. Combined with the sinking of Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior in 1985 and the resultant diplomatic conflict with France, these proved key moments in the rewriting of NZ’s national identity.
 
In the early days my parents were optimistic but very much dependent on heavy industry. This included an oil refinery that was under construction and a local dairy factory.
 
However, once the construction of refinery was completed in 1986, bookings dropped off considerably. Mortgage interest rates were also close to a record 20% meaning that they needed to take on extra jobs. This led to long days, frequent night shifts and sleepless nights.
 
Due to these pressures and by necessity, my younger brother and I both worked in the motel, cleaning rooms, interacting with guests and serving food.
 
While this phase of our life was extraordinarily stressful, it exposed us to the outside world and we encountered many people with – to us at least – fascinating lives. Collectively recounting their stories became central to social occasions and lightened darker times.
 
These events in some ways mirror the contemporary fragility of regional WA communities who are heavily reliant on certain industries.
 
This body of work explores some of those motels.