The Doghouse
Christopher Matthews
PhotoForum
English
Softcover
Edition of 220
24 pages
150 x 228 mm
2024
ISSN 01110411
“The Doghouse sold hotdogs. In the winter of 1978, when these photographs were made, it was the only place in Christchurch’s Cathedral Square to stay open 24/7. One side of the premises sold American fast-foods, still a novelty before the arrival of McDonald’s and KFC, while the other was a pinball and video gaming room, a novelty in its own right. That winter, The Doghouse was the place to go in town: a place to hang out, a place to meet up with your mates, dance even. Disco was still king – just. Friendships were intense; so were the rivalries. Shows of affection were frequently matched with outbursts of violence. Some of its regulars were living rough on the streets. Estranged from distant whānau, often on the edges of petty crime, they were tough yet vulnerable. Street kids.
The Doghouse was owned by Zenith Applied Philosophy, or ZAP. ZAP was a homegrown Christchurch cult that mixed eastern mysticism with right wing politics and hard-nosed capitalism. The painted imagery on the walls depicted a post-apocalyptic, sci-fi ruin: remnants of Americana being overrun by rampant vegetation. It was strangely appropriate. At night on the edges of the square, The Doghouse was a noisy satellite of food and warmth, and sometimes safety. ” – Christopher Matthews
(source: introduction text within book)
About the Artist
Born in Hastings, Christopher Matthews studied at the University of Canterbury’s School of Fine Arts in the late 1970s, became well known as a documentary photographer and moved to England in 1995. He is now a lecturer in photography at Colchester University.
(source: https://collection.sarjeant.org.nz/persons/12395/christopher-matthews)
About the Publisher
PhotoForum is a New Zealand non-profit organisation dedicated to the promotion of photography as a means of communication and expression. They maintain a book publication programme, and organise occasional exhibitions, workshops and lectures, and publish independent critical writing, essays, portfolios, news and archival material on their website.
photoforum-nz.org
(source: https://www.photoforum-nz.org/photoforum)
