Near the end of 1993, Brendan Kitto’s family moved from Whanganui to Auckland. Before the final relocation, Kitto’s father commuted between the two cities, and Kitto often visited his father’s office in Newmarket. To a twelve-year-old boy from Whanganui, visiting the “Big Smoke” was no different from an overseas trip. By familiarising himself with the fast pace of Newmarket and the bustle of Auckland’s CBD, he eased the apprehension of leaving his familiar hometown.
However, the family eventually settled in Pakuranga, an eastern suburb of Auckland. Kitto recalls that it felt “as though I had moved a second time.” Pakuranga is only 22 kilometres southeast of the Auckland city centre, yet its atmosphere felt quite different. It retained palpable colonial foundations and lacked a distinct urban character. Consequently, he spent his youth with little interest in the suburb that had become his home.
As urban sprawl intensified, Kitto began to photographically document the increasingly unsettled areas of Howick and Pakuranga, rediscovering both the current transformations and the landscapes he had overlooked for decades. Through the photographs in 14 miles north-east, he revisits unseen memories and the unresolvable personal and collective emotions that lie beneath the surface of the images.
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About the artist
Brendan Kitto's photography is a bridge between the visual and the conceptual, offering a window into the intertwined stories of time, place, social commentary, and human connection. His images provoke thought, stir emotions, and remind us that within the urban sprawl and the natural serenity, there are stories waiting to be told. Through his lens, Brendan captures the essence of the world we live in, encouraging us to explore the deeper layers of our surroundings and our shared human experiences.