One hundred people attended the opening of an insightful documentary exhibition at Alexandra’s Central Stories Museum and Gallery on Friday night.

‘Bannockburn A Place to Stand’ (Turangawaewae) is a snapshot of 40 people’s lives in Bannockburn. 

The portrait photography is the work of Tim Hawkins, and alongside each image is the story of the subject’s life, written by Jan Hawkins after interviewing each person.

Jan and Tim Hawkins, in front of the portrait photo and story of Debra Cruickshank. 

Tim said he got the idea from photographing some old documents and photos for Paul Crump to help Bannockburn resident David Olds set up a website ‘Old Bannockburn’.

“There were wonderful pictures of people, but no names or stories . . . and it struck me that nobody is telling today’s stories. I wanted to do something that might be useful in 80 to 100 years' time.”

Tim and wife Jan wrote to the community asking for volunteers to be photographed solo, or with their family in a location, showing something of where they lived, or somewhere in the area with meaning to them.

The couple were astounded with the interest. 

“Before we could get the letter outside the village, we had 40 replies from people wanting to be involved.”

It’s been a large amount of work, stretching back over four months, and there were still final revisions to people’s stories right up until the final days.

Jan said she wanted people to make sure they meant everything they said, so the subjects had input into the 500-600 words that accompany their photo.

All up she said it was 20,000 words she had written for the exhibition. 

The photos themselves are a big reveal for the people involved. 

“No one has seen the photos. We wanted to keep something as a surprise,” Tim said. 

Family of four Carrie Johnson, son Marcel, Richard Brun and (in front) son Tristan attended the opening night to see their picture. 

The Central App asked Tim why he continued to do artistic projects such as this.

“I don’t garden, and I don’t handyman, so I may as well do what I do.”

Frieda (6), her friend Frankie (4) and younger sister Stella (4) check out the Parsons family photo. Her mum and dad Nita and Kieran Parsons brought their girls to the opening night. 

The people photographed will receive their photo and story in digital format free of charge from the Hawkins. 

“It will be for them to keep and share.

“I’m interested to see where it goes . . . [perhaps] it might make it to the archives of Te Papa of the Hocken Library,” Tim said. 

Both Tim and Jan thanked the Bannockburn community for their help, support and cooperation.

The pair said it was”humbling” to be trusted to share in people's lives in this way. 

Jan said the project was like a portrait of the town and what it is like to live here.

"Bannockburn people are fascinating . . . [and] all very attached to the land,” she said. 

The exhibition runs until the end of March in the Henderson Gallery.