When the Getty Museum’s photo challenge went viral in the last lockdown, Kāpiti’s photographer and teacher Fairlie Atkinson added her 2 cents to the challenge, with her lock photos gaining international attention.

Recreating the Arrangement in Gray and Black # 1, better known as Whistler’s Mother by James McNeill Whistler, using Netflix as the background image on the wall was not just a fun experience, but a chance to provide your own social commentary.

While Netflix was the main theme of the image, the comment is added to the fact that many believe Whistler’s mother, who was living with Whistler at the time, was replacing a model who couldn’t, mirroring our current situation. where Fairlie was only to use the people in her household as role models.

This time around, Fairlie took over scenes from famous movies, recreating them only with items found in her house and photoshopping them seamlessly over the original image.

“I wanted to do something very different and I asked my Facebook friends for a theme, this one was the most popular.”

Using members of her bubble, her blended family of two adults and four children, Fairlie recreated important scenes from Titanic, ET the Extra-Terrestrial, The Sound of Music, James Bond films and many more, each with their own own key lock.

Maria von Trapp is featured, this time singing in the hills with toilet paper, spray and Dettol wipe and mask.

The famous product placement in the Wayne’s World scene featuring Wayne eating pizza from Pizza Hutt has been replaced with a packet of bread, and Elliot and ET have been replaced with one of Fairlie’s children and their dog for the scene. cycling in ET

“The response last year has been phenomenal.

“I had comments from friends, family and strangers who followed my Facebook page saying they were waiting for the next photo every day.

“Comments like this really moved me, because while I really enjoy these kinds of projects, I like the fact that they bring a little pleasure to those I know, but also to those that I do not like.

“It’s the impetus to start over.

“It’s great to make people laugh during a time that might be stressful or lonely for some – it brings us all together.”

Spending 22 years of her life as an expat, with many of her closest friends still living abroad, Fairlie enjoyed being able to use social media to share and support each of her friends throughout the journey. life and pandemic.

“Social media is our platform to share, watch each other’s children grow up, celebrate births, marriages, career success, and to be able to support each other during the pandemic and through loss and loneliness.

“I have friends who have been teaching online for 18 months or more, or who have been locked up not just for weeks but month after month.

“My photos are a glimpse into the lighter side of lockdown in New Zealand, creating and sharing a bit of fun for those I can’t see in person and haven’t been able to see for a long time.”

Fairlie plans to post a new photo every day on her Facebook page, Kapiti Photography, and will create a collection when the lockdown ends with all of the photos.