Photo Essay: Jane Ussher

ArticleArt

13 Mar

The formidable photographer Jane Ussher, MNZM went on assignment for Webb's March 2026 Works of Art Live Auction catalogue, and captured these images of the late architect Sir Miles Warren's residence: Ōhinetahi House & Garden.

Installation view of artworks at Ōhinetahi. Photo by Jane Ussher MNZM. Lot 26. Pat Hanly, Protective Helmet , 1962, oil on canvas, 730 x 945mm. EST. $80,000—$100,000. — Lot 26. Pat Hanly, *Protective Helmet*, 1962, oil on canvas, 730 x 945mm. EST. $80,000—$100,000
Lot 29. Greer Twiss, *Big Red*, 2006, bronze, paint and patina, 380 x 325 x 295mm. EST. $3,000—$5,000

Ussher is widely recognised for her meticulous, often large-format, photographic work documenting New Zealand’s architectural and interior design heritage as well as some of our most celebrated artists. Here she displayed the same fine-tuned sensitivity to colour, light and composition she has brought to her extensive book and magazine work.

Works of Art Live Auction is offering a selection of artworks from Sir Miles’ personal collection, with proceeds supporting essential maintenance, future improvements, and the continued sharing of Ōhinetahi House & Garden with the public or Aotearoa.

This season’s catalogue invites viewers to experience Ōhinetahi through Ussher’s discerning lens—an intimate glimpse into the spaces that shaped Sir Miles Warren’s life and practice. Her photographs form a quiet dialogue with the artworks coming to auction, celebrating the legacy of one of Aotearoa’s most significant architectural figures while supporting the ongoing preservation of the place he called home.

Jane Ussher, MNZM, is one of New Zealand’s most acclaimed photographers, known for her refined visual language and deep engagement with the country’s cultural landscape.

Her career spans decades of editorial, architectural and portrait work, including landmark publications that document New Zealand homes, institutions and creative figures. Ussher’s practice is distinguished by her sensitivity to atmosphere, composition and the quiet narratives embedded within interior spaces.