The Art of Recovery

For the first year, he worked alone, without funding, just taking his camera with him every time he drove from his home, two blocks outside the devastation, through the city centre — learning where the pockets of activity were, although they were always shifting.

– Writer Steve Kilgallon on Art of Recovery director Peter Young, The Sunday Star-Times, 7 November 2015

The discussion is about how we want this city to be and what makes a healthy city. We are seeing two very different approaches in Christchurch at the moment and I think the city is now at a fairly critical point. It is a good opportunity and a good time to start to look at what we want this city to be.

– Director Peter Young in The Press (Christchurch), 6 August 2015

Now I think the opportunity for all of Christchurch is that we all admit that the glass is empty ... and now we have to fill it. So there's only one thing you can do with an empty glass — you have to fill it up.

– Christchurch cafe owner Sam Crofskey

...director Peter Young ensured the way the public laid claim to their city after the quakes has been recorded for posterity. The job of ensuring the country has something substantial to archive for future generations has increasingly been handed to independent documentary makers acting on their own initiative.

– Writer/broadcaster Ali Ikram in The NZ Herald, 15 November 2015

No one had work, and so suddenly there was 20 people living at my parent's place. It was like this big marae. I'm great friends with my neighbours now; it was like this barrier's been broken down. Someone described it as it broke down all the fences between the houses...and long may that continue.

– Christchurch publican Johnny Moore on life after the quakes

...a kinetic, interesting and inspiring look at the post earthquakes 'street' arts and hospitality scene in Christchurch ... [It documents] some truly innovative individual thinking that we hope will continue to flourish (and be allowed to) as the new central Christchurch emerges.

– James Croot in a four star review, The Press (Christchurch), 3 September 2015