For more than two decades he has documented the lives and circumstances of New Zealanders – in their homes, at their places of work, worship or recreation. On each occasion, he has attempted to tear away the gauze of familiarity that clouds our vision and reveal the nuanced, diverse and unique country and culture in which we live.
From the depths of a coal mine to the birth of a child, from gangs to clergy, his moving visual studies have provided a view of New Zealand in cross-section and defined New Zealand society.
Few photographers approach their subjects with as much thought and discipline as does Quinn, a fact that will be evident in the selection of images in this book. These photographs were rarely stumbled on serendipitously; rather they were anticipated through research, predicted by a keen editorial instinct, and waited for – often for weeks or months – before circumstances aligned to provide the compelling image.
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His images are revealing, offering insights into the nature of the society we thought we knew well, but realise on closer inspection that we have only scratched the surface. Far from a cold, dispassionate dissection of our culture, Quinn instead brings tremendous compassion and humour. His are images of profound humanity, of pride, sadness, unbridled joy. And in each of them is a sense of familiarity - you know them to be true - and in each is a mirror of ourselves.
Looking back over more than 20 years of work, one also gets a sense of how New Zealand has changed, and the long journey to nationhood that continues today.