Clairmont on Clairmont offers an unprecedented encounter with the life and work of one of New Zealand’s most electrifying painters. More than two decades after Philip Clairmont’s death, his son Orlando takes us on a deeply personal journey to rediscover his father, piecing together an artist and a man from fragments of art, archive, memory, and voice.
At the heart of this documentary is the rare chance to hear Philip Clairmont in his own words, drawn from archival interviews conducted before his passing. Alongside this, 101 original works are presented, from recognisable Clairmont interiors to rarely seen late works, intimate nudes, family treasures, and personal notebooks, all of which reveal both the breadth of his vision and the raw intensity of his practice.
Narrated by Orlando, and interwoven with family recollections, archival film footage, and photography by some of New Zealand’s most celebrated image-makers, Clairmont on Clairmont sheds new light on the process, methods, and meaning behind his father’s most significant works.
Gow Langsford are thrilled to make this documentary available to view exclusively online to celebrate the solo exhibition Windows currently on view at our Auckland City gallery until Saturday 18 October 2025.
Writer and Director | Orlando Clairmont
