Photography
Review by Brian Rope: THE SALON
Members’
Exhibition: PhotoAccess Online Gallery
16
April – 16 May 2020
The
Salon is an opportunity for PhotoAccess to showcase recent work of its diverse
membership. The aim is to celebrate the breadth and diversity of the
community’s creative and technical practice. Work in, or incorporating, any
photographic medium (including digital and darkroom prints, video,
photo-sculpture and installation) was welcome for submission.
This
year, for reasons that need no explanation, the exhibits are on the brand new
online gallery space: http://www.gallery.photoaccess.org.au/.
Photo Access hopes viewers enjoy the new format, and the works of their brave
members willing to take a leap of faith into the unknown!
In
her catalogue essay, Virginia Rigney reminds us that “The salon hang –
instituted in the high-ceilinged drawing rooms and art academies of Europe to
be an annual open gathering of the latest works made by their members – was
traditionally the place to test response and their social attention rivalled
sporting events. An exhibitor at these 19th century Salons would look anxiously
to see where their work had been hung. At eye line was a sure sign of favoured
status – too high or too low might consign the work to the fate of
forgettability. But for the impartial spectator, the pictures seemed to
jostle next to each other in spirited companionship. To witness a crowd
gathered around a work – debating its merits – would be a measure of its
currency.” Sadly, we are not able to do that on this occasion. We have
instead to view the salon in the intimacy of our own digital screens.
Whilst
many images in the exhibition reflect on the recent and current disasters, many
others do not. There are numerous photographs taken at other places far away that
might remind us of opportunities we hope to take in the future.
Helen
McFadden’s Ndutu Lions, 2019 shows us two male lions still resting in
the shrubbery as the sun came up over Ndutu at the southern edge of the
Serengeti plains. The bleached silver vegetation makes this image different to
so many other shots of lions that we have all seen. Andree Lawrey’s Hokkaido
Winter is simply a delicious artwork.
Kleber Osorio, Shades
of Tate, 2018, Inkjet Print
Eva
Van Gorsel takes us away from Canberra too, beautifully showing us an iconic
Australian outback scene.
Eva Van Gorsel, Nightfall,
2020, inkjet print, 25 x 44cm
Also
away from Canberra, but in a very different place, Amanda Pratt tempts viewers to
consider why she might have chosen to take such a photograph. It clearly shows
us that good and interesting images can be found and created anywhere.
Amanda Pratt, Candelo
Blue Pegs, 2020
In
works by Leeanne Mason we see our own part of the world in a beautiful way. Her
landscapes were taken during the recent bushfires but reveal the wonderful beauty
to be found in this place.
Leeanne Mason, Snowy
Mountains Kangaroo, 2020
Judy
Parker has let us into the private intimacy of her own world showing just one
of a current body of work where she has embedded poems expressing her thoughts
into the image itself. The image alone is a thing of delicate beauty. The added
poetry only enhances it.
Judy Parker, Brocaded
Lace, 2020, inkjet print
Brian
MacAlister is also showing part of a larger body of work, looking at spaces and
at human behaviours, both intentional and accidental. I particularly like his Untitled
(1), 2020.
Andrew
Babington also shows us part of a series which he says is a reflection on
humanity’s selfishly driven attempt to overcome the natural world. It is a
timely reminder that, after the pandemic is overcome, there will still be environmental
issues to overcome.
Andrew Babington,
Dreaming of The Murrumbidgee, I, 2020, inkjet print, 30 x 40cm, 1/50
With
his Mount Ainslie, Jamie Hladky provides the one exhibit that is not a
straight-forward still image. Like a GIF it flickers in something of the way
that we expect of a campfire. It is great to see an artwork that is one step
beyond a simple capture. It should remind us all that we need to explore and
experiment with our creations to further our art.
Robert Jack has also explored and successfully shows us what his own accompanying
words say “There is no reality. There is only abstraction. The camera always
lies.” He is right.
Robert Jack, Echo o,
2020, Type C Print
Joe
Slater’s extremely dark image is, perhaps, the most arresting one in the
exhibition. It needs time absorbing it before we can adequately see what is in
it. Slater notes that times are dark and that his work reflects that. As Rigney
reminds us, the act of picking up a camera is reassuringly normal behaviour in
these strange days and instantly a way to comprehend what is going on.
Joe Slater, Stairs,
Falling, 2020
I
could go on mentioning every one of the more than fifty artworks in the
exhibition, but I’ll leave it there and simply encourage you to look at every
work for yourself. In addition to the actual exhibition and catalogue, there is
an excellent exhibition essay by Virginia Rigney, audio and video recordings
from members about their artworks, and a full list of works and their prices.
If you wish to become a member of PhotoAccess yourself, head here to sign
up! Some of these works are for sale, please contact hello@photoaccess.org.au for any
enquiries.
Footnote: I probably should mention that here are two of my own images in this exhibition.
