WINDOW ROOM EXHIBIT
Eye To I
DAVID LINDESAY
Exhibition dates. 9 - 20 Feb, 2022
Opening night. Thu 10 Feb 2022, 6:00 - 8.30pm.
Eye to I
In this accompanied self-portrait the artist, the model, the camera, and their mirrored reflection actively occupy the space. This photograph has been turned into a bitmap image and printed on polished brass plates, elevating its photographic form to something comparable to the coveted nature of jewellery or fine sculpture while exploring what a photograph can be. The image itself is intimate, softly lit and elegantly arranged, turning the artist’s queer gaze on a moment of physical closeness and of emotional connection. This is a non-sexualised presentations of the male nude, embodied in a classically-influenced pose. You see these images as the artist intended -- as he saw them in the moment they were created.
At the same time, the photograph engages with and extends perspectives of both viewer and artist in relation to the work. As an active participant in front of the lens, the artist joins the viewer in the role usually occupied once the artist has stepped away from their creation. He is both an observer and part of these moments. And by turning the camera’s lens outwards the artist places the viewer, too, in the roles of both subject and observer. You are challenged by the mechanical gaze of the camera, and by the distinctly human gazes of the artist and model returning your scrutiny, as well as your own reflection in the shining surface of the work.
Physicality is a key aspect of the work both in its method and its subject. The mechanical and chemical processes of creating the photograph are revealed through the constant visibility of the shutter-release cable as well as the imperfections on the surface of the brass and natural form of the timber. This visibility of process reminds us that the photographs exist as physical objects at the end of a time-consuming creation and assembly. The physical nature of the work is carried through to its presentation, creating a holistic approach and process.
This work was made possible thanks to the technical assistance of Zoe Stuart and for that I’m incredibly grateful.
Exhibition view
Interview with artist: David Lindesay
1. How does the aesthetics of your work relate to the space at BLACKCAT ??
I think my work leans into the proportion of the window gallery space. It suits the scale and depth of the space while the work shines out into the street.
2. What is this exhibition about?
My exhibition is about experimenting with what a photograph can be in the digital age. It is made from solid brass and timber with a bitmap image printed on the reflective surface. This explores different physicalities of photography and the blurred lines of this work leaning into sculptural and jewellery-like qualities.
3. What will the audience gain from looking at your work?
I hope people can appreciate the beauty and luxurious nature of the work while taking a moment of stillness and reflection while interacting with the work and exploring its different facets and the fragmented form of the depicted bodies.
Q & Photography : Isabella Imperatore, BLACKCAT GALLERY