Weathered Ground

The "Weathered Ground" exhibition explored the phenomenology of place and kinship through expanded photographic practice. It was a significant inquiry into Tasmania's landscape and waterways, with a focus on the atmospheric elements influencing our sense of connection to place. This research forms a crucial component of a broader creative exploration aimed at expanding the potential of contemporary photographic practices to evoke themes of kinship and belonging. Grounded in artistic inquiry, this study seeks to contribute to the discourse surrounding post-photographic theory and its application in interpreting our relationship with the environment. "Weathered Ground" is a series of composite works that respond directly to the environment, pushing the boundaries of traditional photographic techniques. By employing the metaphor of the palimpsest, a new printing methodology was developed that I refer to as 'dusting' where abstracted fields are dusted onto mirror plate to create catchments to hold ink and image, generating increased depth and unique visual characteristics and illusions, while also facilitating the presences of multiplicity of perspective.  Constructing layered images sourced from various photographic perspectives through this process reveals the intricate interplay between surface and depth while underscoring the ongoing evolution of both the landscape and the photographic image. The exploration of the visual palimpsest in "Weathered Ground" and the development of new printing methodologies holds significance in advancing our understanding of place, environment, photographic practice and pictorial space. By elucidating the complex layers of meaning embedded within photographic representations of the Tasmanian landscape, this research contributes to a more nuanced appreciation of our interconnectedness with nature. A number of major works from the exhibition are now in permanent collections, including the new public library at UTAS, Inveresk.