Robyn Stacey's magical camera obscuras
A new exhibition of camera obscura images by photographer and artist Robyn Stacey has opened at Stills Gallery in Paddington, Sydney.
Camera Obscura (Latin for "dark room") is the effect that occurs when an image from outside is projected into a darkened room through a small opening – similar to the way a pihole camera works, but on a larger scale.
Since 2013, Stacey has been making rooms into walk-in camera obscuras. “It’s like being in your own private movie”, says Stacey, who photographs each illuminated scene in the moment when the light and composition are just right.
"Each camera obscura only exists for a few hours, depending on the position of the sun. It is this in-between space I find so fascinating. You are in the world but removed from it at the same time...it’s like being in your own private movie," she says.
Many of the camera obscura scenes photographed in the exhibition Dark Wonder were created in artist spaces including Brett Whiteley’s library (once his studio) in Lavender Bay; Martin Sharp’s home in Bellevue Hill; Geoff Kleem’s studio on Parramatta Road; the National Art School in Darlinghurst; Harry Seidler's Rose Seidler House in Wahroonga; and Hans Heysen’s painting studio in the Adelaide Hills.
To accompany the exhibition at Stills Gallery, Stacey has set up a live camera obscura on the third floor of the Courthouse Hotel in Darlinghurst, with views projected from from busy Taylor Square onto the walls, ceiling and floor of the room. It's open to the public on Saturday 15 October from 11 to 2pm or on Sunday 16 October from 11-3pm.
To see Dark Wonder, it's on now at Stills Gallery (36 Gosbell Street, Paddington, NSW) and will run until 5 November 2016.
