Connections exhibition set to showcase Australia from unique perspectives
A new exhibition by landscape photographer Dani Watson is set to open at the Photography Studies College's (PSC) Captured Gallery in Melbourne on August 9.
Connection investigates the intricate relationship between humans and the natural world, and is the outcome of Watson’s Master of Arts Photography project undertaken at the College.
Watson describes the exhibition as a 'challenge' to conventional perspectives, and a re-evaluation of how we perceive and interact with our environment.
She tells us the project began as a response to photographing the same views of iconic landscapes and the need to create something different back in 2018.
"I began experimenting with drones, however, in the last 18 months, in conjunction with PSC, I decided to focus on the project for my Masters and do something with it," she explains.
"It was when I began to unravel my why, my connection to the landscape and why I am drawn to the ethereal, [that] the project and images evolved very quickly."
The images in the exhibition are all taken during different light phases, but primarily blue hour throughout Australia, and feature both well-known and lesser known icons.
Watson says along with the successes, there has also been a lot of failures, and some even shot on film as a response to growing AI use.
"The failures will be part of the exhibition also," she says.
Taken as a whole, the exhibition encourages viewers to reconsider the evolving dynamics between humans and their surroundings, especially as portrayed through the lens of evolving photographic technologies including the use of drones, she says.
The exhibition also invites audiences to experience a deeper, more meaningful connection with nature that encourages environmental responsibility and the impact of human activity on the earth.
"Connection is an exhibition born from my deep love for nature and a desire to challenge how we traditionally view and interact with it," she says.
"I hope to inspire others to look beyond the surface and see the profound interconnectedness we share with our environment."
When: 9th August – 2nd September 2024, Opening night: Friday, 9th August 2024, 6pm - 8pm
Where: PSC Captured Gallery, Upper Level 5, Southgate, 3 Southgate Avenue, Southbank, Vic
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 4pm
More info: www.daniellewatson.com.au/connection