New exhibition explores mountains around the world

A new exhibition by Sydney photographer Yan Zhang explores his love affair with capturing mountains.

Chasing the Mountain Light, which runs until October 4 at Sydney's Australia-China Institute for Arts and Culture Gallery, Paramatta, is the result of more than six years of shooting mountains from a climber's perspective. 

In July 2013, Zhang, a professor of Artificial Intelligence in the School of Computing, Engineering and Mathematics at Western Sydney University, was on a family holiday in Mount Cook in the South Island of New Zealand. A severe storm meant he was stuck with his family in a motel room for three days.

"To pass my time, I read a book in the motel lounge room. The book, True South by Pat Barrett, inspired me so greatly that I knew I wanted to use my own camera to capture the grandness of New Zealand Mountains, and beyond," he explains. 

"New Zealand’s Southern Alps was where I gained a mountaineer’s viewpoint on peaks and glaciers; I chased the light as it painted these mountainous landscapes in mystery and splendor."

Since then, Zhang has travelled the world to photograph mountains, from the Southern Alps in New Zealand to the Eastern Sierra, Patagonia and Himalaya.

"Mountains are our beautiful, natural keepsakes of the world. I hope to use my photography works to illustrate the beauty and splendor of mountains, and to inspire the greater conservation of our land and planet."

You can see more of Yan Zhang's work at yanzhangphotography.com.

More details

Date: 18 July –  4 October 2019
Venue: Australia-China Institute for Arts and Culture Gallery, Building EA.G.03, Parramatta South Campus, Western Sydney University. Corner of James Ruse Drive and Victoria Road, Rydalmere
Gallery Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday 10.00 am – 3.00 pm, Friday 11:00am - 3pm