(White houses blue skies)

with Thami Benkiran as part of Urban Metamorphoses by Takafes at The French Institute Fes, Morocco, 2018

A Life Framer's editors pick as part of their recent Urban Life competition

Casas blancas cielos azules is a series of large-scale digital collages utilizing architectural photographs as well cyanotype reproductions of pencil-line drawings of traditional Islamic patterns from the Maghreb (Morocco, Algeria and Andalusian Spain) .

A North African city, built by the French with a spanish name, Casablanca once the dream of empire it is now the financial capital of Morocco spearheading the dream of modernisation and development. Tension between the drive towards modernity and the desire to hold on to tradition is strongly felt there.

White buildings photographed against these clear blue skies represent the aspirations of the city. Everything is beautiful in Casablanca as long as you are looking up…

Fragments of these white buildings are taken, mirrored and repeated using the same principles applied in tradition Islamic design. The process abstracts the buildings from their original form. There are hints of their previous identity, but these are not easily recognisable.

This new entity floats in front of blueprint reproductions of pencil-line drawings of traditional Islamic patterns. These patterns form a kind of grid structure that holds the buildings in place. The use of cyanotype with its past application as a means of reproducing architectural plans, alludes to the traditions that underpin and stabilise the fabric of society.

These hand made blue prints are replicas of Moroccan patterns found in Fez. They been created by first drawing the pattern in graphite pencil to create a negative. This negative is then used to print a cyanotype image on cotton fabric. This process is repeated and the panels are then stitched together to create larger pieces.

In these works I have attempted to not only recreate the pattern but to capture the texture and quality of the different mediums used to render them. The hard flat surface of the zelij (mosaic), the softness and depth of plaster and wood carvings.

The Masters who created the originals were working within the qualities and limitations of their materials, and I in this series I attempt to capture these renderings working with the qualities and limitations of my own materials.

Cyantopye is one of the oldest, photographic printing processes. Sir John Herschel invented the Cyanotype process in 1842. After his death in 1871 Cyanotype was used as a method of reproducing architectural plans and drawings in the late 1800’s and became know as blue print.

While living in Morocco I have worked with several organisations to document their projects, creating both stills and video documentation, along with written articles.

In Australia I documented several art exhibitions, Street Festivals and other live performance events.

Clients have included:
Coventry University, Art of Islamic Pattern, Culture Vultures Fez, City of Greater Dandenong, National Gallery Victoria, Three Shades Black

Artisan Artist Residency Sefrou, Fez, Morocco 2014

The collaboration between the mind and the hand allows ideas to become objects in the world. This is at the heart of what it is to be human, yet we live in a time where the hand made is becoming more and more rarefied.

Taken while on residency in Fez, Morocco in 2014, this series is a study of people who still make their living by making things by hand.  I spent time with these four artisans in their studios and workshops observing them at work. Each image is an impromptu moment captured as a result of our time together

Artisan Artist Residency Sefrou, Fez, Morocco 2014

Sir John Herschel invented the Cyanotype process in 1842. It is the oldest, simplest and safest of all the alternative photographic printing processes.

These five photograms were made while on residency in Morocco using a glass of mint tea at five times of day and exposing under the Moroccan sun.

With Alex Schmidt & Sonia Hamza
Artisan Artist Residency Sefrou, Fez, Morocco 2014

Al Aabal I'bada is an Arabic proverb which means ‘Working is a Prayer’
This non-narrative video work explores the patterns in traditional artisanal life in Morocco today. Drawing from and reflecting on the patterns shared by the artisans, in their daily work, in sounds of their world and in their shared experiences. The piece reflects the rewards of patience to be found in repetitive work as well as the possible end of that type of work for many of the traditional crafts.

Alex Schmidt took inspiration from Gnawa music rhythms and their repetitive nature to create the sound design, which makes up the spine of the piece. This was then overlayed with interviews conducted in a style inspired by those used to conduct UX Research. 

Using photographs and video taken by me Cat Wilson and French photographer Sonia Hamsa, Alex also did most of the editing of the visual component of the piece.  The images and footage were captured over several weeks during visits to the studios and workshops of the artisans.

With Michelle Hamer
Melbourne now Public Programs, National Gallery of Victoria, Vic 2014

There are no Words – Under Construction was a public program event held at the National Gallery of Victoria as part of Melbourne Now in January and February 2014.

Over two days participants could stitch around the text on ‘flash cards’ and also to create statements using the cards in a process captured through time-lapse photography.

With Michelle Hamer
Cultural Threads, City of Greater Dandenong, Vic 2014

After the success of the NGV Melbourne Now Public Programs Michelle and I were invited to be a part of the City of Greater Dandenong's Cultural Threads Festival. In June we held a workshop with the Australian Hazara Woman's Friendship Network, stitching and making photo strips from the tapestry flashcards. It was a wonderful day and very inspiring to see what the woman produced.

This video capturing the events of the day played on the Dandenong Civic Square Big Screen from Thursday 31 July to Sunday 31 August 2014.

From 2012 - 2015 I was Exhibitions Project Coordinator at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image having worked on several major shows such ‘Shaun Tan’s the Lost Thing: From Book to Film’, ‘Hollywood Costume’, and most recently ‘DreamWorks Animation: The Exhibition’.  Previously I have held positions at ACMI as an installation technician working on over 16 shows and as Acting Registrar (2009-2010) on the shows ‘Len Lye, Setting the Scene’ and ‘Dennis Hopper and the New Hollywood’.

Exhibtion installation images by Mark Ashkanasy

Moving Scores by 3 Shades Black, Musica Viva, Vic, 2014
Kodak Salon, CCP, Vic, 2010
Gertrude Street Projection Festival, Vic, 2009

Drawing upon the tradition of early chrono-photographers Eadweard Muybridge and Etienne-Jules Marey. My approach was to use the camera as a technical instrument of observation; to devise a process with which to capture motion through time and reveal to the eye what is always there but not easily apparent. My hope is that the artifact produced extends beyond detached observation and captures something of the beauty of the moon, the place, the time.

Linden Postcard show, Linden Centre for Contemporary Arts, Vic, 2013

A small homage to Muybridge, an opportunity to dissect a photograph tone by tone and put it back together.

ProjectorT, Northcote Town Hall, Vic, 2012
Reel Architecture Launch, State of Design Festival, Vic, 2012

I wanted to see what would be revealed if I paid close attention to this small overlooked corner of my neighbourhood, so set myself the task of observing it closely over the course of a year. Every week I photographed the tree at the same time of day and once for each of the four seasons I made a time-lapse over 24 hours.  This exercise opened up considerations of bigger universal experiences such as the movement of the planet around the sun and questions about the nature of time.

Project Blog

During the year of shooting my regular presence drew attention to the beautiful tree and the unrealised potential of this vacant lot. Transition Darebin became interested in the location and in 2010 they organised several working bees, which resulted in a garden being planted. Now when you pass the site you will regularly see people sitting enjoying the shade of the tree and what was once an abandoned lot has become a communal space for locals to use and enjoy.

I kept this weekly blog during the making the work of the work and beyond which reflects both my experience and these exciting changes.

In 2014 I started working with Cyanotype. This is a selection of prints made as part of research for two bodies of work I am currently working on using this chemistry.

Whilst I do not specialize in Wedding photography I have been lucky enough to be asked to photograph a few. I like to take a candid approach, avoid set up shots and capture the mood and flavour of the day.

Sculpture 2011, Toyota Community Spirit Gallery
Yering Station Sculpture exhibition, Vic 2011

We have produced more plastic in the late decade than in the entire previous century.

A Time-lapse captures the memory of two meadows, one reclaimed plastic the other grass.  Then the  virtual is projected onto the actual and we see the natural overcome and reclaim the artificial.

"Men go and come, but earth abides."
Ecclesiastes 1:4

with Michelle Hamer
Craft Victoria, Vic, 2011

Dangling Carrots consisted of large tapestries by Michelle Hamer, of signage within everyday suburbia, accompanied by smaller tapestries of ‘No Road’ signage. Taken at different suburban edge locations these signs literally mark edges and raise personal questions of how to proceed when life appears to be a series of challenges. The ‘No Road’ works indicate both the end and momentary boundaries of Melbourne housing developments.

I produced a series of videos which documented the prodcution of the ‘No Road’ tapestries. Every half hour spent stitching was crafted into a loop and then stitched into footage taken of the original source location. these vidoes were then projected on to screens made out of white wool stitched using the same technique as the Michelle's tapastries.

The videos can be viewed here https://vimeo.com/channels/danglingcarrots

Following my graduation from the VCA School of Drama in 2003 I worked closely with Australian writers to direct and produce five works of new Australian writing in the years 2004-2009. Here is a selection of some of the work that I did during that time.