Shifting Surface, 2023.
‘Shifting Surface’ is a photographic exploration into echoes of land movement along the south coast of Te Whanganui a Tara. Loosely following the theme Traces of Traces from David Campany’s book ‘Art and Photography’, I wandered through the rocks along the water's edge, displaced from past earthquakes and weathering from the wind and ocean. This series reflects upon the slow and sudden motions that form the surface beneath us, glimpsing into windows to see the traces of these earthly forces. Closing in on the texture of the rocks allows for the intricacies of the surface be seen, a surface that is often unnoticed.
The slow process of taking photos, developing the film and printing the chosen photographs was fitting for this project, communicating that slower movement of the ground. Selenium-toned prints also expressed the more harsh elements of rock as a medium, cooling the image down. The series works together and as individuals to convey a sense of shifts along the coast. Rocks grating against and away from each other.
Locations left to right: Moa Point, Turakirae Head, Moa Point, Red Rocks, Red Rocks
(Semester 2, 2023 - Photography and the Darkroom)
Shifting Surface, Installation View, 2023.