(9 February / 11 March 2008)

Township-scapes presents images as fragments of luminosity, an intermingling of varying shades of darkness and light concerned with capturing a sense of loss and anonymity; of objects, of identity; and of dealing with the relationships and awareness between people and their surroundings.

The township can be perceived solely as a human environment, a place where identities may blur into one another; perhaps even be temporarily exchanged. These notions of identity in flux can be perceived in this context as being soulless constructs; akin to empty clothing strung on a metaphorical washing line, inhabited by …. absolutely nothing - merely given temporary shape by random gusts of wind. Controlled by the ultimate wisdom, if you will: the whim of Nature herself.

This notion of identity as a recurrent ever-changing subject depends on this very notion of emptiness; a kind of haphazard theatre; a fraud even. The absurdity and (hopefully) accompanying precision of random and found images captured by the rolling lens, combined with the accompanying soundscape is neither a deliberate construct of the artist responsible, nor merely captured according to Cage/Duchamp-ean notions of chance. The truth lies somewhere in between.

The idea that emptiness fulfills a need in society (like Jazz requires quiet moments to enhance the busier sections) the notion of juxtaposition, or contrast; underscores this notion of the image being the ideal combination of differing shades of dark and light.

Robert Walsh / Ricardo Fornoni

See the show