The Salt Project & the Australian Centre for Photography

 

I learnt about the Salt Project an exhibition at the Australian Centre for Photography (ACP) through my photography club.  The ACP is located in Paddington, an inner city suburb renowned for its markets but equally appealing for its historic buildings and a great place to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon.  The ACP is located in a wonderful building and was hosting two exhibitions on the weekend we visited. 

The Salt project is the spectacular culmination of 8 years of hard work by Murray Fredericks.  He made 16 separate trips to the centre of Lake Eyre, camping alone sometimes for periods as long as five week to photograph and record this amazing landscape.  The photographs record the changing mood of the lake from those dull boring days where nothing happens to days awash with dark clouds, awesome thunderstorms and howling winds.  The changing colours are breathtaking from stark white to the orange hues of sunrise and sunset.   We sat on the floor and watched a documentary also filmed at the lake which gave us an insight into why he started this journey and some of the turmoil in his life which led him to chose a project that allowed him to be reflective of his past.  I was amazed at what he did to capture these photographs and would highly recommend this exhibition.  Check out his website and a preview of these photographs

http://www.murrayfredericksphotography.com.au/

"They are literally pictures of nothing, but nothing has never looked so good"
Art Critic John McDonald, Sydney Morning Herald 19th February 2006 - (on the Salt Project)

 

The second exhibition, also at the Australian Centre for Photography is that of outstanding Australian press photography.  As the website states, from daily-life and photographic essays, to portraiture and sport, the Nikon-Walkley Photographic Awards recognise excellence in Australian press photography.  Each year, more than 1000 photographers are judged for their work in capturing those moments that made us stop in our tracks.  From the triumphs in sport to the heartbreak of floods and gales, the photographs take us back in time through the lenses of Australia’s most talented press photographers.  Also definitely worth looking through!

 

“It’s not about breaking the rules. It is about abandoning the concept of rules altogether” - Paul Lemberg