Metaflorical

“In this series of still life photographs, we encounter a striking juxtaposition of the manufactured and the handmade, a testament to the ever-evolving dialogue between art and the contemporary world. The subjects, unapologetically artificial plastic flowers, are poised within the ascetic austerity of a white PVC plumber's pipe vase, all set against the textured backdrop of a hand-crafted fabric.

 

What draws one's gaze is the interplay of contrasts: the artificial and the organic, the mass-produced and the individualistic. These compositions challenge our preconceived notions of beauty and authenticity, beckoning us to reassess the significance of the everyday in the age of industrial reproduction.

 

The central positioning of the vase commands our attention, elevating it from the mundane to the realm of the aesthetic. The plastic flowers, simulacra of nature, defy tradition and dare us to question the boundaries of what can be considered art. Meanwhile, the handmade fabric background reminds us of the enduring human desire to create and personalise in a world increasingly dominated by mechanisation.

 

In this series, we witness a captivating fusion of the familiar and the unconventional, the fabricated and the crafted. These photographs resonate as a contemplative reflection on the complexities of contemporary existence, where the boundaries between the real and the manufactured blur, and the very essence of beauty finds new forms of expression.”

 

ChatGPT “in the style” of Robert Hughes (1938 - 2012)

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These works were developed in a space managed by the City of Melbourne’s Creative Spaces program.