b i l l

Happy winter everybody!

Well... not quite.... But didn't it feel like winter last night? The grey light, the cool winds and smell of rain in the air... It was a big shift after last weeks hot and sunny spell that made us all think that the cold weather and the rain were never going to appear!

It may be a shock to the system but it is the perfect time for this weather to appear....

As it is gallery time, with many events and Biennale shows happening all over town. About a week ago I felt very privileged to attend the opening night for the latest photographic exhibition by Bill Henson, at the very hard to find, Roslyn Oxley9 gallery in Paddo.

This 2010 series of images by Bill tells a tale of moody light and dark landscapes that are very appropriate for what I'm staring at through my window this morning. The exhibition consists of 33 images, each one giving a snap shot to a dark tale, that Bill is narrating. The land is dark and the water looks icy + cold.... The rocky land look uninviting and precarious like a warning sign to all explorers to turn back and sail away...

Dotted in amongst these large format landscapes are image of decaying statues, like something you would see at a Hellenic ruin in Greece.... These beautiful marble statues are cut up and cropped, like the young bodies that he is now known for. These grey cold bodies give a glimpse or nod to our past, and our histories that are all but lost to myth + legend...

There are a few young female bodies that have been included in this series or works. But they are mainly of torsos and faces that tell of something lost.... like the ancient figures that are lost in time... and the rugged landscapes that seem elusive and dreamlike.

What Ive always loved about Bills work is his focus and natural ability to see and capture light. The moments before the sun disappears or when the mist has descended and you can nearly taste that dewy air...

He is a true master and it is a brilliant exhibition that is well worth the hunt to find Roslyn Oxley9 gallery!

Bill Henson 2010

Till June 5th

Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery

8 Soudan Lane (Off Hampden st)

Paddington

10-6pmTues-Fri

11-6pm Sat