Exhibition sheds new light on photography

A ground-breaking, touring exhibition has landed in Bunbury and is challenging the way people think about a widely-used medium.

The work of seven contemporary photographers is on display as part of Missing Presumed Dead: The Loss of the Referent, an exhibition which is seeking to change the way people think about photography.

Bunbury Regional Art Galleries audience development officer Claire Pendrigh said the exhibition was ground breaking for a regional gallery because of the way it questioned the function of photography.

“Whereas we tend to think of photography as a way to document things, this is really pushing that and saying that it can be an art form in its own right,” she said.

“I’m very excited about it, it’s so good to see something so different come here – that’s what this gallery is for, that huge cross-section of different kinds of art that we can bring to Bunbury.”

The exhibition originated at the Devonport Regional Gallery in Tasmania in 2011 and has travelled to several other regional galleries across the country.

While there are no people or subjects in the photographs, visitors are encouraged to consider what the artwork reminds them of.

“I would say don’t spend too long trying to work out what it is, maybe just try and work out how it makes you feel and think about how they were made, because some of them have very interesting processes,” Ms Pendrigh said.

“Photography means drawing with light, and that is one of the focuses in this collection of work – drawing with light as your pencil.”

Missing Presumed Dead is at BRAG until June 16.