To Love is To Surrender

 UTAS FSH111 - Final Portfolio

As someone born and raised in Tasmania, my childhood has been shaped by this island's unique landscapes. This land calls to me, lures me in like a sirens call, its strangeness has left a branding on my heart.

I feel this is a land that haunts all who have ever found a home within it. 

My intention with this series was to capture the concept of ‘Tasmanian Gothic’. For me, the term "gothic" evokes feelings of solitude, a haunting atmosphere, dark imagery, and an underlying sense of unease, which I aimed to convey in this series.

The concept feels particularly relevant when considering Tasmania's rich and complex history and its geographical isolation.

  My work for this series is particularly inspired by the beauty of Keith Lane’s series ‘Light’ which is a series of oil landscapes that to me, perfectly encapsulate the idea of Tasmanian gothic in painting form.  

Tasmania’s traditional colonial values often emphasize conformity and European ideals of natural beauty.

With this series, I aim to encourage to challenge the European norms of beauty with a focus on cleanliness and conformity.  

I attempt to present Tasmania's rugged and often unwelcoming landscape honestly, expressing a love for it without forcing it to be palatable.

I travelled extensively to capture these images, from Bruny Island to the Huon Valley, aiming to showcase the variety of landscapes the island offers.

While my photos are relatively abstract in content, I hope that when combined as a series they express an affection and respect for Tasmania in all its weirdness and wildness.