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Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre: Interpretations from the air
5 June, 2018 - 16 June, 2018
The Light Collective
Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre: Interpretations from the air
5 – 16 June 2018
hours:
Tuesday – Friday 11am to 5pm,
Saturday 12pm to 4pm
N.B. closed Saturday 9 June
admission: Free
There’s no easy way to describe what it is like to be present in a geological feature so vast and all encompassing that when you stand in the middle of it the horizon simply blends into the sky no matter which direction you turn.
There’s no easy way to describe what it is like to be present in a geological feature so vast and all encompassing that when you stand in the middle of it the horizon simply blends into the sky no matter which direction you turn. Seemingly immeasurable in scope, this ancient lake literally sinks into the heart of the land well below the level of the sea and holds tenure to being the deepest land point in Australia.
The sun bakes its clay surface and shallow waters with such a fierce intensity that the resultant cycle of evaporation forms layer upon layer of salted crusts. Such a harsh environment can appear largely devoid of life, yet on occasion it can be transformed by one-off local weather events or heavy monsoonal rains that travel for months down the drainage basin from as far as South East Queensland.
Water begins to fill the shallow bays and arid inlets. Life blooms where cracked earth once stood. Richly coloured algae’s flourish, fresh vegetation bursts forth and vast flocks of migratory birds arrive from the world over to bathe in its uniqueness.
We were lucky enough to experience one of these events.
Due to its massive breadth and limited vehicle access, taking to the air was both a logical and aesthetically beautiful choice in how best to capture and experience the lake’s many intricacies.
When you take to the air its true complexity, variety and immensity is breathtakingly revealed. Salt deposits, eroded channels and inlets, layers of sediment and algal blooms provide endlessly subtle variations of texture, lines, pattern and colour.
The dreamtime story of the Arabana people tells of how the lake was formed from the skin of a kangaroo where it was laid down in place after being hunted and killed.
You can almost imagine this as you witness the immense array of worn, dried and wrinkled folds in the terrain.
A strong sense of spirit seems to emanate from this land. Mysterious shapes and outlines reveal themselves as you pass over them, speaking to you in quiet whispers of perhaps more than what can be seen.
We invite you to travel through this sensual visual narrative and reflect on our interpretations of the deeply captivating and somewhat mystical landscape that is Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre.
The Light Collective is a group of Australian based fine art landscape photographers who have come together to inspire each other to push the boundaries of their craft. By combining their considerable resources and abilities they are able to take on much larger and more ambitious ventures such as the RGB Australia Project.
First formed in 2014, the visual artists involved are becoming leaders in their field and are renowned for their progressive, interpretive and artistic approach to image making. As a collective they seek to expand the boundaries of modern landscape photography by embracing the full creative capacity of the digital realm.
A more noble purpose behind their imagery is to inspire and empower a deeper connection and relationship with this country’s incredible natural landscapes and awaken a greater sense of ownership and responsibility for their conservation.
The artists that make up the group are Adam Williams, Luke Austin, Ignacio Palacios, Ricardo Da Cunha and Paul Hoelen.
The Red Green Blue Australia Project is a large scale and long-term venture by The Light Collective intending to explore and interpret a significant expanse of the immense visual tapestry of landscapes that Australia holds within its island confines.
These colours symbolise three simplified bands of landscape type flowing from inward to outward geographically. Red symbolises the vast desert country at the heart of this great land, green the richly forested and mountainous areas that arise around its edges and blue the vast ocean and coastline periphery that encircles it all. The map presents a visual illustration of this concept.
The colours Red, Green and Blue are iconic primary colours that hold both cultural and aesthetic significance within these landscapes and also form the bedrock of the digital photography and printing world. The Light Collective has completely embraced the digital realm and its capacity to support a wide latitude of creative expression and interpretation.
The larger RGB project is being approached by selecting one unique location at a time. Each area is thoroughly researched and an intensive, targeted itinerary designed for the entire Light Collective to focus their creative vision on at any one time.
Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre is the first of such areas.