As we walk through this collection of exhibitions we travel from the unusual to the banal and from the past to the future. The one thing these presentations have in common is light, as in spiritual, cinematic, reflected, photographic, or perhaps as a euphemism for a bright idea. It's up to the viewer to decide which is which.
Lily Hibberd certainly is the leading light with her well presented exhibition. We walk into a darkened gallery hung with fine paintings depicting situations that involve colour bleaching light. The images are inspired by movies (which are basically a projection of light onto a screen), various sci fi flicks that have scenes where light emits from some alien source. Eerie music surrounds us, then the gallery lights slowly go out to reveal a ghostly after glow from the paintings. The artist uses phosphorescent paint in her works.
The whole environment takes us beyond the idea of film references, or even art exhibitions, to where we suspend disbelief and wonder why all the figures display no fear, only curiosity about the light located somewhere outside the picture plane. Then we notice how in one image we are not invited into the scene. Instead we stand outside and look through a porthole to a woman who does not turn toward the light. Then the gallery darkens and we see only her silhouette created by the light all around her. Is she the source? There are many levels of interpretation to this exhibition; philosophical, theatrical, religious and just plain fun. It will give us food for thought long after leaving the gallery.
Geoff Kleem employs photographic light in his presentation that involves overlarge picture postcard images of sunset skies and bright seascapes in combination with unusable domestic objects. As we walk through the gallery space we assume we're privy of some suburbanite's dreams of 'if only'. The absent inhabitant may have left for the coast in pursuit of the dream or has adapted to a world of bland reality so well as to become invisible amid the photographic splendour. We can either appreciate the imagery, attempt to work out the conundrum, or walk out of a dull exhibition.
Mark Cypher's projected image of denuded trees, burnt grasses and
an acid rain of unreadable words onto a moving ground, shifts and changes
as we step onto the black brick road leading to the screen. It provides
an interesting experience however it's hard to define what we gain from
it. Then Glen Stewart presents a bright idea with a 'remember when' theme,
one that takes us back to the trompe l'oeil ceilings of the Baroque era.
His flickering montage of colourful images appear to be reflected in water
while the classical music is very restful. An enjoyable rest stop.