Thanks to Rachel for sharing details of this upcoming exhibition at Dimbola Museum and Galleries. Ed
In Search of Lost Time (running 15th April – 10th July 2016) explores the connection between photographer John Brewer’s grandfathers, two men who fought in both world wars. The genesis of the project was Brewer’s desire to know more about these two men, particularly his maternal grandfather who he barely remembers.
In order to achieve this, he has drawn inspiration from what remains of them: objects that either belonged to them, such as mementos kept by their descendants, or found objects similar to those they used in their life and work, including watches, wood planes and carpet making tools.
Brewer explains:
“Each image, each object, represents a moment of lost time, a tableau from a biographical narrative.”
Each still life photograph in the exhibition has been created with an original glass plate taken using the wetplate process and a camera which would have been in use when Brewer’s grandfathers were boys. The still lifes, evolved from the personal narratives of his forebears, evoking the universality of loss during war conflict, whilst simultaneously presenting the subjects with a sense of his reminiscence of family history.
Brewer explains:
“I’ve tried to give a sense of my appreciation for the importance of the past by weaving mementoes of lost time into the present moment.”
Exhibition Preview
A special Spring Exhibition Programme Launch is being held on Thursday 14th April from 6-8pm, there will be opportunity to preview the exhibition and to meet photographer John Brewer.
There will also be a chance to preview another new exhibition: ‘Lotte Meets Julia: Two portrait photographers, a century apart’ from the collection of the Lotte Meitner-Graf Archive.
All welcome.
Find out more about John’s work by visiting his Website.
Image: © With kind permission of The Ancient Matelot
