Media Release –14 August 2015
Award Winning Photographer’s Bowral Exhibition
‘The Landscape Revisioned’
Bowral Art Gallery (BDAS) 22nd August until 30th August 2015
An exhibition of landscape photography by Southern Highland’s photographer Ashley Mackevicius opens at the Bowral Art Gallery, 1 Short Street Bowral on Saturday 22nd August.
A professional photographer for 40 years, Ashley is best known as a prolific food and travel photographer for magazines and books. He has won numerous awards including Australian Photographer of the year; was a ‘Shoot the Chef’ finalist in 2014 for a portrait of Yanni at Bernie’s café in Moss Vale; and placed third in the inaugural Head Off Landscape Prize in 2013 with an image of Lake George. Ashley’s portrait of Nick Cave as a young man is in the National Portrait Gallery Collection and his fine art photography is represented in many private collections and journals.
This exhibition represents many years of observing, thinking and then acting instinctively to capture images that convey the chaotic and unstructured as well as the sparse and desolate aspects of the Australian landscape. Ashley likes to spend time with his subjects and final images are often the result of months and sometimes years of experimentation, rephotographing and ‘living’ with work prints. Behind each image are numerous photographic ‘sketches’ or references. He creates complex moods and environments in his images, combining singular vision with photographic craft.
Artist’s statement: “I find beauty and foreboding in the textural and confused nature of the Australian bush. Be they cloud formations, tactile grasses, or the meditative expanse of the outback, I try to invite reflection in the viewer and guide them towards an alternate view of the landscape. My technical process combines experimental and traditional methods and my subject matter varies from the everyday to the abstract.”
More of Ashley’s work can be viewed at www.ashleymackevicius.com
For further information or images please contact Ashley on 0418 648 468 or ashley@zonex.com.au or Amanda Mackevicius on 0418 648 468.
“ORGANIC”
An exhibition of recent and archival fine art photography by
Ashley Mackevicius
5th November until 5th December
Art & Picture Works Gallery, 422- 424 Bong Bong St, Bowral
One of Australia’s most renowned commercial photographers, Ashley Mackevicius showcases the beauty of natural forms through his superbly crafted personal images. In his upcoming exhibition Ashley celebrates the culmination of 30 years of his personal work, focusing on food, flora and landscapes as fine art.
“I like to reveal the true colour or texture of organic objects, with a strong emphasis on their shape and form. The end result is an image that is very design orientated and atmospheric.” Says Ashley.
“When shooting landscapes I take a lot of inspiration from the Southern Highlands where I live, and my special interest in food stems from my European background. My Lithuanian mother was always encouraging me to be involved in the kitchen.”
With a passion that has continued to evolve, Ashley divides his time between working for numerous magazines, shooting books and various advertising work, as well as producing his own collection of images - a “Jeckle and Hyde” relationship.
Around 50 images will be showcased in this exhibition, varying from abstract to pictorial, eclectic to classic. Created using a variety of unusual techniques and processes, pieces range from small black and white photographs to large murals printed on canvas. Each is a limited edition print personally signed by Ashley.
The winner of numerous awards including the 1996 Kodak Photographer of the Year, Ashley has travelled the world shooting for magazines including Gourmet Traveller, Australian Good Taste, BRW, Good Weekend and The Australian Way. Ashley’s images recently featured on Channel 7 in both series of ”My Restaurant Rules”, and he has multiple works in three Collections of the prestigious ACMP Touring Photographic Collection, including the current collection. His latest book, “Australia’s Best Spas”, has just been released.