When
the environment is pushed to its limits – bushfire, flood, snow and the most
untouched pristine wilderness, we experience intense joy, fear and sorrow.
In
the tradition of masters such as Olegas Truchanas and Peter Dombrovskis, the extreme artists have pushed their own limits to give
voice to the broken, the forgotten, the fragile, the ravaged and the muted.
Extreme
means something different to us all but I have noticed with interest the
extraordinary lengths and drive from photographers to document a moment or
capture a feeling. While early photography was male dominated, over the last 15
years there has been an increase in women taking to remote areas across Tasmania
and bringing a different eye, discussion and focus.
This
exhibition includes work from a number of accomplished Tasmanian photographers who are constantly pushing
themselves to the limit to capture the extremes in their environment and to bring distant
struggles into sharp focus. Alongside these sit the important photographs by
Peter Dombrovskis. It’s a
wonderful opportunity to experience how the photographer merges with the
environment and what inspires them.