Stuart Murdoch's Photographic Art Exhibitions
The intention here is to build a kind of repository of my solo exhibitions [pre web as well as when they happen]. These will be listed chronologically, newest to oldest. Download a pdf, copy of my CV to see all the shows I've exhibited in.
“...across the river styx” March 22nd to April 7th 2007.
Trocadero Artspace Level 1 119 Hopkins St. Footscray.
Seven 100 cm square inkjet prints. $1250.00 [Aus] each.
These images are hosted on flickr clicking on these thumbnails will take you to my stream at flickr, alternatively you might like to view a flickr generated slideshow of the entire body of work.
ACROSS THE RIVER STYX is an exhibition of large scale black & white photographs intended to explore and question the dark sublimity of altered landscapes in Sunshine and other suburbs of Melbourne.
These images attempt to explore the ironies inherent in the mythological representation of the Australian landscape, that have long been apparent; but what makes us desire the unattainable rather than redefine our desires? Is it possible to live in the present? To relax and enjoy the gothic beauty of our damaged (sub)urban backyards? To give up or at least concede the dream?
It is a dark visual essay that relinquishes the search for a pristine nature as false and useless. The work suggests it's time to take the banana lounge outside, sip a beer and relax as the sun sinks in the West, and celebrate all aspects of human endeavour.
Stuart lives in Sunshine, and can often be seen camera in hand on the fringes.
“...half past a nightmare”
“I'm so far from home”
“...across the river styx”
“The sanctity of distance“
”...40 miles of suburbs“
”desolate alters“
Elysian Fields
This exhibition would not have been posssible without the following people.
- Sue Dodds, from Victoria University, thanks for all your help and support, I'm indebted to you big time.
- C>Lab at V.C.A, especially Michel and Andrew, thanks for access to the scanner and advice.
- Ricky at R.M.I.T, like wise Ricky.
- All my peers at PIC, past and present, as well as the students, past and present, for the encouragement and inspiration to keep going, with extra special thanks to Marcus, for his invaluable contribution.
- Michael and the committee at Trocadero Artspace, for the oppurtunity to share my work.
- Finally my Family, who have helped in too many ways to count, and especially my wife Nikki.
See the opening night pictures on my flickr stream
♦ ♦ ♦
“Urban or Urbane” May 15th to 26th, 2002
So with much fanfare here is the first for the new millennium. A presentation of RMIT Union Arts, was at 'First site' Gallery 344 Swanston St City. 
This exhibition ran from the 15th of May to the 26th of May 2002.
The opening night was Tuesday, the 14th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Scroll down to see a small sample of the images that I exhibited.
Directly below — my publicity 'blurb' and a quotation that inspires much of my work.
"Stuart Murdoch, born bald in 1961, [what goes around come around] has been working with photographic materials as an artist since last century [1987]. The urban landscape is his forté, ‘fine silver gelatin prints’ his medium; that is until recently, when he decided to exhibit his work at first site, the RMIT Union Arts Gallery at 344 Swanston street city. Now he uses digital technologies to produce large scale inkjet prints. A series of these will be on display at the gallery from the 15th of May to the 26th of May 2002.He says of his work, “my work is based on “experience” much like Robert Rooney, but instead of suburbia I examine man made structures that serve not only a functional purpose but have, through the use of large format photography and the genre of “fine printing” somehow become an object worthy of contemplation. My work is a response to Hilla and Becher’s idea of creating images of banal subjects that are distant, deliberately unglamorous, I attempt to bring the viewer to come closer emotionally to the places/spaces/constructs we currently inhabit/use.”
"It is vain to dream of a wildness distant from ourselves.
There is none such.
It is the bog in our brains and bowels, the primitive vigour of nature in us, that inspires that dream.
I shall never find in the wilds of Labrador any greater wildness than in some recess of Concord, ie, than I import into it."Henry David Thoreau
Journal August 30 1856
Click on the thumbnails below to see the larger version, use your browser's back button to get back here.
Port Melbourne, 95cm x 80cm inkjet print.
Camberwell, 95cm x 80cm inkjet print.
Nth IMelbourne, 95cm x 80cm inkjet print.
Doncaster, 95cm x 80cm inkjet print.
Nth Melbourne II , 95cm x 80cm inkjet print.