On Show At Stills Gallery - Pat Brassington

Stills gallery in Sydney is committed to exhibiting Australian contemporary photographic work. Their current exhibition is a selection of works from female artist Pat Brassington's recent series 'A Perfect Day'. A distinctive theme within Brassington's oeuvre is her beguiling surrealistic imagery. The colour palette within the series makes reference to a kind of post apocalyptic scenario, with a theatrical staging of figures which evokes both the unconscious and the absurd.

A work that particularly stood out for me was titled 'Rub Your Eyes', and featured a girl lying face down on the grass, swamped by her mountainous skirt. While this scenario generates a sense of familiarity, it simultaneously raises uncertainty with bleached and acrid tones making the landscape an unknown entity, counteracting connections of nature with the idyllic.

Brassington pushes the limits of photography as a medium, challenging the notion that a photograph captures a snippet of reality.