Jane Burton: Eye of the Beholder
A curated survey exhibition
24 September – 18 October 2009
Glen Eira City Council Gallery
Exhibition essay
This major survey exhibition documented two decades of work by nationally renowned photographer Jane Burton. Curated by Council’s Curator Diane Soumilas, the exhibition explored the dominant themes of Jane Burton’s photographic practice between 1989 and 2009, including the domestic interiors, the female nude and suburban and rural landscapes.
Jane Burton’s enigmatic, seductive and often provocative photographs have intrigued and engaged audiences since she emerged onto the contemporary art scene in the early 1990s.Renowned for her compelling, mysterious, cinematic images of desolate, brooding urban and rural landscapes and sensual female nudes shot in dark interiors of abandoned suburban homes, Burton is at the forefront of contemporary photography practice in Australia.
Pervasive in Burton’s photographs is an atmospheric, haunting available light that permeates interior and exterior spaces, alluding to the residue, spirits and memories of previous occupants, and the traces of events that may have occurred or are about to unfold. Burton’s ability to create a mood and presence through light, shadow and powerful suggestion provides the viewer with a key to understanding her work.
The exhibition included photographs on loan from major public collections including the National Gallery of Victoria, Monash University Museum of Art, Monash Gallery of Art, the Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery and Newcastle Region Art Gallery. The exhibition also included key works on loan from major private collections throughout Australia.
Installation views
