Chris Melville
In his latest photographic collection, Chris Melville uses household items and a slow shutter speed to create landscape compositions, suggesting dreamy lakes or mountains appearing from the mist. Chris works primarily with linen, denim, smooth cotton and fine, transparent organza, creating visual layers and textures. The resulting images, while being made entirely of practical human-made objects, speak of the mystical natural New Zealand environment, referencing Colin McCahon paintings through their minimal aesthetic.
The artistic intention is to create the suggestion of a memory, using the viewer’s mind to build a bridge between the artificial and natural worlds. The images suggest New Zealand landscapes, with muted colours or turquoise waters, but it’s the power of the viewer’s mind, not the subject matter itself, creating that association.
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Artworks by Chris Melville
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Wade in the Water
See Artwork »What appears to be a hot, heavy summer day in the South Island is in fact a lycra running shirt, a silver ribbon, a jacket and a business shirt, and lots of in-camera experimentation.
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Breeze
See Artwork »A breeze appears to whip up across a sandbank. In reality this is an image made with a jacket, a shirt and a dress, and lots of in-camera experimentation.
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Calypso Cove
See Artwork »Across a sparkling lake, rolling hills reveal a mysterious cove next to the water. In reality this is a cuff of a heavy jacket, a swimsuit, a sheet and lots of in-camera experimentation.