Walking Through the Darkness

Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne/Naarm

21 July – 10 September 2023

Photography is often thought of as the medium of light; however, in truth, photography relies on darkness and light in equal measures. Walking Through the Darkness embraces the space between darkness and light, where our understandings are only ever fragmented and partial. Walking Through the Darkness brings together artists exploring the potential of the photographic medium to act as a witness, able to record new landscapes and impressions, to remember, to resist censorship, and to draw attention to forgotten or suppressed histories. Bringing together the best in Australian and international image-making, Walking Through the Darkness celebrates the potential of photography to bring stories out of the darkness and into the light.

The exhibition featured works by emerging and established artists from Australia and abroad, working with photography and film today: The exhibition features the work of: Rushdi Anwar (KUR/AUS-THA), Renato Colangelo (AUS), Liss Fenwick (AUS), Seiichi Furuya (JPN/AUT), Buzz Gardiner (VUT/AUS-SLB), Amos Gebhardt (AUS), Ori Gersht (ISR/GBR), Todd Hido (USA), Rinko Kawauchi (JPN), Fassih Keiso (SYR/AUS), Li Yang (CHN), Morganna Magee (AUS), Chloe Dewe Mathews (GBR), Georgia Metaxas (AUS/GBR), Darren Tanny Tan (SIN/AUS), Vanessa Winship (GBR).

The exhibition featured a site specific installation by Renato Colangelo, entitled ‘Dark Chamber’. This comprised a walk-in, experiential camera obscura, tied to the origins of photography.