Save the date for a new exhibition at Otomys Art Gallery in Melbourne - Nostalgia by Mark Roper opens on Thursday 27th July, 5:30 - 7:30pm.
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MARK ROPER
NOSTALGIA
27.07 - 11.08.23

"With an ever growing demand for instant results, AI is threatening the humanity of art, with photography the most vulnerable medium. Mark Roper’s experimental art practice restores a sense of humanism to the medium of photography as he poetically fuses methods and materials of the past with the present to create dynamic abstract images that transport the viewer to another world.

Several years ago, the artist began manipulating old and discarded polaroids as he experimented with chemicals traditionally used in the dark room. Roper discovered a fascinating occurrence when the chemicals reacted with the exisiting polaroid. The result was a magical symphony of colour and light. Once satisfied with the composition, Roper documented the final result.

Over time, Roper develops and finesses his process. In many ways, his method of working bares a similarity to the process of painting, as he continually layers chemicals to produce his desired composition. The use of chemicals creates an interesting balance between intention and circumstance; although Roper controls how and where he applies the chemicals, he cannot always predict the result.

His immersive and otherworldly images prove that art is not instantaneous nor can it be reduced to a computer-generates algorithm. Art is an ever-evolving product of experimentation, development and time that is uniquely human."