Mathias Decker
Edmund Rice College
AEGAEON (GOD OF STORMS)
Photomedia
Photographic paper
Growing up between the Pacific Ocean and the Illawarra bush I have been able to explore the natural world we live in. This inspired me to express the particular qualities of my environment. I love the challenge of finding the unique forms in water that many people don’t get to experience in a lifetime. The ocean presents an array of different moods that can be personified, depending on your understanding of its tactile energy. Through my knowledge and experiences of the ocean my body of work represents these moods to my audience, sharing my experience of the sublime.
My artmaking practice has been influenced by the study and interpretation of the following artists: Ray Collins, Lloyd Meudell.
Marker's Commentary
Aegaeon (God of Storms) showcases the beauty of nature and the immense raw power of the seascape, capturing the energy and tension of a breathing ocean. Properties of light and form are investigated across the series of six large photographs, evoking a sense of the sublime for the audience who are taken on a personal journey of awe and wonder. Conceptually, this series explores the grandeur of nature and its connections to a higher force with images of sculptural presence. The series is printed on a photo rag paper which enhances its painterly qualities, linking it to painting in the Romantic period of the 17th century. The sophisticated camera craft is evident through the crisp focus of each image, demonstrating control of depth of field and subtle colour through controlled exposure which has been sustained across the submission in challenging locations and conditions.