TIM CUSHAN

Adventurer, eco-warrior and photographer , Tim Cushan is currently living in Los Angeles. In this extraordinary series he exhibits selected images photographed over several months at an elephant rescue and rehabilitation reserve in Thailand. In contrast to most "nature photography" where images are recorded from a distance with long telephoto lenses, Cushan has moved with, and often almost under, his subjects with a wide angle lens to create intimate portraits of these highly intelligent but threatened animals.

His monochrome images in particular , have a haunting timeless quality seldom seen in this genre.

In keeping with his policy of reducing impact on the planet he has chosen Hahnemuhle Bamboo ,a beautiful archival paper made from 90%bamboo fibre and 10% cotton..

Tim's profits from print sales will be used to further the protection of elephants .

Pharos Editions are currently preparing for Tim's next show in Los Angeles .

More details will be posted when available.

TOMMASO DURANTE

Tommaso Durante emigrated to Australia after a distinguished career as an artist and academic in Italy. In Australia he has firmly established himself as a leading sculptor, ceramicist and printmaker. For the production of his latest artist's book ,"Skin, Surfaces and Shadows", of which a copy will be on display at Art Melbourne 08, Durante has enlisted renown poet Chris Wallace-Crabb to write the text, master binder George Matoulas  for the hand binding and Pharos Editions for the printing. The book is printed on Somerset Book White from St Cuthbert's Mill in England. The papers deckle edges have been retained . The images were produced by Durante from a small digital camera for preliminary editing by the artist. Luminosity, depth edits and expanded colour gamut was undertaken at Pharos Editions for approval by the artist.

A recent review in the USA by Judith Hoffberg," Umbrella online", Vol 31, No1, March 2008, says it much better than our modesty would allow.

"...a stunning new bookwork which pushes the boundary of art, craft and design by combining digital technologies with traditional techniques and materials. With Hugo von Hofmannstal's quotation as a guide "Depth is to be hidden. Where? On the surface"  you will have a hint of what the artist intends .

With wrought images and design of the artist and the sculptured words of the poet, Durante tries to explore the surface of things and the figurative dividing line of the shadow, with no fear to run the risk of beauty as a side effect. in fact beauty is everywhere - the paper is heavy and handmade to support the gorgeous imagery of prints whick goes beyond the double pages to the universe itself..."

Well there you go.. We think it is pretty good too.

The edition consists of only 25 copies of the book , several of which have already been purchased by major institutions such as the National Library of Australia and Melbourne University. The book was launched in Melbourne at The National Gallery of Victoria and in Canberra at The National Museum of Australia.

JOYCE EVANS

Joyce Evans and Australian photography are linked in many ways. Perhaps best known as the owner and curator of the now closed Church Street Photography Gallery, Evans is a collector of fine photography, an investment advisor  and appraiser of photographs, a lecturer in the history of photography  , a supporter of teaching, practice and exhibiting of photography and both a documentary and art photographer herself.

At the Pharos Editions stand she is showing recent works of Australian landscapes. These are not your gum trees , misty mountains or iconic rock formations. Segments of barbed wire, canola fields, an iron roof, a statue commemorating war dead; joined thematically together by saturated colour and an ever present intense blue sky , produce metaphors for an environment  that defeats many artists who attempt to portray it.

BRONEK KOZKA

Commercial photography and education have occupies much of Bronek Kozka's time . Recently he has been making strong inroads into the fine art photography scene, which he admits, is his real destination.

In 2007 he was the recipient of  a Hasselblad Masters Award , the only one awarded to an Australian in that year. Earlier in 2008 he was a finalist in The Lewis Moran Prize , the richest and most prestigious award for photography in Australia.

Kozka's work utilises meticulous styling, lighting and directoring skills to create performances that describe narratives of human encounter. This is highly collectable work from one of the strongest voices in art photography today.

LILIANA MELONI

Born in Argentina , Lily Meloni's images are steeped in magic realism.

In the last two times she has exhibited with Pharos Editions at Art Melbourne, her work has explored the family and the feminine. This year she showed new works constructed from her experiences last year in Venice and on the Amalfi Coast . Still highly personal , they transcend the individual, touching on a common chord within the traveller that sees mystery in the unfamiliar, that makes the unaccustomed so enticing.

MARY ROSENGREN

DIGITALIS- MOSS CELLS #1

Mary Rosengren’s practice reflects an ongoing interest in technology and nature. In particular the visualizations of nature and the experience of extreme environments. The prints in the series Fruitingbodies, Digitalis and The Real Thing draw together images, inscriptions and textual material from her own field trips and from historical and contemporary sources in western science. In 2005 Mary re-established her practice in Australia after 15 years in the UK, where she had exhibited and worked with artist networks in Scotland. In addition to exhibiting in the UK and Japan, Mary has continued to exhibit in Australia. Her work is represented in national and private collections in Australia, USA and UK. She is currently showing at Art Space , Wodonga.

PHILIP SCOTT-SMITH

"Light As"

Philip Scott-Smith exhibited with Pharos Editions for the first time in 2007.

Despite being in one of the least accessible parts of the then stand, his work was in very high demand. One buyer remarked that they bought only one piece each show and their choice was because it was "the best piece in the show".

Describing his work as montages of cut-outs of 1950s and 60s publications might seem to indicate the work is frivolous . A quick observation dispells this rapidly. Very exacting compositions and very high colour sensibility  result in exciting visual historiographies revealing the essence of an era .

This is very original and highly resolved work.

STANLEY AND KAISA BREEDEN

The Breedens are highly acclaimed and accomplished nature photographers .

At last years Art Melbourne , a very popular piece was their monochrome work "Sanctum"

This year they are showing a new image  "The Green Man", shown above.

This fascinating image is printed on the new Bamboo paper from Hahnemuhle, which is not only appropriately sustainably produced - not from rainforest timber - but prints with both richness and detail.

RON EDEN

Ron Eden is a prophet who speaks in pictures, thinks in sounds. In the late 20th century he introduced discos to Australia, coined the term "multimedia' (1972), and contemplated the future with Marshall McLuhan ("the media is the message"). He now produces images in co-operation with bacteria, fungi and laundry chemicals that speak of a world after climate change, a world of the Paraculture.

Ignore him at your peril. Next show at Gasworks Art Park, Albert Park, Victoria, Australia, 3rd November to 23rd November 2008.

BRIAN GILKES

Brian Gilkes is master printer at Pharos Editions about whom there is information elsewhere on this site. Occasionally he surfaces with a print or two of his own. The prints at Art Melbourne came from a developing collection called "Domestica". They are exercises in the perception and re-presentation of the play of light in two Sydney residences. You have to keep your eye in..

MARY MODEEN

Mary Modeen is program leader in Art, Philosophy and Contemporary Practices at The Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, University of Dundee, Scotland. Her work addresses notions of landscape,place, memory and continuity. She exhibits and her work is in major collections , worldwide. Her recent residencies have been in Isle of Man, Australia , New Zealand and Northern Ireland . She is represented in The Archive of Humanist Art. She kindly allowed us to offer three new pieces.

SIMON O'DWYER

Internationally acclaimed photojournalist Simon O'Dwyer showed three of his art works , including "Veronica's Pearls" (above).

SUSIE WALKER

Susie Walker is an emerging artist with a commitment to the natural environment. Her latest work explores the Australian natural landscape within the six seasons of the year as observed by the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nation , the traditional owners of the lands around and to the north of Melbourne. She is currently showing at Lovegrove's Vinyard and Gallery . Cottles Bridge, Victoria, Australia.