Lens widens for local artist

CREATIVE photographer Ian Kemp has a busy few months ahead of him.

Alongside two shows on display now, the local artist is preparing for three separate exhibitions to feature in regional Victorian galleries.

With collections being readied for venues at Yering, Maryborough, and Ross Creek by mid-next year, Kemp’s work is currently being paired alongside that of printmaker Amanda Western as part of the Altology group exhibition at Gallery 10 until 31 October.

Meanwhile, an exhibition launching tonight at 6pm and running until 24 November at Horsham Art Gallery is building on a creative achievement for Kemp.

“Last August into October last year I had my [Neverlasting exhibition] showing for the Ballarat International Foto Biennale at the Art Gallery of Ballarat,” Kemp said.

“At the Horsham Art Gallery, I’ve got two rooms there. One of the rooms will have 13 large images from my trip to Argentina for the show, and the other room will have 13 photogravure prints.

“In the Art Gallery of Ballarat, I had six colour images and four photogravures.

“Having this many exhibitions being prepared means my recognition as a photographer is growing.”

Alongside his current shows, Kemp’s In Solitude exhibition will feature at Yering Station from 21 September until 11 November after which it will go on display at Maryborough’s Central Goldfields Gallery from 16 December until February

Having lived in Maryborough for 25 years, including while learning photography at Melbourne’s Photography Studies College, the latter show will mark something of a homecoming.

“The hero image will be of Maryborough Station, printed on aluminium,” he said.

“To go back there and show work after living there for 25 years is significant. That’s where I started to get interested in photography. I’ve been away since 2014.

“The Yering Station will feature six photos from Argentina and six images on aluminium I took during COVID on the western side of Lake Wendouree.

“They’re different expressions of solitude but the theme is the same.”

Kemp will follow up his run of shows with a trip to Japan later this month to capture a decidedly different subject matter to the isolating mountains of Argentina for an exhibition in June at Ross Creek Gallery.

“I want to get some photos of the zen nature of Japanese gardens,” Kemp said. “I also want to do some street photography and get out into nature.

“The zen gardens just give this wonderful sense of peace and I think that’ll be appropriate for the Ross Creek setting.”

Kemp will also present a talk at Horsham Art Gallery as part of his Neverlasting show on 13 October at 2pm.