Sign Of The Times

With springtime comes change, and this group exhibition at aMBUSH Gallery echoed the themes of transformation and adjustment. Just as frostbitten air makes way for warm breezes and the sky shows bold signs of brightness, ‘Sign Of The Times’ reflected rapidly changing environments the world over, documenting a variety of everyday experiences in city settings.

Through the intriguing work of eight photographers, Sign Of The Times showcased seemingly small stories behind urban life, seeking a way to preserve the proof of our existence in these modern concrete surroundings.

Curated and produced by aMBUSH Gallery, and presented in conjunction with Central Park Mall, this group show featured work from local and international photographers.

Italian-born photographer Enzo Amato’s images of street art in Havana depict the old and the new; the Cuba that was and the Cuba that is. It explored the significance and effect of writing on walls, reflecting back at the viewer the powerful impact of messages in the public realm.

Gary Compton’s stunning photo cityscapes were aerial observations that reveal our dependence on post-industrial amenities. Life on the grid lays bare not only our reliance on conveniences but also the impact we have on our planet, and highlights the change required to maintain this fragile equilibrium.

Dayvis Hayne is a young artist on the rise, whose videography work is quickly garnering a large and appreciative audience. A university student by day, his contribution for this exhibition featured a time-lapse video of the night sky over Sydney, offering a perspective not normally accessible to most city dwellers whose lives are dictated by the 9-to-5 norms.

Tahmid Nurullah has been out on the streets of Sydney, attending various rallies and protests held around the city. His commanding images have built an extensive portfolio that demonstrates democracy at work and prove there is still humanity within the city confines. The citizens are shown reacting to ensure policy makers and representatives take notice, change direction, or keep moving forward on social policy.

Brett Patman (aka Lost Collective) is a photographer whose series documents the beautiful and intriguing Terminus Hotel in Sydney, a building abandoned and neglected for over three decades. His photos aim to make something out of nothing; capturing a forgotten past and reconnecting it to the present community with memories, social history and imagination.

Sebastian Robert Wighton Tuckey’s photographic series, named ‘A.M.’ (or ‘Ante Meridiem’) seeks to exclusively highlight some of the familiarities (sic-in-official scenes, informalities /simplicities, realities) known only to certain sectors of the Sydney community. Hidden riches of the city are shown through his lens and junctures (Malaprop, use of the word intended for implying climate/location significance) at risk of otherwise being forgotten with the passing of time are uncovered and conserved.

David Sark seizes moody night-time moments on film, making vibrant and graphic images that feature anonymous passers-by, lost in worlds known only to them, but that are open to interpretation by the viewer. His ability to witness ephemeral moments is utterly captivating.

Billy Zammit has always had an affinity for street and urban photography, and spent four years capturing vignettes of his experiences and self-reflection in the confines of the detail-rich city Hong Kong. ‘Kowloon In Transit’ embodies his interactions with locals and the discovery of unique locations through backstreets, suburbs and secluded regions.