Mark Kimber - Sun Pictures

In Sun Pictures vivid primary coloured images portray the urban landscape in an unfamiliar way. Objects in the environment are isolated and made strange, walls and house facades appear surreal and two dimensional, skies are brilliant blue, vegetation a lurid green. The world that is ordinarily familiar to us becomes fresh and novel.

Kimber created his Sun Pictures with a 'Diana' camera, which is as basic as a Box Brownie. The simple technology of this camera lends a distinctive look to the images produced. They reflect the qualities of a rough plastic lens, a limited number of apertures (two only, sunny or cloudy, in fact) and one shutter speed. To achieve the best results follow the instructions for 'Kodak Light', which is taking photos with the sun over your shoulder.

In the spirit of American photographer Garry Winogrand the presence of the photographer is realised in Kimber's shadow, cast loomingly upon the subject matter. This device, not new to photography, remains a powerful reminder of the presence of the poetic in photographic vision.

Although Kimber's series have varied stylistically, a repeated theme is the photographic way of seeing. Mark Kimber's last exhibition at Stills Gallery was Fictive Landscapes (2005). This work constructed semi imaginary landscapes from a combination of sources. The result was painterly and reminiscent of European landscape painting in the style of Casper David Friedrich.

Mark Kimber is currently the Coordinator of Photostudies at the South Australian School of Art, University of South Australia. His work is held in various public and private collections including the National Gallery of Australia, Art Gallery of SA, Artbank, Art Gallery of WA, Parliament House Collection, Waverley City Art Gallery, Albury Regional Gallery, and the London Institute.