First Day March …

‘Queen of the Night’. The golden stag beetle, Lamprima aurata, aka Christmas beetle, appears in December in Oz — often found after I work on my compost. What evolutionary purpose does the dayglow colouring serve? Attracting males or frightening predators with a flash of beetle bling? Dance on Queen of the Night, like a Brian Ferry fantasy. Olympus OM-D/EM1 MkII, Olympus Zuiko 30mm f3.5 macro, ring flash, 3x ND filter; @ f13, 1/250s, ISO 64. Size A0 — 118.9 x 75.15cm, Acrylic mount, ready to hang. Photo © Giles Hugo 2017

First published March 1 …

Giles Hugo’s second solo exhibition, ‘Far Away Is Close at Hand in Images of Elsewhere’ will be launched at the Nolan Gallery, Salamanca Arts Centre, Salamanca, Hobart, at 6pm on Friday the 3rd of March. All are welcome …

‘The Time Machine — Choosing an Aeon’. As a child, I was enthralled by H.G. Wells’ novel ‘The Time Machine’ and the 1960 film version. I read much SF, enthralled by time travel — hence my dabblings in Cyber Punk imagery. If you could use a time machine, would you go forwards or back, and which aeon would you choose? Olympus OM-D/E-M5, Voigtlander Nokton 25mm f0.95, polarising filter, diffused, cloudy daylight; @ f16, 1/30s ISO 400. Size A0 — 107.37 x 84.11cm, Acrylic mount, ready to hang. Photo © Giles Hugo 2017

‘Pastoral Symphony’. Dried weeds, grass, foliage and the soundboard, metal frame and strings of a rusting, derelict piano at the back of a North Hobart parking lot. The instrument’s geometry suggests a fossilized skeleton. Was it cast out because it was redundant, replaced by pokie machines or karaoke? Think of the music that wafted from it over the years — now rusted by musicians’ tears. Olympus OM-D/E-M5, Lumix 20mm f1.7 ASPH; @ f8, 1/60s, ISO 400. Size A1 — 62.65 x 59.4cm, Acrylic mount, ready to hang. Photo © Giles Hugo 2017

‘Way to Blue’. The title for this ‘found’ rorschach abstract comes from a song on Nick Drake’s first album, ‘Five Leaves Left’. It might become part of my ongoing ‘Black Dog’ project. Flashes of rainbow light emerge from shadows. What or who do you see? Olympus OM-D/E-M5, Lumix/Leica DG Summilux 25mm f1.4 ASPH; @ f1.6, 1/1600s, ISO 400 Size A1 — 84.11 x 47.48cm, Acrylic mount, ready to hang. Photo © Giles Hugo 2017