John O'Neil

Inspiration

The panoramas break up into two groups. One is the straightforward idea of viewing the landscape in the round, with a series of connected images creating a wide angle view. The other works, like the Geelong Sea Baths series, are actually taken over a period of time, say an hour or two, then put together to create a panorama of action. Your mind tends to read it all as one.

My panoramas have all been about big statements. There is a connection back to historical pictorialism, with many layers leading up to a rich artistic statement.  They have been exhibited and acquired by major public institutions, including the National Gallery of Victoria.

The idea of bush fires is a powerful one that has iconic status in itself. The intense obliteration of the landscape to a soft, silvery ash speaks of erroneous fire management by human society, so, for me, the works acquire a primeval quality.


Exhibitions

  • 2015       Dada lives! Hatch Contemporary Art Space, Ivanhoe
  • 2011       Stormy Weather, Contemporary Landscape Photography, National Gallery of Victoria
  • 1989       Moet and Chandon Prize, National Gallery of Victoria
  • 1989       Thousand Mile Stare, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art
  • 1989       Austausch Melbourne/Berlin Photography Exchange Exhibition.
  • 1988       Big Things, Christine Abrahams Gallery
  • 1987       Regional Artist’s Review, Artery Gallery, Geelong
  • 1986       The You Yangs, Geelong Art Gallery
  • 1986       Australian Landscape Photographed, Art Gallery of NSW, National Gallery of Victoria, Ballarat Art Gallery.
  • 1985       Victoria Vision – 1834 Onwards, National Gallery of Victoria
  • 1985       Survey Surveyed, Geelong Art Gallery
  • 1984       Survey Show, Geelong Art Gallery
  • 1984       Ash Wednesday, Australian Centre for Photography
  • 1983       Landscapes, Christine Abrahams Gallery, Melbourne

Collections

  • National Gallery of Victoria
  • Geelong Art Gallery
  • Deakin University Collection
  • Melbourne City Council Collection
  • Moet and Chandon Collection