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