Neil Wallace speaks of his two year project of recording the daily life of canines and their owners on South Fremantle’s Dog Beach.
“I decided a couple of years ago that there was something special about this beach and it was worth capturing with my camera”. Neil said. “The sheer joy of dogs at their place is infectious, making everyone happier”.
The result is a world class exhibition which will make visitors to the exhibition smile, often at themselves, because many local faces are on view, not to mention their hounds. This show is a insight into why people love Freo and the unique culture of both dogs and their human friends at Dog Beach
“As soon as I started I noticed other aspects that I hadn’t noticed before, such as the healing nature of the beach and ocean – there were a number of people coming regularly with profound injuries – the ocean offering both mental and physical relief – floating in the water taking the weight off the body and mind.”
Neil, like many street photographers, works in a quiet, unobtrusive manner, rarely setting pictures up but recording genuine moments in time.
He points out there is a section of the exhibition which shows the moment of transition as people enter the water. “I liked this”, he said thoughtfully: “both visually and metaphorically – the sea could be the unconscious – people entering the water to swim, standing, contemplating for a moment before diving in”.
Like many photographers Neil is inspired by the ordinary events of daily life. He’s inspired by the masters of recording the world through a lens, the likes of Henri Cartier-Bresson and Jaques Lartigue. Neil has a selection of works in the Art Gallery of Western Australia and has participated in several group as well as solo exhibitions.
The Exhibition opens in Third Wheel Cafe at the junction of Douro Road and South Terrace this Friday evening, 18th October, from 6.00 to 9pm. No invitation is required. The show will be on for a month, from 19th October until 20th November.
The high quality prints are for sale and reasonably priced according to size.
