Orpheus by Lilli Waters
Lilli Waters draws on her love for waterscapes in her latest ethereal photographic exhibition, Orpheus, at Metro Gallery in Melbourne.
Words: Hande Renshaw
Deep Hours by Lilli Waters.
Arcadia by Lilli Waters.
Award-winning photographer Lilli Waters’ latest exhibition, Orpheus, was created between the space of two of the earlier Melbourne lockdowns.
During this time, the city was relatively Covid-19 free and life seemed to go back to a certain type of normal, allowing an opportunity for the artist to get back to her photographic work, shooting in the natural environment.
‘It felt both liberating and strange to be able to leave the house, our 5km radius, and travel to outer Victoria to take photographs,' says Lilli, ‘trapped for so long in suburbia, nature had been deeply yearned for, and returning to landscapes and my creative playground was an overwhelmingly beautiful and surreal experience.’
Orpheus, which will be held at Metro Gallery in Melbourne, emerged from a shifting worldview on life and art-making.
‘There is a kind of vibrancy, optimism and excitement imbued in this work, which came from a heightened sense of gratitude and a renewed appreciation and delight in nature,’ says Lilli.
Orpheus features a series of 10 large-scale photographs and moving image artworks, which were elaborately constructed underwater using shells, fish and flowers, and the female form. The striking subjects emerge from a dark waterscape, to create an other-worldly ethereal visual.
‘The water still remains to be one of the most important parts of my life, it’s where I feel most happiest, free and childlike again. It’s the biggest healer in my life, like coming home to myself in a safe and intimate space. ‘
Among the key works in the exhibition, flowers emerge out of the darkness. These works are reminiscent of the Dutch masterpieces of the 17th century and a reminder of the transitory nature of everything. Floating alongside the blossoms are jewel-like creatures and shells, dramatically shrouded by golden nets and sheets of suffocating cellophane.
In this series, we also see the return of Lilli’s fascination with the female form, a constant in her photographic work.
‘I'm always looking to tap into a unique frequency with my work, that words can’t really ever capture for me. For me, the female form is a symbol of the human experience and the natural world; powerful, life-giving, vulnerable, desirable and deeply complex.’
Orpheus will run from Wednesday 2nd February to Saturday 26th February at the Metro Gallery.
‘My process couldn't be much more different to the first, though there is still the same searching for a kind of magical otherworldly feeling in the work,’ says Lilli Waters. The Next World by Lilli Waters.
“The water remains as one of the most important parts of my life, it’s where I feel happiest, free and childlike again. It’s the biggest healer in my life; like coming home to myself in a safe and intimate space. ”
Wonderful Illusion by Lilli Waters.
Astra Dreaming by Lilli Waters.
ORPHEUS AT METRO GALLERY
WEDNESDAY 2ND FEBRUARY - SATURDAY 26TH FEBRUARY
1214 High Street, Armadale, Melbourne