| Title: |
Kate Robertson |
| Duration: |
5:29 |
| Year: |
2012 |
| Director/DOP: |
Jason McQuoid & Peter M Lamont |
| Music: |
Peter M Lamont |
Synopsis:
Through photography, Kate explores alternative natural healing ways, and the influences of other related phenomena that foster wellbeing in oneself and community. By employing methods of engagement and documentation in the field and over an extended period of time, Kate maps these healing approaches, the associated networks, and the community’s endeavour to create a more caring, humane and respectful society.
Back in the studio and darkroom, Kate uses different photographic techniques to highlight the sensory modes of understandings that these natural healing ways depend upon.
Her recent photographic series, Dust Landscapes, is a culmination of two years attendance at ConFest; one of the first open healing communities in Australia. She was interested in understanding how a spiritual collective consciousness, described by festival-goers as a heightened awareness and sense of wellbeing at the festival, might be documented. This led to a series of photographs that recorded collected dust particles as artefacts of the ConFest ‘celestial experience’.
In 2013, she continues her explorations of Victorian based natural healers and will focus on the rituals and objects they use to discuss natural healing concepts to groups of people, for exhibition in 2013. Kate is also working with a traditional healer to document and visually respond to his exploration of the healing and spiritual plants from the Siwai region of Bougainville, for exhibition and publication in 2014.
Kate’s recent exhibitions include This Has Been (c3 contemporary art space, 2013), Dust Landscapes (Edmund Pearce, 2012), Crème (RMIT School of Art Galleries, 2012), Explorations of an Other Space (Techno Park Studios, 2011) and UNCOVER, (Perth Centre for Photography, 2011). Kate has also exhibited at Te Tuhi Gallery in Auckland, New Zealand, and Melbourne galleries Kings ARI, TCB Art Inc, Blindside and VCA Margaret Lawrence Gallery.
Her work has appeared in the journal Unless You Will and as part of Australian Week for LENSCRATCH. In 2012 her work was shortlisted for the Josephine Ulrick and Win Schubert Photography Award, The Arts Centre, Gold Coast. Kate received a Master of Art – Fine Arts from RMIT University in 2012 and a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Honours) from the Victorian College of the Arts in 2006.