Through the Looking Glass, Dimly

Contemporary Art Exchange presents Through the Looking Glass, Dimly, an international collaboration project between blind photographers Andrew Follows (Melbourne) and Rosita McKenzie (Edinburgh). This ambitious project features an exhibition, artist-led photography workshops and events run over two weeks as part of this year’s Edinburgh Art Festival.

The exhibition, held at The Old Ambulance Depot, is Andrew Follows’ international debut and Rosita McKenzie’s first collaboration with an international artist. Both artists showcase recent and new photographs, many of which have never been seen before in Scotland.

Bringing two very different approaches to photography, Follows and McKenzie are drawn together by their experiences of visual impairment, their capturing of night-scapes and the effects of fire on the natural environment. Follows and McKenzie present an array of intriguing and fascinating images of the everyday from opposing hemispheres. Together, they challenge the notion of sight, perception and knowing and question the presumed role vision plays within creating contemporary art.

In the exhibition the artists explore similar themes. Andrew has documented the effects of the devastating 2009 Black Saturday bushfires in the Victorian Highlands, Australia. Rosita, although having never ‘seen’ Andrew’s work, has responded to it by documenting the effects of the unusual forest fires in the Scottish Highlands in early 2011. Andrew has also captured the Southern Hemisphere by night and in response, Rosita has documented the nocturnal Northern Hemisphere.

The Old Ambulance Depot is offering Braille and large text signage and catalogues and a free audio guide for the duration of Through the Looking Glass, Dimly. The gallery has step-free access and a disabled accessible toilet.

Text supplied by third party.