Opening Night
Please join us for a drink
Wednesday 30th August 5-8pm 🥂

30th August - 16th September
Curatorial & Co. Gallery
Shop G01/02, 80 William St
Woolloomooloo (cnr Riley St)
Sydney

Moving image work also showing at:
Sydney Contemporary
Carriageworks, Sydney
7 - 10th September

For an invitation, please subscribe to my mailing list via the link.



   
 

International Women’s Day is a day of celebration, reflection and action, and on March 8 we come together to recognise the achievements of women, to address the barriers that perpetuate gender inequality and to amplify women’s voices and visibility. Assembly Label takes pride in extolling the work of women in our community and this month we are honoured to welcome artists Caroline Walls and Lilli Waters to our Artist in Residence series. Working across different media, both Caroline and Lilli are interested in representing female bodies and capturing experiences of womanhood in intimate ways, and their work is on display in Melbourne stores this March.

“My language is a visual, sensual one, and a camera is a medium with which I bring ideas to life.” In a few words, fine art photographer Lilli Waters renders a portrait of herself as a woman with the power to turn threads of imagination into evocative images; a woman with her own language. “When I make art, I feel like it’s the closest thing to reaching the divine,” says Lilli. “It’s like sitting in a pool of pure liquid gold in my mind, my happiest of places. It makes me feel ecstatic to be alive and my brain starts firing like lit-up fireflies. It’s a deliriously euphoric place to live.”

Born in a counter-culture community in Wytaliba NSW, Lilli’s early home was a place where nature had a vivid presence in daily life. “Everything I have lived through comes out in my work in one way or another, so in that sense I consider it autobiographical,” she says. Her rural upbringing planted the seed for themes Lilli would go on to submerge her work in. One theme is water, which Lilli has always been drawn to and which manifests itself in underwater still life collections and photographs of female figures floating or wading in rivers and pools, like ethereal Pre-Raphaelite models. “I assume this is because I swam and bathed in the river in the bush on a daily basis as a child — we had no running water or electricity. Often, I wake yearning to be close to flowing water where I feel most at home.”

Another recurring theme, which recalls Lilli’s Artist in Residence work The Road Before, is the female form. Lilli’s large scale photographs immerse female figures in romantic and sometimes haunting landscapes that traverse remote Australian environments, yet are also redolent of mythical realms inhabited by goddesses condemned to live on earth. “Both the physical and emotional landscape of being a woman is all of these things — we are full of romance and desires, and yet our internal worlds often feel like navigating the unknown wilderness, with danger lurking out in the landscape,” explains Lilli. “My work offers a contrasting portrait of women, both strong and vulnerable. These women are in harmony with and thrive in their surroundings, they are nourished by them. It questions our relationship with nature, ourselves and ideas about female identity through unsettling, otherworldly scenes.”

By offering a critical feminine gaze, which alludes to “the conundrum of being in a woman’s skin”, Lilli’s practice finds a way to express physical agency and ease in a society that objectifies women. The women Lilli represents are typically “strong, more curvaceous, fuller female figures” and she is interested in rethinking notions of beauty, bodies, power and vulnerability. Of her models she says, “These women contradict stereotypes of feminine frailty; they appear to be birthed into nature, or perhaps birthed from nature”. Rather than being helpless or exploited, they are heroic and offer an expansive expression of the feminine, and Lilli is the first to admit she is in awe of how their bodies interact with the environment she places them in.

“My work offers a contrasting portrait of women, both strong and vulnerable. These women are in harmony with and thrive in their surroundings, they are nourished by them. It questions our relationship with nature, ourselves and ideas about female identity.”

Where Lilli has power over how she portrays the female experience, it’s nature that shapes her landscapes. “I pick the route and the destination, but it is never what I thought it would be, or it is more than I imagined,” she says. “This is the beauty of working with the power of nature — it feeds you unpredictable, magical and mysterious energy, which can never be recreated.” Lilli’s need to capture evidence of her surrounds and turn the ephemeral into the forever stems from her childhood. “If I was witnessing a painfully beautiful sunset and there was no one around me who seemed as overwhelmed by this visual, I felt like it was a torturous waste. Hence I am now a photographer.” Lilli’s art practice is also tangled in family history and a childhood she describes as anxious, traumatic and abusive, and offers a way to lean into periods of darkness. “I come from a long line of strong women activists and environmentalists who suffered at the hands of men, and so if I am going to make work, it is important that it explores these themes and holds meaning for others when they look at my photographs. There is always some kind of beauty in the darkness… the darkness doesn’t have to be only the fear that comes with the human experience.”

Over time, Lilli’s practice has established relationships not only with her subjects, but perhaps herself, too. “Photography allows me to express the vast and at times difficult emotional landscape in which I inhabit — beauty, pain, love, longing, angst, rage, fear, desire, dread, hope.” Photographing women in nature, she says, is a labour of love requiring a well of energy. “My relationship with my work is one of deep love and anxiety. Sometimes it feels like a passionate affair, other times I can’t stand the thought of it.” If shooting a photo series is the hurricane, the calm after the storm is Lilli’s time alone in the studio. In the post-production phase Lilli heavily manipulates her photographs in an almost meditative state, embodying all of the worlds she is trying to reach and create. This, says Lilli, is “the arousing and electrifying process of transcending images into their best light... to prepare them to be released into the world and have their own life”.

   
 

December 8th 2022   
   
Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize Winner Interview: Lilli Waters

1. First off, how did you get started in photography?

It was a bit of an accident. I made short films in high school and was invited to go to a filmmaking school, but the class ended up being cancelled as not enough students were attending, so I continued on with the major subject which was photography. It was all dark room printing back then, no one I knew owned a digital camera. 

2. Can you tell us more about the process behind your winning piece, Where Dreams Inhabit? What inspired the piece? How did you choose the title?

‘Where Dreams Inhabit’ is from the series ‘Orpheus’. Offering a nuanced mix of hope and despair, promise and foreboding, this series of photographic vignettes was created during a lockdown reprieve in mid-2021, when Melbourne residents thought they were at last free from government restrictions. After the first few lockdowns, there was a small window of time where we were relatively Covid-free and life returned to some kind of normal. The ideas behind Orpheus emerged from a feeling of excitement, optimism and gratitude to be able to make work, be creative and get out in nature again. Being able to visit these incredible landscapes was a beautiful and surreal experience for me. The title came quite naturally, as this faceless female form reminded me of some kind of dark, beautiful & mysterious dream. 

3. Your work is soft, feminine, beautiful, alluring—yet, you contrast those qualities with darker elements to point to the complex issues facing women in the era of ‘Me Too’ and a world facing ecological crisis. What led you down this pathway artistically?

Whilst I am a lover of aesthetically beautiful fantasy imagery and strongly relate to the feminine, I am also a realist and feel strongly about issues facing how women are treated in society and mass environmental destruction. I come from a long line of strong women activists and environmentalists who suffered at the hands of men, and so if I am going to make work, for me, it is important to me that it explores these themes and holds some kind of message and meaning for others to consider when they look at these works. There is also always some kind of beauty in the darkness, this is something I have had to learn and lean into over the years, that the darkness doesn’t have to be only the fear & dread that comes with the human experience. 

4. Can you take us through how you go about creating a new piece from start to finish? 

Whilst planning this body of work, I was unable to go to the shops to source new materials due to lockdowns. I dug the gold netted material out of my fabric box. It became the thread that tied both the female form and underwater still life images for Orpheus together. 

I planned a week-long trip to Wilsons Promontory National Park, southeast of Melbourne, during a window between lockdowns. My subject and I spent our days driving, scouting, waiting… then shooting, during the small windows of the right light. We would work at dawn, rising at 4am to venture out when there was no one else around. Then again at dusk when all the tourists had finally gone home.

I like to work intensely for many consecutive days, to fully immerse myself in the process. I find the combination of pushing my mind and body to the limit with no distractions and building momentum, takes the work to a different place. It helps me to enter a deeper, more focused frame of mind, which wouldn’t happen if I shot a day here or there.

Orpheus was the first time I was working with the ocean tides, so it added a whole extra layer of challenges, as we had to ensure we didn’t get trapped with camera equipment when the tide came in. 

I spent many months in post-production, working on the images and going through a series of test prints together with my printer, before the ten final large scale prints were hung for my solo exhibition in the gallery. 

5. You use elements like fabric and hair to obscure certain features and draw attention to?. How do you select your props? What kind of processes do those go through to be ready for your photographs?

I am always collecting and searching for vintage fabrics, I either hire them or find them in op shops, or if I am looking for something specifically, I purchase them online. Wigs are often hired from my favourite costume shop. Being out in the bush without an assistant doesn’t allow for any steaming or organisation of any kind, so I pull things out whilst on location to see what will work best for that particular landscape. 

6. Your work often draws on the stark contrast between darkness and light to draw attention to specific visual elements. What inspires that contrast?

Paintings are some of my biggest inspirations. I recall flipping through books on Monet, Rembrandt, Caravaggio, and painters from the Pre-Raphaelite era like John William Waterhouse during my years at photography school, they have obviously left a visual imprint on me. The rich colours that emerge from the velvety blackness - the passionate reds, emerald greens, sapphire blues - the harmony and discord, beauty and decay found in so many masterpieces are themes I keep returning to. The atmosphere in my own work can often be both gloomy and tranquil, marbled skin luminous in the dark landscapes offers a contrasting portrait of women, both strong and vulnerable. 

7. What do you hope viewers will see when they look at your work?

My work touches on the fragility and acute vulnerability of our natural world and the devastating impact of humans on our planet. It also questions feminine stereotypes, allowing vulnerability, strength, power, myth, darkness and light to all co-exist. I hope that my work can be both a reminder of the magical beauty of nature and also point to an awakening from consumerism and capitalism.  We all need to reconnect with nature to be able to discover our true selves. I love this quote by Nina Simone: ‘You can’t help it. An artists’ duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times’.”

8. In addition to your artistic focus on the divine feminine and complexities of feminine identity, you’re also an accomplished still life photographer. What inspires your work with objects?

I get high on the huge old realist oil paintings in museums. It’s like a kind of time travel experiencing these images, so I guess it makes sense that my work leans into this timeless aesthetic. I love to ruminate on the beauty of old-world impressions of nature. I draw inspiration from paintings by the old Dutch masters that I have loved for years, many of these are images of flowers symbolising beauty, nobility and prosperity, which is a major influence in my still life work.

I’ve also been influenced by my mother, a botanical painter who hung paintings of flowers in my childhood home, and my grandmother who liked to collect precious found objects. My still life arrangements often at first appear to be beautifully arranged underwater scenes decorated with Rembrandt-esque blooms. But upon closer inspection, you’ll notice added pieces of litter that literally choke some of the floral arrangements, and the murky blackness that imparts a sense of loneliness. It’s a direct comment on consumerism, human darkness and the rampant quest for prosperity. Prosperity has typically been lauded as something to desire and celebrate, yet now more than ever, the unpleasant complexities of wealth and indulgence are apparent. We nonchalantly poison the environment in pursuit of it.

9. Is there any image in your repertoire that holds special meaning for you? What about that image do you connect with?

I am not sure that I have a specific favourite image, I have a love-hate relationship with my work, some days I admire it, some days find it hard to connect to. Sometimes it can take me years to like a series. At the moment, I do actually love ‘Where Dreams Inhabit’, I love how the gold threads shimmers out from the darkness, how she looks like she has webbed-fingers, and the way the fabric makes it look like she has an old-world helmet of gold sparkles. 

10. What equipment do you work with to craft your photos?

I use a Canon Mark IV or 5DSR, a sturdy tripod, a stepladder, and a bunch of different lights to experiment with. 

11. Do you have anything exciting planned for the future? What can our readers look forward to seeing from you next?

I am about to embark on creating a new photographic series for a Solo Exhibition opening in Sydney in 2023. There may be some more exciting news coming soon but it’s still a secret! 

12. What advice would you give to new artists who are just beginning in your medium?

Shoot at every chance that you have and don’t look to other photographers for inspiration too much. Find your own voice. 

13. Why did you enter the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize?

I have entered the Beautiful Bizarre Magazine Art Prize for many years and have been fortunate enough to have been a finalist previously and had a feature and interview in the magazine. I am a huge supporter and fan of this art prize and thank them for supporting my work. 

14. What do you feel you have gained from this experience?

To have acknowledgement from this art community and be in the company of so many incredible artists is a great honour. Having my work exhibited at the Halycon Days exhibition at Modern Eden Gallery in California is so exciting!

15. Would you recommend it and encourage others to enter? If so, why?

I would highly recommend entering the Beautiful Bizarre Art Prize, they have such a broad range of different artists and categories, with such a high standard of work and wonderful prizes.

   
   
 

November 14th 2022    
   
I’m very honoured to be announced as a finalist for my photo series ‘Orpheus’ in the Fine Art Category for the 19th Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers.

A huge thank you to judge Barbara Davidson @photospice and congratulations to all of the winners & finalists.

Selected works from this series will be exhibited at @fotonostrum FotoNostrum Gallery in Barcelona in April-May of 2023.

   
   
 

November 14th 2022    
   
Thrilled to be announced a finalist in the TACIT Still Life Award for 2022 @tacitgalleries with three works from ‘Disenchantments of the World’ underwater series - Afterlife, Tulpenmanie and Passiflora Edulis. 

Opening Night of the finalist’s exhibition will be held on Saturday the 9th of December at @tacitgalleries 191-193 Johnston St, Collingwood. 

Thank you so much to the judges @tjbateson @davidcolespaintmaker @erikagofton 

The exhibition is on from the 9-24th December.

November 1st 2022    
   
Thrilled to have my artwork 'Where Dreams Inhabit' awarded as a Finalist in the Australian Photography Awards for 2022.    
   
The APA Finalists exhibition will be held at at Bodriggy Brewpub on the weekend of Friday 18th - Sunday 20th November.   
   
245 Johnston St, Abbotsford VIC 
   
   
   
 

https://ilfotografo.it/

Finalist, Du Rietz Art Awards 2022
June 12, 2022

Very excited to announce that my work 'Tulpenmanie' has been selected as a finalist in the Du Rietz Art Awards for 2022. The Exhibition will take place at the Gympie Regional Gallery in Qld from 14th July to 26th August, with the official Opening and Award presentations on Friday 15th July at 6pm.

Lilli’s latest project ORPHEUS, is an immersive experience which combines the female form and underwater still life imagery.We chat with this incredibly talented artist about the ideas and magic behind her works and discover that one of her pieces ended up in Christian Grey’s apartment. Yep, we’re talking 50 Shades of Grey.

With her dark colour palette paired with an exceptional eye and talent for capturing perfect light, the story behind the ORPHEUS collection is nothing short of extraordinary.

“ORPHEUS is made up of images of the female form which were photographed in nature battling the elements,” explains Lilli. “To capture the images of the female form, I planned a week-long trip to Wilsons Promontory National Park, southeast of Melbourne. My subject and I spent our days driving, scouting, waiting… then shooting, during the small windows of the right light.“We would work at dawn, rising at 4am to venture out when there was no one else around. Then again at dusk when all the tourists had finally gone home.

“I like to work intensely for many consecutive days, to fully immerse myself in the process. I find the combination of pushing my mind and body to the limit with no distractions and building momentum, takes the work to a different place. It helps me create a deeper, more focused place which wouldn’t happen if I shot a day here or there.

“ORPHEUS was the first time I was also working with the ocean tides. So it added a whole extra layer of challenges, as we had to ensure we didn’t get trapped when the tide came in. Camera gear and rising water don’t mix!

Trying to get the shot in between clouds and the many tourists while working with a nude model in very cold water, was intensely challenging! It brought with it many moments of disheartenment and frustration.

“Many images were abandoned throughout the process (there always are). But in the end, the strongest work really made itself apparent and shone through.”

Shot during an arduous year full of lockdowns, ORPHEUS emerged as a thing of beauty during an intensely difficult time.“After the first few lockdowns in Melbourne, there was a small window of time where we were relatively Covid-free and life returned to some kind of normal.

“The ideas behind ORPHEUS emerged from a feeling of excitement, optimism and gratitude to be able to make wor