FROM SCRATCH

THE SERIES

‘From Scratch’ is a series of 16 black and white photographs that construct a narrative moving across several vantage points capturing some of Australia’s coastlines. Evan’s work explores texture, light and tone to quietly and softly imbue the surrounds of contrasting forms and silhouettes across stretches of differing terrain. The variation of high contrasts sitting against subtly infused mid-tones allows the natural details to creep in effortlessly and echo a mood that is soothing, creating a continuous synergy in the presence of commotion and occupancy. Printed locally by Arten on Baryta Photographique 310gsm with a hand-finished frame in authentic Victorian Ash timber.

ARTIST STATEMENT

When one starts from scratch, one may not see or even imagine in great detail where that path will lead, what is next to encounter, witness or entail. In that unscripted moment of stepping into the unknown can one perceive the possibility of variation, a pivot that with no doubt constructs a new and different storyline.

This photographic series came about after capturing various landscapes and streetscapes travelling to Canada, China, England, France, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and locally through country Victoria and Sydney in 2017. Then the entire year of content was lost when the hard drive these 30,000 files stored upon failed. Due to the unknown variables in file recovery the decision was made to start from scratch, providing the opportunity to present a technique, style and storytelling attributes with a new and tightly considered selection. In late 2017 and early 2018 ‘From Scratch’ was realised.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Evan Hancock is a Photographer and Motion Design Director where his interest in photography began with his father’s Pentax SLR at the age of 12. The idea of capturing a single moment in time ignited his imagination and passion for photography and then followed by screen content with new emerging technology.

Evan’s photographic expression is derived from incorporating his interests of exploring cultures, places, people and the natural environment. His work reflects escapism with a timeless and often a continual fascinating quality. This style is further enhanced in print form with the use of a photographic stock resonate to the results of classic darkroom processing.

01 Salmon Rocks, Cape Conran

You have the wings to take flight.

Often referred to as a Little Muttonbird or Mourningbird, the Wedge-tailed shearwater (Ardenna Pacifica) is from the Procellariidae seabird family. A body length of 46-47 cm and a wingspan of 97-99 cm the species has two colour morphs, dark and pale. These species are common in the areas of the Indian Ocean, the Coral Sea and the Tasman Sea.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.

02 Camel Rock, NSW
Ordovician Turbidite.

Located on the Sapphire Coast, Camel Rock is of Ordovician Turbidite. Formed in layers of mudstone and sandstone approximately 450 million years ago. The alternating soft and hard layered rock accounts for its characteristics in the landscape. Such layering was originally formed by tectonic movement containing a mass of sediment from Antarctica that met with the continental edge of south eastern New South Wales and Victoria, Australia.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.

03 Horse Head Rock, NSW I
A sculpture of the Underwater Avalanches.

Located between Murunna Point and Camel Rock, Bermagui on the Sapphire Coast in southern New South Wales. Horse Head Rock displays the graded and vertical stacking in its geological formation. Such rocks over time are highly deformed and partially melted from these mass watery sediment avalanches known as Turbidite.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.

05 Mallacoota, VIC II
Erosion of the Beds.

Amongst the steep rock faces that edge the coastline are the rock beds where chaotic wind blasts with the continuous surges of tidal water. Over time the rock bed has either been partially melted, affected by deep burial and also compacted by layers of alternating soft and hard sediment. It is the unidirectional tidal currents from storm surges that erode and form the variation in the rock topography that is seen today.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.

06 Mallacoota, VIC III
Layered shale.

The continuous surges of tidal water have eroded the soft sediment between each formed layer of mudstone and sandstone over time.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.

07 Mallacoota, VIC IV
Layer inception.

The stacking effect is formed by deep crevices where these long linear natural shelf configurations occur at various angles. The varying angles illustrate the historical timeline of inception between the layers.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.

08 Horse Head Rock, NSW II
Natural rock sculptures.

Deep into the southern corners of Pebbly Beach is the southern perspective of Horse Head Rock. A space of quieter refuge along the shoreline exhibiting scattered ordovician turbidite forms.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.

09 Wallaga Lake, NSW
Sky. Sea. Sand. Rock.

The region of Wallaga Lake Heights looks directly out to the Tasman sea with Camel Rocks in the near distance facing south. Behind this viewpoint is the Wallaga Lake region.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.

10 Honeysuckle Island, NSW
Sea. Beach. Lake.

A ridge of sand known as Wallaga Beach creates an inlet to Honeysuckle Island. The inlet is in part bordered by land, the ridge of the beach and a low clearance road bridge that separates itself from the greater Wallaga Lake.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.

11 Murunna Point, NSW
Sea. Beach. Lake

Murunna means ‘Clear Water’ and whilst it consists of the rocky turbidite terrain and choppy seas at its landmark point it is preceded by a calm stretch of beach from the south that runs between Horse Head Rock and Murunna Point.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.

12 Bronte Baths, NSW
The cliffs of Bronte Baths

Where civilization scales the sandstone rock terrain.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.

13 Bronte Beach, NSW
A view for miles.

With six kilometres of Hawkesbury sandstone and shale under Sydney and originally known as Nelson Bay, Bronte Beach offers scenic cliff-top views out to the Tasman sea.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.

14 Tamarama Rocks, NSW
Pick a spot on the rocks.

A sunbathing location on the low plateau of Tamarama Rocks. The rocks are made up of the Hawkesbury Sandstone approximately formed 300 million years ago. Containing shale beds and fossils the stone is consolidated at up to 50m inwards along the coastline of the Sydney Basin region.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.

15 Bondi Beach, NSW I
The people of Bondi

Located between Ben Bucker Head and McKenzie Point, Bondi Beach is approximately one kilometer long and ranges in width from 50m at the north end to 100m at the south end.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.

16 Bondi Beach, NSW II
There is something for everyone.

Overlooking Bondi beach from Notts Avenue.

Photograph - Pigment ink print on Baryta Photographique 310gsm. Framed in authentic Victorian Ash Timber.