 |
Tasmanian Gothic, 1000-litre pools, and iconic dresses — inside the photo art of Meg CowellAustralian photographer Meg Cowell submerges historical dresses in freshwater, and adds her own swirls and visual effects to make the garments come alive. We asked Cowell to describe her photographic process, and what inspires her Gothic aesthetic.
|
How did it all start? Why did you want to create art and why did you choose photography as your medium?
“My relationship with photography surfaced within the sloshing chemical trays of the Hobart College darkrooms. In the gloom amongst the dripping taps, I relished the almost supernatural processes of chemical dips and rinses that created and sealed my camera’s vision. I was enthralled by the control that was possible at the various stages of decision-making that managed exposure, cropping and tone. I loved how these choices — what to reveal and what to conceal — could be used to veil reality and create meaning. Recently, I have worked exclusively with digital cameras, but my understanding of photography’s illusory possibilities is certainly shaped by my love of the magic and alchemy of black-and-white processing.
“I think my passion to create art was initially sparked by artists working within the sub-category of Australian contemporary art termed Tasmanian Gothic. The concept being that something to do with Tasmania’s climate, isolation, and convict history produces artists with an inclination to the sinister.”
Moonstone |
“Tasmania’s climate, isolation, and convict history produces artists with an inclination to the sinister.”
But do you recall a specific memory from popular culture or your own life that really set the tone for your aesthetic?
“I think what set the tone for my aesthetic was an early attraction to tragic female characters in literature; Shakespeare’s Ophelia with her plumbing dress, having thrown herself into the river in a gesture symbolic of what had already happened to her soul. Similarly, Dickens’s tortured character Miss Havisham with her moth-eaten wedding dress and the tragedy of her plight. I started bringing beautiful fabrics and garments with me on riverside walks and dipping them into the water to see if I could visually describe anything of poetry and the loaded symbolism of these characters.
“I was also interested in trying to express some of the moods and emotions associated with the idea of being adrift; physically and emotionally. I remember watching Jane Champion’s The Piano and being particularly inspired by the depiction of Ada’s clothing and her drowning scene where she is dragged below the waves by her billowing clothes.”
Undercurrent |
Surface |
At first glance, the beholder might not notice that the dresses are submerged in water, and might think it’s an elaborate work in post-production. Explain your photographic process.
“I won’t go into too much detail as I don’t want to spoil the magic, but I will say that my studio comprises a 1000-litre inflatable swimming pool and an arrangement of scaffolding above. My ability to imply the female figure in the garments is a product of a long period of experimentation. For a while I just photographed the undergarments and corsets filled with stuffing attached to underskirts, to better understand a way of sculpturally building forms. I often have the garments completely filled out with the under-workings before I put them in the water which provides movement and energy. I am really interested in creating a sense of pose and movement with the garments and substituting the absent female figure.”
Have you ever experimented with other coloured backgrounds for your shots? Is there a reason you use black?
“I have occasionally used different coloured backdrops and hung sheets of coloured fabric behind the garment but I don’t think these images have been successful. Mainly because the walls of the pool that are covered in a black fabric create shading on the sides of the garment that makes it appear more dimensional. Also, the idea that the garments are floating in infinite black space is something I love.”
Nocturne |
“I am interested in creating a sense of pose and movement with the garments, and substituting the absent female figure.”
Please tell us about the sourcing of the subjects in your photography. It almost looks like you’ve looted a historical museum!
“I started out hiring gowns from costume shops to photograph, but it is a very expensive way to work. Especially in the early days when I was trying to understand which fabrics and types of garments would work best in the water. I would spend hundreds on costume hire sometimes and not produce any strong images. So when I moved to Melbourne I got a job straight away at a really well-established costume shop called Masquerade Costume Hire, that specialises in period costumes. I also got a job modelling at Victorian College of the Arts so I could access their extensive costume department. Theatre garments are so rewarding to work with because of the lavish detail, colours, and sheer quantity of the fabric.”
On that note, is there a dress, piece of clothing, or any other object that would be part of your dream photo session?
“Princess Dianna’s enormous bell-shaped wedding gown. It’s so huge and symbolises her huge transformation from civilian to royalty. I would need a bigger pool to shoot that though!
“Also, I would love to photograph all of the subjects of Joseph Tissot’s paintings. Have a look at ’A Woman Of Ambition’ and you'll see what I mean. I like the fashion of that period too, the gothic romance and the extreme femininity in a period of turmoil and change. Sheerness and frills layered over dresses for sensory overload. Ribbons tied at the neck had strong sexual undertones. A sense of abandonment too, not a statement of 'pretty' as such, but drama. Just lush.”
“Theatre garments are so rewarding to work with because of the lavish detail, colours, and sheer quantity of the fabric.”
There is a Bluebird in my Heart |
Night Bloom, After the Rain |