For Paris Photo 2016 STILLS will present a group exhibition of artists Pat Brassington, Ricky Maynard, Trent Parke, and James Tylor whose works address the concept of ‘Home’ through a diversity of perspectives and artistic approaches. With mass movements of people across the globe, the idea of a ‘Home’ or ‘a Homeland’ is more complex and fluid than ever before and these artists challenge us to consider the subject through a variety of lenses: symbolic, cultural, psychological and spiritual.

Pat Brassington, one of Australia’s key artists working with photomedia, has a longstanding interest in the psychodynamics of family life and the uncanny in the domestic sphere. Her ‘Homes’ are like theatre sets, patterned by wallpapers and rugs, where strange bodily mutations take place. Inspired by Surrealism and psychoanalysis, Brassington combines analogue and digital techniques in order to present haunting, dream-like images, which lead the viewer to the edges of the imagination.

Ricky Maynard is an Indigenous photographer with a commitment to representing his people and a belief in documentary photography as a tool to effect social change. For over 20 years, his work has encapsulated a poignant interpretation of his people and their connection to home and land. By offering alternative perspectives and cultural insights he aims to create an awareness of the enduring legacies and struggles of Indigenous people while also celebrating their indomitable spirit.

Trent Parke, the only Australian member of Magnum, will present images from his acclaimed series The Black Rose (2015). This epic and moving body of work was created over 7 years and showcases his distinctive vision, which blurs the line between documentary photography and an esoteric exploration of the medium. Everyday objects and life moments are transformed to create a meditation on ‘Home’ and how life is shaped by chance and fate. He explains: “Autobiographical in nature, these letters and photographs narrate the story of my life past and present, but more importantly pose universal questions relating to our very existence.”

Emerging artist James Tylor makes his multi-cultural heritage—Aboriginal, Māori and European—a focus of his artwork. It presents his connection to physical and emotional Homelands, and recognizes the profound impact of colonization and migration. Tylor’s approach is critical and innovative, often alluding to the erasure of Indigenous cultures. In some cases he uses early photographic techniques, such as daguerreotype, and in other cases, manipulates new photographs by scratching and tearing them. Tylor’s work is already held in a small number of impressive national and international collections and STILLS is excited to be introducing global audiences to this powerful new voice in Australian photomedia.

Stills Gallery is one of Australia’s longest running commercial galleries and one of the few specializing in contemporary photography. The gallery supports both emerging and established artists working across the spectrum of photomedia.