On view at The Mill Gallery from 6–20 March is The Plastic Show, an exhibition of photographs captured entirely with plastic cameras.
Seven photographers have joined forces to show their divergent views of the world through a plastic lens. Karen Cornelius, Jessica Eckermann, Andrea Francolini, Cynthia Gémus, Sara Huffen, Mike Lim and Mark Zed showcase photographs captured entirely on film with plastic toy cameras.
The cameras used to create the images in The Plastic Show are the antithesis of the modern digital SLR: a plastic body which often needs to be held shut with a rubber band or some gaffer tape, a plastic lens, imprecise focusing, and a strong predisposition to producing light-leaks. And capturing the results on film simply adds to the unexpected!
Part of the appeal of a plastic toy camera such as the Holga, says photographer Mike Lim, is in the vagueness of the process and the uncertainly about the result: “For photographers used to tight precision and control over their images, the approximateness of the picture-making can be a freeing thing.”
The Plastic Show showcases how versatile these toy cameras can be. By rigging up her Holga (which is normally meant to hold medium-format film) to take 35mm film, Jessica Eckermann achieves compelling wide panoramas that cover the whole film, sprocket holes and all. Sara Huffen presents us with moody double exposures where a close-up of gravestone flowers is photographed over a shot of the wider gravesite. This is contrasted by Cynthia Gémus’ colourful squares full of light leaks and blue skies behind fragments of ferris wheels and carnival signs. The exhibition’s seven photographers offer their own take on the world, but the plastic lens unites them.
The Plastic Show opens on Thursday 6th March, 6 to 9pm, at The Mill. There will be a bar available on the night and La Cantina food truck will be parked out the front should you be peckish.
You can find The Mill at 154 Angas Street, Adelaide with Gallery hours Monday to Friday 9am–5pm and Saturday 11am–3pm.
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