‘I’m getting darker, moodier and more monochrome. I perceive beauty in the subdued and the unseen.’

Born in Melbourne, Australia in 1958, Ashley Mackevicius discovered photography at the age of 15 while still in high school. This discovery proved to be a lifeline for the academically challenged son of Lithuanian migrants. With a darkroom set up in the laundry and a hunger to experiment and learn this new found ‘hobby’ soon overtook more mundane pursuits such as homework.

At the Prahran College of Arts, Ashley studied under such icons of Australia photography as Athol Smith, Paul Cox and John Cato. He turned his skills to commercial photography where a career spanning 40 years blossomed. Gaining numerous awards including Australian Photographer of the Year, his commercial work ran in parallel to his artistic work.

Working in relative isolation, Ashley has, for the past seven years, continued to develop his art. To the point now where a body of recent work has emerged that reflects his lifelong passion for photography and forms the basis for his desire to expand, refine and evolve as an artist.

In 2020 Ashley presented a solo exhibition at The SHAC:

About In a Minor Key – Artist Statement:

In a Minor Key is a collection of works, both recent and past, that reflect the musical constructs of the minor key.

Often thought of as sad and dark, melodies in a minor key are not that simplistic. They are not emotionally stifled or solely black and white. The minor key portrays an incredible array of tonal emotions that are atmospheric, contemplative, melancholy and meditative. As such I aim to depict the depths of a scene, what it can teach and what we can learn from viewing its more complex, emotional spectrums.

I am intrigued by notions of hidden depths and secrets in my visual vocabulary. The eerie play of moonlight, desolate urban landscapes, shadows, inky skies, cloud formations, reflections and the movement of water play subtle tunes to unsettle the senses.

These ‘minor-key-scapes’ were captured at night, dusk or under a full moon. The still life and botanical images are low key, desaturated and analogous. Ubiquitous urban scenes are rendered as cinematic, suggesting a hidden drama, the effect often akin to a moment of calm before, or after, a storm.

DETAILS
Ashley has a studio space at The SHAC

The SHAC
74-76 Hoddle Street, Robertson NSW 2577 (next to the big potato)

For more information visit
theshac.com.au
ashleymackevicius.com