Landscapes of South Australia by Alex Frayne

‘Sensational’ is how William Yang has described Frayne’s landscapes, and there is no better word. They are truly sensational. But anyone who has perused Frayne’s collection of portraits Theatre of life, would not expect any less. The same gaze that caught the light and shade and expressions of a face, is now turned to the landscapes of South Australia, presented in this beautiful volume, each turn of the page presenting a pair of images that compare and contrast shapes, colours and mood.

Truly exquisite are the variations of light; landscapes disappearing into a mist, brilliant colours cast by a setting sun, shadows in clouds and fields, and also urban landscapes with lines and planes that at times recall the still scenes of Jeffrey Smart. (Master of stillness (2018) was also published by Wakefield Press.)

There is humour too in some of the titles: ‘Land of Milk and Honey’, ‘Land of Potatoes and Dorpers’, ‘Formalism Cows’, and the satirical ‘Corona Nightscape’ and ‘Rush Hour, Corona Time’. Some are magical: ‘Hey Mr Sandman, Bring me a Dream’ and ‘Pram, as in a Dream’, the latter recalling for me French director Alain Resnais’ strange situating of figures in geometric frameworks. But Frayne’s work is not posed in that way, rather it is the amazing capture of a moment when everything just works together.

Hours could be spent contemplating these scenes; the book is a treasure that will reward revisiting many times over. And for the curious, or the visitor to this state, there is also an index by region at the end.

Themes: Landscapes, Light, Photography.

Helen Eddy