Lupton’s exhibition, Beyond All Things, is a personal set of works depicting the process of dealing with a major life event.
“Earnst Haas said, ‘The only unique thing in photography is you’.
Beyond All Things is me, it’s about coming out the other side of a bypass operation and into a new life,“ he said.
“It’s simply about going to the beach to rebuild my life one step at a time and carrying a camera.”
The process of facing death was all at once an unexplainable experience and one that many people shared, he said.
Everyone he had spoken to who had faced death experienced a notable shift within themselves.
“I think we feel and see a little different, we know things we cannot often explain. There are few useful words to explain what is ever-present but not touchable, just a knowing.”
In Beyond All Things Lupton uses photography to illustrate the process of facing death in a way that he feels words are unable to, not just for himself but for anyone who has a similar experience.
“I wanted to explore some of this unexpected journey with visual language, not the inadequate words of the English dictionary I fumbled with,” he said.
“I trust the photographs to explain themselves to people. I don’t need to say anything, the photographs are saying it for me, and they need to because I know acutely, one day, I will not be around.”
Lupton will host two events in conjunction with the exhibition - an artist talk and a photography workshop.
The workshop will begin with a gallery introduction, followed by a photography walk at Castlecliff Beach, and finish with coffee and discussion at Citadel Cafe.
“In the past, when I have done exhibitions, I have run workshops. I don’t want to be unapproachable to my audience and workshops are a nice way of saying ‘thank you’,” Lupton said.
“It’s an environment which is all about asking questions and it’s nice to be available. Sometimes I will have an answer, sometimes I don’t; however, someone else might.”
The photography workshop will take place no matter the weather as Lupton feels stormier days often produce the most compelling images.
Beyond All Things will be on display at Utopia Gallery from September 4 to November 1.
Lupton will host a floor talk in the gallery on Sunday, September 7, at 11am.
On Saturday, October 25, at 2.30pm, Lupton will lead a photography workshop. Bookings are limited. Contact Angela Tier at utopiastudiogallery@gmail.com to reserve a spot and receive full details.
Olivia Reid is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.
