Hansdieter Zeh – Clearing

$1800

This work is based on a photographic practice that uses the aesthetic forms of décollage as it was developed during the 1950s and 60s by a small group of European artists who called themselves The Affichistes. Affiche is the French word for poster.

The images occur spontaneously when posters in public spaces are beginning to deteriorate, or are ripped and torn, thereby telling stories that differ from the ones that were intended by the original design of the poster.

This image was chosen to represent aspects of a contemplation on the selective preservation of memory in relation to Australia’s colonial past; and present.

It suggests that, in order to give space for a new, more inclusive ‘history’ to emerge, some revaluation, some ‘clearing’ may be useful, even necessary.