A short review by Rory Williams
When I first saw Dale’s almost-abstract photographs I knew that I had to include his work within the exhibition. It takes skill to see the raw natural beauty in the world around us, even more so to find it in the detritus of the local environment.
I believe that Dale does this with his ‘Residuum’ series, not just simply, but with such success that it draws in the viewer to pick out the little details making the eyes wander this wasteland of stick mountains and dirt nebula－the universe within a microcosm that he created is strange and yet ‘disgustingly beautiful’.
It is undeniable that the viewer is looking down from where we stand on these scenes of dirt and pollution. It does appear, as the artist says, like you could be looking down from on high; a celestial being watching the life run away with itself－a concept emboldened by the reflection of the artists, barely recognisable, a figure trapped within a bottle.
I imagine there are few of us who are actually fond of scenes like these, of cigarette butts littering the streets and errant bottles floating in ponds. It is disappointing that in today’s world there are some of us who are still careless enough to do such things. Dale’s work has a place in highlighting that there is beauty in even the disgusting, perhaps asking the question: wouldn’t it be more beautiful without? I think this point really drives home when you realise the scene for this dramatic composition is within Mowbray park. This almost alien landscape is somewhere so painfully close.
Dale’s work is currently on display in Our Fragile Coexistence, a recent exhibition curated by Art Matters Now.
