Land of the Long White Cloud

​What constitutes “success” or a “successful” exhibition or opening? A short chat with photographer Nick Horan at the opening of his exhibition “Land of the Long White Cloud” at Rokeby Gallery, led me to believe that it was how much work you sold. As an artist myself, and an artist that works within media such as performance and video - mediums that are not as commercially viable as say a painting or a photograph, I would disagree with Horan on this. Outside of the obvious - a photographic exhibition has a lot of overhead to get off the ground. The exhibition space rent, the production of the photography and framing of the work professionally, the transport of the work and even the creation, from camera equipment to travel etc - photographic artwork is an expensive form. Of course an artist wants to sell their works and recover their production costs and make a profit - I get it, but to dictate weather an exhibition is successful or not, for me, relies less on quantifying sales, and more about the critique of the discourse the artist is attempting to make with their works. However, in saying this, there are many different types of artists. “Land of the Long White Cloud” is the second photographic exhibition we had seen within a few weeks of landscape photography devoid of human presence or figures. Where Andrew Wurster’s scenes were of an urban focus, Horan has captured large-scale, beautifully printed and framed, landscapes of ghostly mountain peaks and countrysides. Holy and haunting, these creamy and beautifully aesthetic large photographs are barren, surreal, dream-like and very clean. Aesthetically, and presentation-wise; the works are successful. Professional and immaculate, they ooze interior design decadence. To be paired with an expensive lounge or to dress a modern Carlton townhouse. I am hesitant to look further into the white haze of the works to find meaning there, amongst the ghostly, quiet, dystopian landscapes, but happy to merely appreciate as a delicious superficiality from a distance. Rokeby Gallery is housed inside the luxury Studio space and the opening night was a bustling and lively affair. Subscribe to their newsletter and get along to the next opening, if not to enjoy some premium photography artworks but to take a squiz at the epic and impressive studio space. Housing the bar within one of the major photographic studios, the large wave psychlorama is a magical space to stand in and enjoy a complimentary wine. A successful night and opening, regardless of sales figures.