Beneath the Surface

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A revealing photographic exhibition explores the stories in the faces of women who’ve met with some of life’s toughest challenges.

Katoomba, May 13, 2011 – “Beneath The Surface” is a photographic project and exhibition by Blue Mountains photographer Mandy Schöne-Salter. The exhibition, to be held at the Event Horizon Gallery in Katoomba, opens June 14.

Mandy is currently studying part time in Fine Arts at Nepean Arts and Design Centre.

Mandy Schöne-Salter was the winner of the inaugural Oxford Art Prize for Portraiture in 2010 as well as the 2011 International Women’s Day Exhibition. Beneath The Surface featured as part of the Head On Photo Festival 2011 and moves on to the Ballarat International Foto Biennale in August. Opting for old school analogue technology, for this exhibition Schöne-Salter photographed and interviewed women who have lived through abuse, domestic violence, mental illness, death, drugs or disability. The exhibition uses larger than life black and white canvas prints which give an
overwhelming effect and each photograph is captioned with that woman’s story.

“These women have one thing in common;” Mandy says, “the will to reclaim their lives after hardship”. Her aims for the project were for the photos to be “visceral and insightful for the viewer, as well as therapeutic for the subject”.

The exhibition is supported by the local arm of ZONTA, a global organisation working to advance the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy. All profits from the exhibition will be donated to ZONTA Blue Mountains and the Blue Mountains Women’s Health and Resource Centre.

The opening night is Friday the 17 th of June from 6 - 9 pm at the Event Horizon Gallery, 186 Bathurst Rd, Katoomba; the exhibition will run from the 14th until the 20th of June.

To help raise more funds, there will be an opening night raffle with loads of great prizes including one of the photographs!