Showcase 65

‘Capturing Time, an Exhibition of Photographs by John Mercer’

Location: Hamilton, New Zealand

Date: March, 2023

Story

We are honoured to present ‘Capturing Time, an Exhibition of Photographs by John Mercer’ in the HANRAD Gallery. John’s artistic approach to nature and his discovery of the unnoticed ephemera of the natural and human world are inspiring. We fell in love with his works from the moment we saw them and can’t wait to share them with you. There are so many stories behind his works about the places and his memories.

This work brings together a long time focus on the story of place. Discovering the unnoticed ephemera of the natural and human world; air, water, tide and the effect of these on land. Their uniqueness is compelling to me.

Capturing time….

….the momentary movement in tidal zones, rivers, streams, the play of water on nature’s elements

….the timeworn, the weather affected aspects of land and rock forms

These micro-scapes and landscapes record interactions between humans – their impression – together with the effects of the natural elements on earth and built forms while reaching for and bringing forth the sublime.

Biography

Photographer, technician, University of Waikato, Hamilton, NZ 1980-82

Photographer, Candid Camera, Hamilton, NZ 1982-84

Freelance Photojournalist and Principal, Cameraworks Photography, Hamilton, NZ 1980–86

Director, The Photographers’ Workshop, Hamilton, NZ 1983-1986

Teacher, Photography, Adelaide, South Australia 1986-1989

Competitions

Finalist, Heysen Prize for Landscape, Adelaide South Australia, 2016

Winner, Ege Carpets Denmark, Rug Design Competition, Adelaide South Australia, 2017

Collections

Auckland Museum, Springbok Tour 1981 Photographs, Auckland and Hamilton, 2016

Waikato Museum, 1981 Springbok Tour photographs, 1987