A local photographer has come full circle as an artist by having a solo exhibition on display at the Wagga Art Gallery’s E3 space.
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Joshua Thomas’ Points of Contact exhibition presents a series of large black and white photographs depicting a distant and unresolved relationship between father and son, and the search for closure and rekindling of family connections.
He said the aim of the display was to document the strong systematically implied values of traditional masculinity that men abide by within their sport of choice.
In the exhibition, Mr Thomas explores the relationships between his father as a fighter and himself as an artist, photographing his sport as their shared communicative bond.
“I aim to draw out the complicated issues regarding a father and son’s relationship highlighting that there has been a long systematically inclined distance between them,” he said.
“The work’s intentions are to create a discussion on the idea of fatherhood in contemporary society.
“That there are more unique identities to be analysed within parenting than just what we are typically fed through mainstream media.”
The shared concept of the exhibition feeds into the idea of impressionable youth who look up to the older male figure, as they might a father, and adopt their values in order to please them.
It took about three years for Mr Thomas to develop a catalogue of photos for the project and he said it wouldn’t have come along without the support from his father.
“We’re very close. He’s a very accessible guy because he has a very young attitude as well,” he said.
“He’s about 43 but he’s incredibly fit and goes through phases where he gets obsessed with different things.
“The photos I took this year are from my dad’s house, which is the first house he has ever bought. The photos lead you through the entire house as if you were actually walking through the home.”
Mr Thomas said he wanted audiences to understand how resolution was a strong, recurring theme throughout the display.
“Resolution is part of the whole thing and that is what part of this show is about, finding resolution in family members that you might have a complicated relationship with” he said.
The exhibition will be on display until Sunday, September 24.
