Discovery, magic lantern slides is an artwork about the way that Australia was perceived by European explorers, and artists accompanying them. The format for the artwork was inspired by magic lantern slides, a form of early photography. The ‘slides’ are composed of photocopies on acetate, sandwiched between glass, and are viewed as stacks on a custom made lightbox. The artwork operates as a lit up book where the viewer can shuffle the pages, layering them, to add semi transparent images. The result is a feverish overlay of images relating to visual effects such as ‘desert glare’ and ‘mirages’. Each ‘slide’ measures 150 x 100mm and the set is housed in a custom made box.
The image is an installation view at the 1997 RMIT Graduating and Honours Printmaking exhibition at 101 Collins Street Annexe.