CONCURRENT - TRIG SINGER & TOMAS BURSTYN

Trig Singer and Tom Burrows met several years ago working on a film. They both are cinematographers as well as photographers. The selected works for the Concurrent exhibition focus thematically on one subject that both artists are fascinated with. Cars. 

Trig's car chase has an eerie sci-fi aesthetic, the cement underpasses and the white limo on a chase causes much curiosity, whilst Tom's work focuses on American Behemoth Automobiles. 

trig singer

I have invited Tom Burstyn to show with me firstly because of our friendship. We have worked together on many films and television projects for over 20 years now. We have shared in making images together and had endless discussions regarding every aspect of the photographic process. Tom has had a direct influence on the way I see things. In particular how the beauty or ugliness of making certain images can help tell stories. Simplification, form, beauty and light. This is a great way to continue our collaboration and as always Tom's mentorship.

My piece, Car Chase, is another in a series of opportunities presented by the ongoing mystery marked by the automobile as a catalyst for the imagination in the creation of a fictional event. Colour, design and environment combine to help me invite the viewer to ask themselves what is going on. We have no idea really but let's not let that stop us from inventing our own story. If this were a film we could create a context for this image. Standing alone as an image we are free to make a story based not only on the elements in the photograph but also by what is not included.

Tom burstyn

Thomas Burstyn is an itinerant filmmaker/photographer who dreams about staying in one place. When Tom does go home he lives on Waiheke Island, New Zealand, with his wife and close to most of his 5 daughters.

American behemoth automobiles have always fascinated me. How unconscious they are, how brash. They take up a lot of room, use so much fuel. They are innocent and immortal. As Bob Dylan said: "Old Cadillacs never die, the finance company just fades 'em away."