Rai De Weerdt
De Weerdt’s body of work is defined by a constellation of photographic images that are embedded within a sophisticated visual language. The series Soft Colonialism, in particular, draws from early 20th century ethnographic photographs, which have been superimposed with Western-style dress patterns.
De Weerdt’s images operate on the assumption that the viewer recognises the constructed nature of the premise presented. He does not seek to persuade the viewer otherwise, but instead, invites them to contemplate the likely, plausible, or conceivable consequences of a fabricated image. By doing so, De Weerdt engages his audience in a critical dialogue about the complexities of colonialism and its impact on contemporary culture.
EDUCATION:
Undergraduate Sydney College of the Arts (SCA)
Raimond de Weerdt lives and works in Australia.
The central concept behind De Weerdt’s work is to illuminate the fact that colonialism functions not only through exploitation but also by introducing new customs, such as food, sport, and fashion. Through his thought-provoking imagery, De Weerdt seeks to challenge conventional notions of power and authority, particularly in the context of cultural imperialism.
“At night I dabbled in my art and I stumbled across this alternative way of making photographs... Cyanotype and Gum bichromate. It’s a beautiful process.”
Interview:
