Selected as part of the 2024 ARTEXPRESS showcase at Hazelhurst Arts Gallery.

The Dying Art of the Handshaper is a fine arts investigation into the intricate dynamic between technological advancement and the inevitable erosion of artisanal expertise. Large-scale monochromatic photographs, coupled with a photographic storybook and short film, examine the practice of a seasoned surfboard handshaper to represent how the vibrancy of authentic expression is fading.

Paradoxically, the surfboards are made of fibreglass, so the dying craft of an artisan is illustrated on a material that does not decompose.

My intention is to encourage audiences to reflect upon the consequences of the relentless pursuit for technological advancement, and to cherish expressions of individualism that define humanity.