Evan Cooper
Cafuné
28 May - 08 June 2025
G4
Opening Night
Friday 30 May | 6 - 8 pm
◼︎
Evan was introduced to photography in high school in the 80s. He was planning on making it a career, but after a family medical emergency changed his path it became a hobby. And in many ways he is glad that it did.
His photography projects are solely about what he want to explore and present to the world. It is also a way of blocking out the stressing of modern life and focus on something creative.
His current exhibition works focus on multiple-exposure photography. He also ties to find ways to present the work differently to standard printed photography.
His "Echoes and Whispers" exhibition was exhibited after being printed on georgette so that it was sheer and able to move with the air currents of the room. The images were also printed 1.4x1.8 metres in size so that the images could fill a large portion of a person's vision.
His "Smile" exhibition was printed on velvet which invited people to connect with and then touch the image.
While he uses digital photography in these multiple exposure works, He also explores analogue processes such printing and hand-colouring. Evan likes to use older techniques to introduce people to them in a modern context.
Artist Bio
“Cafuné” is a word of Brazilian Portuguese origin, meaning to gently run your fingers through someone's hair.
While society has lost many of the restrictive views of sex between consenting adults, sometimes we have lost the ability to find simple affection between people we care about.
Physical contact has been shown to have healing qualities. In hospitals there are programs called "cuddle mums", where people (they don't have to be women) hold or cuddle premature babies, if their own family are unable to. Human contact can help a newborn thrive in a way that simple medical intervention and care cannot.
In most cities there are clubs or locations that can easily facilitate sexual activity, but the same cannot be said for finding a person to give you a hug when you need it. There are apps where you can connect with someone to come to your home to f&%K, but none exist that help you connect with a person to snuggle on the couch, eating popcorn and binge watching.
These works explore the healing power of affection and the importance of physical contact with no hidden agenda - other than to let people know that they are important just as they are.
Contact
Phone : (03) 9482 3550
mail@redgallery.com.au
Address
157 St Georges Rd
Fitzroy North, Victoria, 3068
Map
How to get here
Tram: Route 11
Stop 21 just north of Edinburgh Gardens
Melway Ref: 30B12
Parking in nearby streets
Bus: 504 (Reid Street)
