John Brookes' exhibition uses black snow to share scary environmental message

John Brookes' An Environmental Exhibition presents to the viewer a nightmare landscape - a frightening future in which humans have destroyed the nature they claim to have loved so much.

The exhibition - which is at the Belconnen Community Gallery from October 23 to December 8 - started with a series of photographs taken by the artist following recent heavy snowfall around the Snowy Mountains.

He said he originally intended to publish them as they were, but the further he got from the isolated spots, and the closer to human habitation, the less pristine the snow became.

He found snow dug up by feet, skis and snowboards, "tainted by emissions" and "black in places".

"It occurred to me that this is a common bond that ties humanity together wherever they are - a love of nature, paradoxically combined with the less positive bond of global climate change, and bespoiling of that nature," he said.

"Therefore, I reversed out the images to turn the bright snow whites to black and grey; a glimpse of a future where humans have destroyed the very nature they claim to love so much."

The altered images are shown alongside the originals to provide contrast in the provocative exhibition.

John is also encouraging local community members and environment groups to take part in the exhibition - inviting them to submit their own images depicting the impacts of climate change in the ACT.

Submitted images will be featured on a dedicated website, with a prize to be awarded for the top "community choice" based on public votes.

The exhibition is open on weekdays, from 9am-5pm.

For more information email darksnow@mail.com or click here.

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