Unshore
SOPHIE ZELDER
1 – 23 August, 2026
Upcoming Exhibitions in the Blackroom
Sophie Zelder
Unshore
1 – 23 August, 2026
We take photographs to record what we observe, but it is often only in looking back that we realize what we were truly capturing.
Drawn from reference photos and photo collages taken over the summer of 2024, this series began as a technical experiment: pushing the variable medium of wood lithography (Mokulito) into the delicate realm of figurative portraiture. The medium’s habit of leaving unexpected swatches and blotches became a perfect mirror for the themes that emerged, reflecting the dualities of the coast and a deeper climate of uncertainty.
Capturing candid moments across generations at Portsea and Phillip Island, these prints trace the timeless, sensory rituals of the coast—the exhilaration of the surf, salty skin, and quiet contemplation by the water. From young lives looking out toward the horizon to older figures resting on the sand, the subjects in these works inhabit the shoreline at various turning points in life.
Yet beneath the bright haze of a classic summer lies an acute awareness of fragility. These portraits also look beyond the immediate joy of the beach to confront the vulnerability of the present. They acknowledge how easily our realities can shift, how futures pivot, and how quickly trajectories can alter.
A play on certainty and the coastline, Unshore explores the tension between deep gratitude for the present and the delicate, shifting nature of the future. Ultimately, these pieces are an invitation to stand on the shore, bring your own narrative to the space, and see what resonates.
Group Show
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28 August – 21 September, 2026
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Maria Radun
Edges of Home
26 September – 18 October, 2026
Edges of Home brings together nine seascapes inspired by the changing light and rugged coastline of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula. Each painting looks towards the meeting of land and sea, a place I return to for rest, fresh air, and a chance to reset. Time spent at the water’s edge quiets the distractions of everyday life and shifts my attention to the movement of light, weather, and tide.
The paintings are made in oil on reinforced aluminium panels rather than traditional stretched linen. Strong, rigid, and weather-resistant, the panels are more than a practical choice. In using them, I make a quiet gesture of protection, giving stronger support to a coastline whose beauty lies in its vulnerability and constant change.
Together, the works move between calm and energy, from still shorelines and early morning light to breaking waves and drifting sea spray. They celebrate the wild beauty of the coastline that surrounds my home and continues to shape the way I see and experience this place.
