SHARE TWEET PIN EMAIL 29 May 2012 richard orjis: park An alluring publication and exhibition showcases both new and past work of the renowned New Zealand photographer. You can’t help but be seduced by photographer Richard Orjis’s work – his dark and atmospheric images call for more than just a second glance, as do his shadowy and ritualistic subject matters. Having long been fans of the New Zealand photographer’s hauntingly beautiful and slick photographic prints, we’ve been pouring over the pages of his latest publication entitled ‘Park’, which will be officially launching to coincide with this year’s Auckland Festival of Photography and his own solo exhibition ‘Under Quiet Volcanoes’, being held at the Melanie Roger gallery this month. Richard’s exhibition ‘Under Quiet Volcanoes’ features new photographs alongside sculptural and installation based work. Known for his tendency to delight in illustrating the ongoing conflict between themes such as humans and nature and ritual and the banal, his work has an ever present, yet alluring sense of disturbing fascination contained within it. Often appearing ritualistic or cult-like, his breathtaking pieces employ a highly skilled use of lighting that leaves the colour, texture and iconography of a host of differing materials and subjects to speak dramatically from within the blackness that they emerge from. Within the controlled environment of his studio, Richard carefully constructs his tableaux and elaborate installations. Floral still-life, ferocious dogs, auspicious bones and candles and bejeweled flowers are just some of the subject matters that make up his impressive large-scale scenarios. More recently in his new work, Richard has honed his craft with a combination of unsurpassed photography skills and digital manipulation that sees initial photographs of objects cut and super imposed to produce images overflowing with intricate detail. We’ll certainly be heading along to the exhibition pick out a piece of Richards’s original work to go on the wish list. However, in the meantime, we’ll settle happily for the beautiful book.