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| Murray Hedwig | |
| Matakana PicturesExhibitions Artists |
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The Terminator Series My wife Bev was diagnosed with a brain tumour in March 2001 and two days later had an operation to de-bulk the tumour and relieve the pressure on the brain. The follow-up tests on the tumour identified this to be Gliobastoma Multiforme the most aggressive of the brain tumours or grade 4, the most common type in adults. I have used this shocking and brutal term as a collective title for a series of works that deals with the roller coaster of a journey in caring and supporting her through treatment and towards her death. Initially I was just focused on photographing the making of a mould of her head, the fitting of the resulting Perspex mask, the radiation treatment process but this was extended later to include a second operation to de-bulk a new tumour. I didn’t do any shooting around the time of the first operation. I was in a shock state and was intensely involvement in what was happening to my wife, realising this was life changing. I returned back to part time teaching when she had recovered from the radiation treatment and this coincided with a project I was doing with my students called Alternative Processes. Each year I worked on a personal theme to demonstrate the use of experimental darkroom technique that could extend the creative possibilities of image making. I took up the challenge of this theme knowing that it was emotionally close. I worked on trying to combine the words from the ‘Terminator’ article, which I had collaged and transferred to contact lith film, with some images of Bev being fitted with the mask and in treatment by combinations of darkroom exposure. These results didn’t have the subtle qualities that I felt they needed and they sat in a folder for over a year. It was while I was at home in a full time care situation that I revaluated the early tests. My skill level in Photoshop was now greatly enhanced with professional work so I felt confident that the digital environment was the right platform to re-explore this project. The tools in the software allowed for more subtle ways that images could be combined. Darkroom prints were custom processed with painted-on developer using a pastry brush and then scanned and brought into a final layered digital working environment. I researched in the hospital library to find out what GBM looked like and have used its visual form in either pattern to symbolise its potential growth or to show its bold aggressive form on the move. The first created work GBM: The Terminator represents a ‘story’ from patient in radiation treatment through to my interpretation of the letting go process of death.. Murray Hedwig |
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Murray Hedwig 24. Mask/Shadow Price: $5000 |
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Murray Hedwig 25. 3 Days in March Price: by Negotiation |
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Murray Hedwig 26. GBM: The Terminator Price: by Negotiation |
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