Xander Linger is an emerging photographic artist from Naarm/Melbourne, Australia exploring ideas surrounding the Anthropocene, in particular, our sometimes uncomfortable and all-too-human relationship to environment.
After initially studying Philosophy, he came to Photography quite late and it was after peering through the view-finder of his Mum’s dusty old OM2 that he fell quickly and deeply in love. With Xander’s practice situated firmly with the analogue traditions, and having worked as a framer and as a film lab technician, he became increasingly conscious of the sheer amount of waste involved in making analogue photographs and the disconnect this created with the stories he was trying to tell.
Xander has since begun to reinvent his photographic process, experimenting with plant-based developers and closing the loop of his practice by reusing ‘waste’ products. This is not just in an effort to be more ‘sustainable’ but more so to be more faithful/respectful to the subject matter and environment that he is making photographs within and with.
I acknowledge that many of my projects have been made throughout the lands, waterways and airways of ‘Australia’ and West Coast North America.
I have the deepest respect for the present histories of these original custodians but must also acknowledge photography’s own history in contributing directly and indirectly to the colonialism and violence suffered upon both Country and peoples.
Much of my work is about the vast interconnectedness of being, something that indigenous cultures have known about and practiced for millennia. I owe so much to the on-going work of these communities in championing a richer and more respectful way of life.
There is always so much more to learn, and the best way is to always listen.
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023 People Tree, WIP Gallery, Fitzroy, VIC
2019 Energetic Apathy, Glimpse Art Space, Northcote, VIC
2019 CREATE (from) WASTE, NOIR Darkroom, Coburg, VIC
2019 Hidden in Plain Sight, NOIR Darkroom, Coburg, VIC
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2024 The Active Image: Political Ecologies & Photographic Agency, The Sustainable Darkroom, UK
2024 Fort Earth, Melbourne, VIC
2023 ‘Hope’ A survey of Australian & New Zealand film photography, B-Side Gallery, Fitzroy, VIC
2023 ‘Past & Present: Der Greif 15th Anniversary, Pinakothek der Moderne, Munich, Germany
2022 Moving Visions, Loop Project Space, Melbourne, VIC
2019 Clairvoyance, NOIR Darkroom, Coburg, VIC
2019 Click 19, Brunswick Street Gallery, Fitzroy, VIC
2019 NOIR Street, NOIR Darkroom, Coburg, VIC
2018 Another Untitled Exhibition, 388 Barkly St, Brunswick, VIC
2018 NCAT Photography Exhibition, No Vacancy, Melbourne, VIC
2018 Monochrome Memories, Magnet Gallery, Melbourne, VIC
AWARDS/PRIZES
2024 Guest Room Selection, Der Greif x Sustainable Darkroom & Tamsin Green
2024 Clip Award 2024, Perth Centre for Photography (Semi-Finalist)
2023 Photo Collective’s Australian Photography Awards (Winner – Environment)
2019 Perimeter Small Book Prize (Finalist)
EDUCATION
2018 – 2019 Diploma of Photography and Photo Imaging, Northern College of the Arts and Technology
2017 Honours in Philosophy, University of Melbourne
2014 Sciences Po, Paris
2011 – 2015 Bachelor of Arts, University of Melbourne