Chris Bowes is an artist based in Melbourne, Australia, whose practice incorporates photography and found objects to create narrative-driven projects. Often seeking out disused or hidden locations, Bowes approaches his work with an archaeological curiosity, using the human remnants left behind to tie together a story for the spaces he uncovers. For Bowes, finding a definitive answer in this search is unimportant, with the images instead offering clues to a larger, unanswered puzzle.
Bowes has exhibited extensively within Australia and internationally, including two solo shows at the Perth Centre for Photography. In 2016 Bowes was the winner of the IRIS Award, and in 2015 he was awarded People’s Choice for the Macquarie Group Emerging Artist Prize. His works are held in several public collections, including LACMA and the Macquarie Group, and in 2014 Bowes self-published his first book, Money Talks, which is included in the Asian-Pacific Photobook Archive and the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library.
End of Life
After moving to Melbourne last year, I spent months staring out my window towards a derelict retirement home. When I received a letter in my mailbox telling me that the building would be torn down in a week’s time, I couldn’t hold back my curiosity any longer and began madly documenting the space.
End of Life features images shot inside the retirement home and a collection of objects salvaged from the space. I sifted through the remains of what was left behind, attempting to piece together some sort of idea of what life was like in this place. The building’s demise is now final, with only these traces to prove it once existed. I can’t help but think of it as a metaphor for the residents who once occupied it, many who no doubt share its fate.
To view more of Chris Bowes’s work please visit his website.