Village of dreams
March 2013
Limited edition Scott Universita metallic photographic prints will be displayed in Toorak Village shop windows in late March and early April.
The two-week exhibition, Toorak Village Fotofest, follows the shopping district’s previous exhibitions Art Affair and Sculpture Exhibition, which were held last May and October. More than 60 Universita photographs will be exhibited in 60-plus shops and businesses in the shopping district, as the shop windows transform into mini galleries.
President of the Toorak Village Traders Association and event director, Tony Fialides, said previous exhibitions created vibrancy in the shopping district.
“It certainly creates a difference in the village. You see the people, especially with the sculpture exhibition, walking around with their catalogues, looking for the artwork. Basically what we’re trying to do with Toorak is turn it – although we haven’t got any galleries here as such – into an art precinct. We want people to get used to the idea that Toorak will put on shows.”
Local photographer Scott Universita is self-taught and his limited edition photographs are professionally mounted and framed in copper, as his photographs are imbued with copper plate and oxidised patina and then mounted in designed boxes.
“It’s easily the best framing presentation I’ve ever seen,” Fialides says. “The frames themselves are a work of art.”
Universita, whose work is influenced by vintage architectural and travel photography, is the first solo exhibitor for Toorak Village.
“We thought his work was strong enough to do it,” Fialides explains. “He’s had success selling in his work in Melbourne and Sorrento, so judging by the amount of people that had already bought his work we thought it was worthy of a putting on a solo exhibition. Hopefully if this works out we will be looking for some other artists so we can hold more solo exhibitions.”
With more than 60 shops exhibiting his work, Universita is working hard to get his work for the exhibition finished as advance publicity for the Fotofest exhibition allowed him to sell more of his art.
“He’s working night and day. There will be nothing left of him by the start of the exhibition. He’s surprised himself because there’s been a little bit of publicity about him and even word of mouth, so people have been jumping on his work.”
Scott Universita at Toorak Village Fotofest, from March 22 to April 7.
Toorak Village Fotofest is a free event that is open 24 hours a day. All photographs are for sale.
Toorak Village is between Wallace Ave and Grange Road, just east of Williams Road; simply catch the No 8 Tram from Federation Square, along Toorak Road to stop no 35.
toorakvillage.com.au
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