Unnatured - First Site Gallery

In the nook of First Site is Xinshuo Zhuo’s Unnatured. Presented alongside three other exhibitions, Zhuo’s is the quietest. The works did not strike me at first sight, it was only in sitting with them- getting closer and truly taking my time that the detail and nuance struck me. Going back through them, finding the motifs (the butterflies, the obscured sun, the faceless woman, the hair) I wanted more. What Zhuo captures with analogue photography feels like nothing that could be imitated with modern means. There is a delicacy to the exhibition. 

The pictures read like they have been torn from a book. Some strange, undiscovered tale where hair flows into water, and clips fly away as butterflies. Zhuo’s capturing of figures is his strength- there is a story to be told between the figures and the butterflies, one of metamorphoses. These images carried the show. Zhuo could have limited himself to only exhibiting these and would have still carried the weight and emotional punch. 

Working entirely with analogue techniques and using black tea to tone the plant based paper, the photographs stand out in the crowded (exhibition-wise) space for their absence of bright colour. First Site is an RMIT Institution for good reason, but its lack of natural light, and cave-like nature, does few favours for Unnatured. Zhuo shines despite this- I can’t wait to see what they do next (hopefully above ground).

Unnatured is on at RMIT First Site until September 19 2025.