“Nostalgia acts as a way of personal time travel,” according to photographer Deb Leal. Explorations of colour, identity and memory are threaded across the artist’s body of work. We Had to Wait Until Dinnertime depicts a idyllic summertime scene, where the sun bathes a figure in an orange glow
and grass shrivels beneath the heat. The overly saturated palette creates wistful, serene scenes reminiscent of the artist’s childhood. “What I find myself drawn to in the creative process are candid moments that hold gravity.” For Leal, these vibrant hues are a celebration of joyful moments, but also remind us of the ephemeral nature of experience.
Image Credit: Deb Leal, We Had to Wait Until Dinnertime (detail), (2022). Colour negative photograph, 61cm x 61cm.
