Phil Elverum ‘Six Real Ghosts’

Elverum, egalitarian in regard to equipment, uses built-in faults to his advantage. A camera with flawed focus, co-opted surplus parts and expired film adding a beautiful uncertainty to the results.

His collected photographs, taken over time – here from 2000 to 2005 – and here and there, from local Anacortes, to Japan, France and Norway… But, it could as much be water lapping our shores, mountains straddling the New South Wales/Victoria border.

The quiet in the photos translates, regardless of the memory triggered. For Elverum, the search is for the idea – arrangements of colours and shapes, sounds – that for him evoke Mount Eerie, an actual peak in the Pacific Northwest.

Taking the name for his musical project, and with his creative output dedicated to its pursuit, he conveys a common reverence for the broad internal ocean within us all.

Phil Elverum was in exhibition at Chapter House Lane in partnership with Sugar Mountain Festival where he performed as Mount Eerie.