Man and Shadow Ed. 1 of 5

By March 2017, South Korea was bracing itself for a possible nuclear war with its hermit kingdom neighbour. The North, an impoverished nation (led by the world's most ghastly Gen Y freak), had been testing nuclear bombs and launching missiles like there was no tomorrow. Indeed, for millions of Koreans, the prospect of 'no tomorrow' looms large.

Despite living in one of the world's most advanced countries, Koreans must daily grapple with the ghosts of the Twentieth Century. This picture was taken in front of the Dong-daemon Design Plaza, a giant silvery construction in the middle of Seoul. The gentleman depicted is seen looking placidly outward to a glowing light produced by the best sort of nuclear reaction.

Shot on 6x6cm square film, Kodak TriX.

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Alex Frayne has been involved in film and images from his earliest school days. Beginning with an 8mm camera in hand he has continued his love affair with visual media ever since. His stills photography work has earned acclaim and his work is held in galleries including the National Portrait Gallery (two images in the Permanent Collection).

He shoots mainly analogue film formats, including 6x6cm, 6x9cm and 35mm formats. In 2023 his performance MUSIC FOR OTHER WORLDS had its world premiere at the prestigious Adelaide
Festival of Arts, featuring the esteemed pianist Paul Grabowsky responding in real time to a series of his photographs projected.

In 2026 his American Photographic Essay MANIFEST DESTINY premiered at the Adelaide Festival Of Arts to huge acclaim. Rosemary Neil writing for The Australian proclaimed it "the best photographic exhibition I have seen in years."

He has four art books published by Wakefield Press. Simon Caterson, for The Australian, writes: "the last book confirms that Frayne deserves to be thought of alongside Ansel Adams and the other great landscape photographers.' (Landscapes of South Australia, Wakefield Press, 2020).

BOOKS (all published by WAKEFIELD PRESS, ADELAIDE)

-Adelaide Noir, 86pg, 2015
-Theatre of Life, Portraits - 80pg, 2017
-Landscapes of South Australia, 216 pg, 2020 (3 print runs)
-Distance and Desire, 216 pg 2024