Mimmo Cozzolino - 'Moments'

Wednesday 30 October - Sunday 24 November 2019

Mimmo Cozzolino’s Moments exhibition is a series painted in mixed media on used X-ray film. His curiosity about X-rays as a suitable substrate to adopt for his art practice started after his parents passed away and he helped clear their house. He found dozens of envelopes full of X-rays that he took back to his studio. Initially, he used the X-rays to hand-cut stencils that he then used for painting on canvas. Eventually, Cozzolino began painting directly on the used X-ray film and liking the effect of leaving small areas of unpainted film for contrast.

The element of visual surprise that his working process can, and often does, produce is what motivates him to keep creating:

I want to be inspired by the images that come to the surface by chance and almost autonomously. They generally suggest other visual paths to explore. Only later do I try to imagine the meaning these images may offer, yet some images puzzle me completely, and I like this too.

Italian born, Mimmo Cozzolino arrived in Melbourne with his family at the age of 12. After an eclectic career as a graphic designer, in 2001 he made a significant sea change, following the chance to pursue his passion for art photography. Winner of the 2003 Leica/CCP Documentary Photography Award indicates he made a good decision; his unorthodox entry expanded the possibilities of documentary photography but caused the competition rules to be changed for future awards. In addition, a full set of prints from each of his three solo photography exhibitions are held by the State Library of Victoria.

Cozzolino holds a Master of Fine Art from Monash University (2012). His image making interests include photography, drawing (traditional and digital) and painting. Inspired by the surrealists, Cozzolino often employs chance and random actions in his image making. He particularly admires the philosophy of John Cage and this composer’s predilection for chance to guide creative output.