Emerging artist Kirralea Birch’s new photographic exhibit to walk the line ‘Between Worlds’

One of Busselton’s up-and-coming artists is set to showcase her latest works in an exciting new photographic exhibition. Kirralea Birch, winner of last year’s Emerging Artist prize in the City of Busselton’s Art Awards opened her exhibit Between Worlds on Wednesday, showcasing a variety of emotive self portraits. A West Australian artist, Birch pursues the liminal space between reality and dreams, with a particular interest in playing with the viewer’s sense of the familiar and strange, producing visual narratives that are eerie and alluring. Birch said she enjoys the idea of exposing “guarded moments” through photographs. “I was introduced to photography as a young girl, my father, an astronomer, taught me how to use a camera and a darkroom,” she said. “I initially wanted to emulate the beauty I saw in scientific photographs, but eventually became interested in very grainy images, where the line between reality and the infinite began to blur. “My photographs are self-portraits — offerings of private, guarded moments. “They speak of illusion, delusion, memory, time, longing, capturing moments of beauty, of sadness, of finality, of impending change, exploring moments where the self becomes the other, where the personal becomes no longer private.” The exhibition will take over the Old Courthouse complex’s Bond Store until May 24, with complex curator Sharon Williams saying she is looking forward to sharing it with the public. “We are excited to have an extended body of work on display in the Bond Store, Kirralea’s moody portraits will really engage people’s imagination,” she said.