Andrew Stark

Andrew Stark (born 1964-) has photographed on the streets and thoroughfares of his native Sydney since the early 1980s using a wholly candid style and a battered second hand SLR. A reclusive figure, he has captured the everyday comings and goings of the cities inhabitants with poetic candor and selfless consideration. The year 2003 saw the publishing of his first book "Snaps from Sydney", and was followed in late 2006 by a major exhibition "Starkers" at the Museum of Sydney.[1] Throughout 2007 Stark documented the Sutherland Shire district, infamous for the 2005 Cronulla race riots and the resultant body of work "Down South", was shown at the Hazelhurst Gallery during late 2008.

Wandering the streets, hunting, searching, willing the moment to be poetic. Always working within a non interference discipline where absolutely anything goes so long as you remain within the 'candid' framework. The historical or truth dimension to the work has always been vitally important.
Stark explains, "I genuinely believe photography to be at it's most potent when underscored by truth. To contrive is to control and frankly I'm more interested in observation than direction. Riding the ebb and flow of Sydney's streets, approaching the next corner afresh, never quite knowing what may present itself in the adjoining street. That's the random beauty of street photography. Control has to be a stultifying, creative brake. The magic, emotion charged moments are in my experience invariably captured using an almost sub conscious process, they must never be orchestrated and can rarely be dogmatically collated."
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