Rex Dupain Dead Sea Colour | renataartdesign.com

ABOUT

In the sweeping, surreal landscapes of the Dead Sea, photographer Rex Dupain has embarked on a project that merges the timeless with the transient capturing the raw, mysterious beauty of a place whose future is as uncertain as its ancient past. Known for his striking and unexpected compositions, Rex Dupain has visited the Dead Sea to produce a series of images that speak to both the ephemeral nature of life and the profound geological forces that shape our planet.

Rex Dupain’s new body of work, centred around balloons inflated and released into the air, explores the Dead Sea not only as a physical location but as a metaphor for impermanence, transformation, and fragility. At first glance, the juxtaposition of balloons—light, delicate, and easily carried by the wind—against the immense, ancient backdrop of the Dead Sea’s harsh, mineral-rich landscape creates a visual tension that invites deeper contemplation. The balloons, rising into the air, seem to float effortlessly against the starkness of the salt-encrusted earth below, embodying the paradox of life thriving in one of the most hostile environments on Earth.

ARTIST

Rex Dupain

Rex Dupain was introduced to photography at a young age. However, he put his photographic pursuits on hold to study painting in the 1970s at The National Art School, where he later taught painting and drawing from 1987 – 1997. In 1992 he completed a Master of Fine Arts (Painting) at the University of New South Wales and pursued a successful career as a painter. He was a finalist in each of the Archibald (1982), Wynne (1991, 1992) and Sulman prizes (1986) at the Art Gallery of NSW.

In the mid-1990s Rex rediscovered his love and talent for photography. His work has since been widely shown around Australia including solo exhibitions at the National Trust of Australia, and the Museum of Sydney. He has also had international solo shows at the Australian Embassy in Paris and at the Michael Reid Gallery in Berlin. His work has been collected by major galleries including the National Trust of Australia, the Royal Society of London, and the University of Lisbon, Portugal as well as private collections owned by Sir Elton John and Baz Luhrmann.

Rex has authored six books, including Bondi to Broken Hill (Harper Collins Publishers), Australia: 100 Photographs (Penguin Publishing), Inside Sydney (New Holland Publishers), The Colour of Bondi (New Holland Publishers) and Australia Images (New Holland Publishers). Rex has appeared on an ABC Documentary, Sunday Arts and as part of his book launches, he spoke at the Melbourne Writer’s Festival and the Museum of Sydney.

Rex currently resides in Sydney, Australia.