Dillon Marsh
DILLON MARSH: Visualizing the Imprint of Industry
Born in 1981 in Cape Town, where he continues to reside and create, Dillon Marsh is an artist whose medium of choice is photography, a passion that took hold during his time at the University of Stellenbosch, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art. Marsh's artistic journey is distinguished by his exploration of the intersection between the natural landscape and human intervention, a theme that runs deeply through his solo and group exhibitions both within Africa and across Europe.
In addition to his personal projects, Marsh has cultivated a rich experience as a professional retouch artist, a skill that has significantly influenced his artistic practice. This expertise in post-production has allowed him to seamlessly integrate computer-generated imagery (CGI) into his photographs. This innovative approach enables Marsh to uncover and elucidate underlying features or dynamics of his subjects that would remain invisible through traditional photography alone.
From the series For What It's Worth
"From the Series: For What It's Worth" by Dillon Marsh is a profound inquiry into the mining industry's impact on the South African landscape and its broader socio-economic fabric. Stemming from a curiosity to materialize the abstract enormity of the mines' outputs against the backdrop of the mines themselves, Marsh embarked on a visual exploration that spans the copper mines of Namaqualand to the diamond mines of the Northern Cape, and further into the gold fields of the Witwatersrand Basin.
The Witwatersrand Basin, known for holding the world's largest gold reserves and accounting for about 50% of all the gold ever mined, becomes a focal point in Marsh's series. Through a combination of on-site photography and CGI, Marsh crafts striking visual representations of mine outputs as colossal orbs, juxtaposed against the landscapes that bear the scars of extraction. This visual technique not only draws attention to the sheer scale of the mining outputs but also prompts a deeper reflection on the environmental and economic implications of such endeavors.
Marsh's recent work extends his inquiry to the extraction of platinum group metals, continuing his exploration of South Africa's mining sector. Through his unique blend of photography and digital art, Marsh invites viewers to contemplate the complex interplay between human industry and the natural world, challenging us to consider the true cost of the commodities that shape our modern existence.
From the series Assimilation
Dillon Marsh's work stands as a compelling narrative on the transformative power of human activity on the earth's surface, urging us to reflect on the legacy of industrial pursuits and their lasting imprint on both the environment and society.
