For Ross Spirou, photography is more than just an artistic medium through which he expresses himself; photography is who he is.
Which is why his latest exhibition, ‘Exposed’, taking place as part of this year’s Midsumma program, is such an appropriate title.
“This is such a big deal for me at the moment,” he says.
“Not just being apart of the festival, but showing my work itself. Every artist out there, their aim is to showcase what they do, who they are.”
Living in a time where almost everybody is a photographer with social media platforms such as Instagram and tumblr, Spirou admits he was over the moon to be chosen as the winner of The Laird’s Men on Men Art Competition.
“I’ve got all the prints at home at the moment and the excitement is building up. But more than anything, I’m excited to say to the world ‘this is who I am, this is what I do’. It’s such an amazing opportunity,” he says, humbled.
The 53-year-old’s love of photography started at the age of 18. A creative at heart, Spirou started out sketching and drawing, but recalls that once he got his hands on his first camera, the new medium became his focus.
“I have not touched a pencil since because the camera nowadays is my creative and artistic outlet,” he explains.
Largely self-taught, it wasn’t until the age of 45 that the Cyprus-born photographer decided to embark on a formal education in photography at NMIT.
“I did the course, not because I wanted to do photography for a living, but because I’d always wanted to learn the technical side of things. And I’m glad that I did because I have grown within myself as a photographer in more ways than one,” he reveals.
PHOTO: ROSS SPIROU
Over the next seven years, Spirou took his new-found knowledge abroad, travelling through Africa and Asia to Kenya, India and Nepal where he explored, took photos and volunteered his services.
“I went to Kenya twice, where I volunteered at an orphanage and I went to India and Nepal where a bunch of friends and myself did charity work, fundraising and so on,” he says.
It’s not surprising the photographer identifies as an “earthy person”. The majority of the photos currently being exhibited have been taken in various locations through Victoria, many of which depict the human form nude and among nature.
“I like the planet, the soil, the trees, the birds, the rivers, the mountains and the lakes; it’s always been part of me throughout my life.
“What I like is, when you look at the human skin, it’s very soft and very smooth in texture. So when the human body is photographed against nature and its ruggedness, you have that actual contrast between the skin and the rough
texture, whether it’s a log or a rock.”
But like all brilliant photography, what is seen by the human eye has a plethora of hidden meaning behind it.
“Sometimes what I try and portray in my images is that as humans we like to wear clothes and act as if we are tough, as if we are dominant on the planet and so on. But when the human is stripped of the clothes that they are wearing, we are vulnerable, just like everything else on the planet, and that’s what I try and portray sometimes,” Spirou explains.
While his love of nature and the human form is ever-present in his work, the photographer prefers not to pigeonhole himself.
“I don’t just photograph one specific subject; I go from landscapes to fine art, to long exposure to photographing people and birds and nature and everything else in between,” he says.
“This is why I say when you look at art, you’re basically looking at the soul of the person that is behind the artist – because that’s their artistic expression – it’s the artist saying ‘this is who I am’. It’s the same thing with my photography.”
‘Exposed’ is on show from 16 January-5 February, 2016 at The Laird, 149 Gipps Street, Abbotsford, VIC. Please be advised that The Laird is a men-only venue. To see more of Ross Spirou’s work, visit www.instagram.com/ross_spirou/ (@ross_spirou)