Nihilartikel

The German term nihilartikel is often used to describe intentional errors or fictitious entries in reference works such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, maps, and directories, made to identify copies. For Pluta, the idea that the term itself could be a hoax and that fictional items might reside in a volume of perceived knowledge is a way of grappling with concepts of authenticity and photographic representation. Pluta's engagement with specific sites and collected ephemera tries to undermine the very nature of such systems of knowledge and image-making that are driven by pursuits to understand phenomena and natural forces.

At the centre of this exhibition is the installation ‘Variable depth, shallow water’ 2021 that visits the debris of the submerged limestone rock formation known as The Azure Window. Pluta was drawn to this former sea arch that was once an impressive expression of geological time. The work incorporates handmade contact negatives of unhinged atlases and an object recast from a faux artefact found in the depths of where the Pacific Ocean and the East China Sea meet. An accompanying set of photographs depict subterranean passages and translate visual material sourced from out-of-date atlases and dictionaries of physical and human geography, conflating languages of photography and the nuances they embody as physical objects.

Curated by José Da Silva
UNSW GALLERIES January 15-March 6 2022