Capturing Starlight

Capturing Starlight is an exploration of time and space through the 1922 Wallal solar eclipse expedition in Western Australia.

Chloe Bartram brings together an exhibition revealing the dynamic relationship between artistry and documentation. 

The State Library of Western Australia houses an insightful collection connected to the 1922 Wallal solar eclipse expedition. This exhibition saw a delegation of international scientists and astronomers journey to the north-west of Western Australia to witness a solar eclipse, capture starlight and verify Albert Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity. 

Inspired by the collection, Capturing Starlight explores the tension between the photographic image as art and evidence through archival photography, fieldwork, and artefacts.

Be taken on a journey through time where art and archive intersect and uncover the past in new ways.

Chloe Bartram, a PhD candidate at Murdoch University, is a photographic artist and visual narrator currently residing in the seaside city of Fremantle, Western Australia. Using the conventions of social documentary and photography, Chloe endeavours to explore the idiosyncratic nature of the human condition, create new perspectives on the Aussie outback and bring the lived experiences of women to the centre of discussion.