A new exhibition in Brisbane that brings together four disparate photographers takes its cue from life and emotion.

Escapes. Whispers. Stories. Desire.

These are the concepts that inform Photos x Four, a new photography exhibition that fuses the work of four diverse photographers: Russell Fleming, Mark Lobo, Matthew Leasegang and James Debenham. The show, which opens on May 19, is being exhibited at the Brisbane Powerhouse.

“I like to think of it as four different corners,” Fleming, an established commercial and fashion photographer, and the exhibition’s helmsman, tells AXN.

“There are guys, there are girls, there are landscapes and there are personal portraits of people and couples. I think it’s going to get a lot of different reactions.”

Fleming, who will be showcasing photographs of the male form, takes on the theme of ‘Desire’. His images – masculine and sensual – capture this notion, but how you view it is open for interpretation. “Whether you desire to be one of the guys in my section or you desire to have one of those boys,” Fleming says, it’s up to you.

‘Escape’ captures the work of Matthew Leasegang, an emerging photographer who specialises in landscapes. “Matt is only new, but he’s very clever and very switched on,” Fleming says. “He will go where no one else will.”

‘Whispers’ is the foundation of James Debenham’s portraits, which puts a focus on women. “It’s about people and places for him,” Fleming says. And indeed, the whispers heard among them.

Finally, ‘Stories’ inform the work of Mark Lobo, a photographer that, according to Fleming, “likes to take his studio outside”.

“Mark is portrait artist,” Fleming adds. “He likes his photos to be genuine and wants to encase something about the person or people in the photograph.” As such, each image will have its own story to tell.

Such variety, rarely seen in photography exhibitions that celebrate queer culture, explores a broad spectrum of persuasions and tastes. And Fleming hopes that, through such diversity, everyone will be able take something unique from it.

“I think some people will appreciate it for its beauty value. Some people may look at it for its lust value. Some people will look at it and just see it for its commercial potential. I think it’s going to be received in different ways by different people.” AXN

Photos x Four: Escapes, Whispers, Stories and Desire, May 19-June 6, Brisbane Powerhouse. For more info, email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it