Henry Butterworth

Slack\'s Track

documents the suburban area of Mount Gravatt, in Brisbane, Australia, and the cultural, historical and societal aspects of the area that create a personal connection to not only the artist and his family, but also the people who live there. The series documents the rapid change that can be seen within the area; mainly through gentrification and the disappearance of traditional 1960s and 1970s style Queenslander homes. These quintessentially Australian homes are quickly being bought by developing companies, ripped out of the ground, and replaced with new modern homes to meet a growing demand, and a growing population. Through this, there is a noticeable shift, from predominantly White Australian, working and middle class families, to a new culturally diverse generation of young Australians. Through documenting the changing infrastructure and new demographics of Mount Gravatt, Henry is able to encapsulate a shift in traditional expectations for the area, making way for a more progressive and inclusive society. Despite capturing the shifting infrastructure and the contrast between new and old constructional developments of the area, Henry also documents people close to his heart, such as his grandparents, sister and friends. Despite the audience not necessarily aware of his personal connection to his subjects, through this, Henry is able to draw on a particular level of subjectivity to portray and evoke the emotions necessarily to accurately represent the both benign and bustling suburb of Mount Gravatt, Queensland.