May 2011
After undertaking an Issues in Art Conservation subject for my Master of Art Curatorship at the University of Melbourne I have become more aware of the fragility of my black and white fibre-based prints and negatives. I have therefore decided to scan my medium format negatives (taken on my trusty Mamiya RZ67) and made during the years 1991-1997, to preserve them in the form of an online archive as a process of active memory, so that the images are not lost forever.
These photographs were images of my life and imagination at the time of their making, the ideas I was thinking about and the people that surrounded me. As such they form part of life – of Melbourne, of Australia and of humanity in general. The preservation of such moments in time are vital to the continuing enrichment of culture. See more of my early black and white photographs on the Marcus Bunyan black and white archive 1991-1997 page.
All images © Marcus Bunyan. Please click on the photographs for a larger version of the image.
1991
The Regent Theatre series
The photographs of the dilapidated Regent Theatre in Collins Street, Melbourne were taken with the permission of the National Trust after the theatre had been closed for 21 years on an open day when the theatre was open to the public. The series formed part of my first solo exhibition Of Magic, Music and Myth held in 1991 at a hairdressing salon in High Street, Prahran, Melbourne. All photographs © Marcus Bunyan.
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Arts from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Coronation from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Exit from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Music and Light from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Music from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Nocturne from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Six-coned speaker with pillars from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Stairs, bannister, bowl and pillars from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Twin pillars from The Regent Theatre series
1991
Vintage gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan
looking at these is like meeting with old friends after years and years – i remember them in the darkroom – in the corridor and sink in the bleaching and toning room- I remember them in reviews- so familiar and so very beautiful in this digital madness
ah anna those were the days!
lots of other prints to come in the black and white archive, some that were never even printed at the time
i still don’t think you can beat an analogue black and white print for presence
they have a certain aura to them 🙂
thankx for writing the lovely comment hope life is good!
M