Exhibition: ‘The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)’ at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

Exhibition dates: 1st March – 25th May, 2025

Curators: Angela Connor, MAPh Senior Curator, and Stella Loftus-Hills, MAPh Curator

Exhibiting artists: Colin Abbott, Robert Ashton, Con Aslanis, Polly Borland, Peter Bowes, John Brash, Peter Burgess, Nanette Carter, John Cato, Andrew Chapman, Lyn Cheong, Jon Conte, Kim Corbel, Paul Cox, Mimmo Cozzolino, Christina de Water, Duncan Frost, Rob Gale, Sandra Graham, Bill Henson, Julie Higginbotham, Graham Howe, Carol Jerrems, Moira Joseph, Peter Kelly, Christopher Köller, Johann Krix, Paul Lambeth, Derrick Lee, Peter Leiss, Carolyn Lewens, Steven Lojewski, Ian Macrae, James McArdle, Jim McFarlane, Rod McNicol, Julie Millowick, Peter Milne, Jacqueline Mitelman, Richard Muggleton, Martin Munz, Nicholas Nedelkopoulos, Greg Neville, Glen O’Malley, Viki Petherbridge, Ross Powell, Philip Quirk, Leonie Reisberg, Susan Russell, Stella Sallman, Athol Shmith, Geoff Strong, Ian Tippett, George Volakos, Stephen Wickham, Andrew Wittner, Ken Wright, Lynette Zeeng

 

Andrew Chapman (Australian, b. 1954) 'Lest we forget' 1980 from the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne, March - May 2025

 

Andrew Chapman (Australian, b. 1954)
Lest we forget
1980
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2024

 

 

Nurture

A world of creativity and transformation

This is a magnificent exhibition at the Museum of Australian Photography which showcases the work of students and teachers at Prahran College between 1958-1981.

People more eminent than myself have commented on the exhibition.

Gael Newton AM – formerly curator of photography at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, and the Senior Curator of Australian and International Photography at the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) in Canberra – “highlights the diverse and passionate nature of the Prahran College community, where an unstructured curriculum and open debates encouraged multiple approaches – from documentary and still life to collage and staged tableau – while the influence of European cinematic sensibilities and the local film and music scenes added depth to the artistic expression.”1

Daniel Palmer – Professor in the School of Art at RMIT University, his research and professional practice focuses on contemporary art and cultural theory, with a particular emphasis on photography and digital media – commenting on the era “frames the 1970s as a transformative era for Australian society and photography, characterised by social activism.”1

Helen Ennis – formerly Curator of Photography at the National Gallery of Australia and outstanding writer on Australian photography and photographers – emphasises “productive intergenerational exchanges between students and their older educators Prahran represented a space of creative possibility and hope” while acknowledging Prahran’s limitations including gender imbalance, “noting examination records from 1974 showing only five of twenty students were female, with the first woman (Julie Millowick) not appointed to teach until 1983.”1

“Ennis’s address brings to light from The Basement a critical reassessment of how we understand and present 1970s Australian photography. She advocated for approaches that preserve the complexity, contradictions, and energy of this formative period rather than imposing retrospective order that might simplify or misrepresent it. Her reflections bridge historical understanding with contemporary curatorial practice, suggesting ways to engage more authentically with photography’s rich past.”2

Bill Henson AO – former student and internationally acclaimed photographer – acknowledges that “that political movements such as feminism were present among Prahran’s students in the 1970s – “there were the feminists; there were little groups doing their social diligence” – he noted that these stances did not overshadow the college’s overarching emphasis on beauty and creative exploration. “There wasn’t this righteousness, this indignation, this kind of territorial thing about issues,” he said. In contrast there was an openness and enthusiasm that defined Prahran during his time there – a place where beauty and creativity were paramount.”3

On reflection

What struck me most about this exhibition was the creative strength of the STUDENT work … and that is something nobody mentions. This was student work.

These were artists finding their personal voice, exploring the world, being creative, learning how to envision the world in their photographs – through social documentary or conceptual, experimental photographs that challenged how Australian viewed itself. As Assoc. Professor James McArdle, a former student and one of the many driving forces behind this exhibition, insightfully observes:

“Prahran, at this time, was a nexus for the ‘New Photography’ movement in Australia, bringing to our country international developments from the 1960s, the candid, loosely structured photographic language that contrasted sharply with the rigid narratives of photojournalism and the increasingly commercial aesthetics of colour photography.

Prahran College itself played a critical role in the legitimisation of photography as an art form within Australia. It spearheaded the integration of art photography into tertiary education curricula, fostering an environment where young artists … could experiment formally and conceptually.”4

Indeed, Melbourne in the late 1960s and early 1970s could be seen as the nurturing centre of photography in Australia.

As my friend Ian Lobb said to me before he died, “In 1970 where did you go to see a fine art photograph on exhibition in a non-institutional gallery in Melbourne? The only place was the doorway to the John Cato / Athol Shmith / Peter Barr studio in Collins Street. You would never know which of the three photographers would have a print placed in that doorway.”5

But then things changed.

Variously, Melbourne had Jenny Boddington appointed curator of photography in 1972 at the National Gallery of Victoria, becoming the first such curator in Australia and perhaps only the third in the world.

Melbourne also had three commercial art photography galleries that supported local and international exhibitions, exposing major international photographers to local artists. These included Brummels Gallery of Photography reopened in the early 1970s by that wonderful photographer Rennie Ellis and deputy director Robert Ashton (Prahran), the first privately run art gallery in the country to be devoted specifically to photography; The Photographers’ Gallery and Workshop founded in 1973 by Paul Cox (Prahran), Ingeborg Tyssen, John F. Williams and Rod McNicol (Prahran), taken over by Ian Lobb in 1974 and joined by co-director Bill Heimerman in 1976 showcasing mostly American and some European original fine prints from major artists which were influential on Australian audiences and practitioners; and Church Street Photographic Centre opened by Joyce Evans OAM in 1976, the third commercial photographic gallery in 1970s Melbourne which exhibited international 19th and 20th Century photography

Prahran College was closely followed by Phillip Institute of Technology (PIT) which was a tertiary college in Bundoora which had an art photography course run by Ian Lobb and Les Walkling, from 6 January 1982 to 30 June 1992 at which time the school integrated as part of RMIT University. I attended PIT in 1991 and then RMIT University where I completed by doctorate, after having undertaken two years at Brighton Technical College completing two years on the basics of photography, a grounding for many budding photographers in those years under the direction of Peter Barker.

I remember at RMIT fine art photography course we would have reviews of student work every 4 weeks, where over 2 days students put up new work and we all sat together with the lecturers and discussed the ideas contained in the work. The atmosphere was electric, the disparate work, the in-depth conversations, the passion. Look at Greg Neville’s photograph Tutorial: lecturers and students [back row L–R Derrick Lee, Bryan Gracey, Athol Shmith, Paul Cox, Elizabeth Tainsh] (c. 1971, below) and you can feel a similar energy…

So Melbourne has been particularly blessed – I dislike that word but there is no other that really conveys what I mean – by this confluence of events, people and places that supported the rigorous investigation of photography and life that Prahran College was a part of. At Prahran there was optimism, social conscience, and an engagement with the street and with life, there was “creative rebellion and intellectual engagement”. I asked James McArdle at an artist’s talk about this: how exciting this would have been, the bouncing of ideas one off another, the sense of community and camaraderie, and yes they were all there … encouraging an “atmosphere” of creativity which has produced a generation of outstanding photographers who will leave a lasting legacy in the history of Australian photography.

As an artist who arrived as a “second generation” photographer after Prahran College I have a great affection for the people and the work produced in the exhibition.

I knew John Cato and his delightful wife Dawn Cato well and went down to their house for afternoon tea to discuss photography and life; together with Bill Heimerman I co-curated his retrospective at The Photographers’ Galley and Workshop in 2002, the text ‘and his forms were without number’ used in the book accompanying the exhibition John Cato Retrospective at the Ballarat International Foto Biennale in 2013 where Paul Cox and I made opening speeches. Both were good friends.

Joyce Evans was my substitute mother in Australia. What a wonderful, bohemian, creative, intelligent woman she was. I wrote “Nothing emerges from nothing,” foreword to her book We Had Such High Hopes: Student Activism and the Peace Movement 1949-1952, A Photographic Memoir by Joyce Evans 2019 published before she died, a book that instils the social conscience ethos emerging in postwar Australia which leads into the work of the Prahran College photographers. I still her miss greatly.

As I do both Ian Lobb and Bill Heimerman (pictured below in Peter Leiss’ Untitled [Bill Heimerman (right) and Ian Lobb (left) at the rear of The Photographers’ Gallery] c. 1975-1980), both good friends. Ian Lobb was my first photography lecturer at PIT and became my mentor and friend for over 30 years; Bill gave me three solo exhibitions at The Photographer’s Gallery and Workshop in my early days as an artist, and much excellent advice, for which I am forever grateful.

James McArdle and Gael Newton remain valued friends, both amazing fonts of knowledge in all aspects of photography and photographic research.


In conclusion, congratulations to all who have been involved in bringing this exhibition to fruition: artists, writers and curators. It is a magnificent achievement and a testament to the creativity and passion of the times, both theatre and document reflecting an era that sadly can no longer be repeated.

Prahran College photographers followed their heart and their eye, they possessed a curiosity which “evokes the care one takes for what exists or could exist; an acute sense of the real which, however, never becomes fixed; a readiness to find our surroundings strange and singular; a certain restlessness in ridding ourselves of our familiarities and looking at things otherwise; a passion for seizing what is happening now and what is passing away; a lack of respect for traditional hierarchies of the important and the essential.”6

However long I live, it has always been a privilege to be part of this community, to be part of the Melbourne photographic community.

Dr Marcus Bunyan

 

1/ James McArdle. “Launched!,” on the On This Date in Photography website, 6th April 2025 [Online] Cited 06/04/2025

2/ Helen Ennis quoted in James McArdle. “Unfixing,” on the On This Date in Photography website, 29th March 2025 [Online] Cited 06/04/2025

3/ Bill Henson opening speech summarised in James McArdle. “Opening!” on the On This Date in Photography website, 1st March, 2025 [Online] Cited 18/04/2025

4/ James McArdle. “Epoch,” on the On This Date in Photography website, 25th April, 2025 [Online] Cited 28/04/2025

5/ “Steve Lojewski [in the year ahead of me at PCAE] and I job shared at Shmith / Cato / Barr. A fantastic opportunity to work mainly in the darkroom, occasionally assisting in the studio and as they gained confidence in me sent out on [mickey mouse] jobs when they were double booked. A HUGE break and when Peter Barr bought out John and Athol and established Peter Barr & Associates he invited me to freelance out of his new studio. That offer would not have happened without the prior experience of the darkroom & studio work. My first job on the Monday morning of my 2 week trial for Athol, John and Peter was 250 prints [on fibre paper] of Malcom Fraser by 11.00 am [ie the wet deadline was 11.00. Dry and out the door was, from memory, 12.noon].”

Julie Millowick in conversation with Marcus Bunyan via Facebook, 20th May 2025

6/ Michel Foucault, “The Masked Philosopher” in Politics, philosophy, culture: interviews and other writings, 1977-1984. London: Routledge, 1988, p. 328


All installation photographs © Marcus Bunyan. Please click on the photographs for a larger version of the image.

Apologies if a couple of the photographs are slightly out of focus, these were digital RAW files shot on a Sony rx100 handheld at 1000ASA with low depth of field.

For more information please see The Prahran Photography website which upholds the legacy of Prahran College 1970s photography through posts on profiles of the alumni and lecturers (an ongoing project).

 

 

“Curiosity is a vice that has been stigmatized in turn by Christianity, by philosophy and even by a certain conception of science. Curiosity, futility. I like the word however. To me it suggests something all together different: it evokes concern; it evokes the care one takes for what exists or could exist; an acute sense of the real which, however, never becomes fixed; a readiness to find our surroundings strange and singular; a certain restlessness in ridding ourselves of our familiarities and looking at things otherwise; a passion for seizing what is happening now and what is passing away; a lack of respect for traditional hierarchies of the important and the essential.”


Michel Foucault, “The Masked Philosopher” in Politics, philosophy, culture: interviews and other writings, 1977-1984. London: Routledge, 1988, p. 328

 

 

Gallery One (clockwise)

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Wall text from the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne, March - May, 2025
Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne, March - May, 2025

 

Installation views of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

 

In May 1968 the newly formed photography department of Prahran Technical School (known as Prahran College of Advanced Education (PCAE) from 1973) moved into the basement of a freshly completed art and design building on the corner of High Street and Thomas Street in Melbourne’s inner southeastern suburb of Prahran. Here, for the first time in Australia, photography was taught as an artform.

Featuring the work of approximately 60 artists, The basement brings to light rare vintage prints from the 1960s through to the early 1980s, key archival ephemera and folio work – from students and teachers of the College’s Diploma of Art & Design (Photography). It was a period where new discussions developed quickly around the possibilities of what photography could be. These students and teachers were part of a progressive, edgy wave of image-makers excited about the medium’s potential.

Under the vanguard of influential photographers such as John Cato, Paul Cox and Athol Shmith, the school became a breeding ground for some of this country’s most important art photographers: Carol Jerrems, Bill Henson, Nanette Carter, Rod McNicol, Polly Borland, Peter Milne, Robert Ashton, Philip Quirk, Peter Leiss, Jacqueline Mitelman, Mimmo Cozzolino, Graham Howe and Julie Millowick, among many others.

The exhibition’s accompanying publication elucidates the experience from several perspectives. As we hear from the curators, students, colleagues and academics, it’s clear that this course, in this time, was of great consequence to our photographic ecosystem and its development.

Curated by Angela Connor, MAPh Senior Curator, and Stella Loftus-Hills, MAPh Curator, The basement gathers works from close to 60 artists, traversing over 13 years of image-making and adjacent subcultures in music, protest, fashion and art criticism. This landmark exhibition will deliver new research into the canon of Australia’s cultural history through its assembled works and attendant publication.

Text from the Museum of Australian Photography website

 

Installation view of the reverse of the opening wall of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Installation view of the reverse of the opening wall of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Moira Joseph (Australian, b. 1955)
'Jack with a cigarette sitting in the church garden, St Kilda'  1974 (installation view) from the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, March - May, 2025

 

Moira Joseph (Australian, b. 1955)
Jack with a cigarette sitting in the church garden, St Kilda (installation view)
1974
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection
Acquired 2024
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Moira Joseph (Australian, b. 1955)
'Herald boys, Fitzroy Street, St Kilda' 1975 (installation view)

 

Moira Joseph (Australian, b. 1955)
Herald boys, Fitzroy Street, St Kilda (installation view)
1975
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection
Acquired 2024
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Moira Joseph is a Melbourne-based professional photographer, filmmaker and teacher. She studied photography at Prahran College from 1974 to 1977. Joseph created the works on display here while she was a student. Armed with her Mamiya 220 medium-format camera, Joesph often walked between the College and her home in St Kilda, affectionately documenting the characters she regularly encountered. Jack with a cigarette sitting in the church garden, St Kilda (1974), for example, shows an elderly gentleman from a nearby men’s refuge sitting alone in Acland Street’s church square. Children regularly feature in Joseph’s student work, and she spent time photographing at luna park, as well as Prahran Primary School.

Wall text from the exhibition

Moira Joseph alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Moira Joseph (Australian, b. 1955)
'Three Herald boys, Acland Street, St Kilda' 1975 (installation view)

 

Moira Joseph (Australian, b. 1955)
Three Herald boys, Acland Street, St Kilda (installation view)
1975
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection
Acquired 2024
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Julie Millowick 's photographs

 

Installation view of the first gallery of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Julie Millowick ‘s photographs from clockwise: ANZAC woman alone, draped in leopard skin coat, 1975; Carlisle Street shopping, 1975; Luna Park, St Kilda, 1975; Mother and child from 46 Blanche Street, St Kilda, 1977 from the series Portraits of women
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Julie Millowick studied photography at Prahran College from 1974 to 1976 and gained early experience working in the darkroom of Athol Shmith, John Cato and Peter Bart. She is widely known for her work as a commercial photographer and photojournalist as well as her personal documentary projects.

1975 was Millowick’s second year at Prahran College, and also International Women’s Year, as designated by the United Nations. With the spotlight set firmly on women’s rights, Millowick made an extensive series of photographs entitled Portraits of women, which she continued in subsequent years. This human-centred series with feminist undertones, sympathetically captured women in a variety of locations and depicted moments of motherhood, friendship, loneliness, old-age and youth.

Wall text from the exhibition

Read my review “Down with Earth,” on the exhibition Julie Millowick: Surrounding at the Castlemaine Art Museum, June 2024

Julie Millowick Alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Julie Millowick (Australian, b. 1948)
'Mother and child from 46 Blanche Street, St Kilda' 1977 from the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne, March - May 2025

 

Julie Millowick (Australian, b. 1948)
Mother and child from 46 Blanche Street, St Kilda
1977
Gelatin silver print
15.9 x 23.7cm
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by Julie Millowick 2024

 

Wall text from the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Wall text from the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Installation view of the first gallery of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Installation views of the first gallery of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photography by George Volakos and Graham Howe

 

Installation view of the first gallery of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing at left, George Volakos’ photograph Vietnam moratorium 1 1970; at top centre, Graham Howe’s photograph Protester, moratorium to end the war in Vietnam 1970 followed by two photographs Moratorium to end the war in Vietnam 1970 (below)
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

As a student at Prahran College in the early 1970s, Graham Howe embraced photography’s ability to document social change. For Howe, photography was the perfect medium for observing the world around him and expressing a point of view. This is evident in his images of a Vietnam War moratorium in Melbourne in September 1970. Immersed in a sea of people, placards and peace signs, Howe made a series of tightly framed and often close-up views of the protesters, showing the event from his perspective as an impassioned participant rather than an objective observer. Other Prahran College students, such as Johann Kris and George Volvos, also took photographs at these demonstrations, documenting the intensity of the activist movement

Wall text from the exhibition

Graham Howe alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Graham Howe (Australian, b. 1950)
'Moratorium to end the war in Vietnam' 1970, printed 2024  (installation view)

 

Graham Howe (Australian, b. 1950)
Moratorium to end the war in Vietnam (installation view)
1970, printed 2024
Pigment inkjet print
Collection of the artist
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Graham Howe (Australian, b. 1950)
'Moratorium to end the war in Vietnam' 1970, printed 2024  (installation view) from the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, March - May, 2025

 

Graham Howe (Australian, b. 1950)
Moratorium to end the war in Vietnam (installation view)
1970, printed 2024
Pigment inkjet print
Collection of the artist
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from left clockwise, Ken Wright's 'Rally for Gough' 1975; Andrew Chapman's 'Street protest, November 11th' 1975; Richard Muggleton's 'Untitled (F19 protest)' c. 1977; and Andrew Chapman's 'Lest we forget' 1980

 

Installation view of the first gallery of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from left clockwise, Ken Wright’s Rally for Gough 1975; Andrew Chapman’s Street protest, November 11th 1975; Richard Muggleton’s Untitled (F19 protest) c. 1977; and Andrew Chapman’s Lest we forget 1980
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Ken Wright (Australian / New Zealand, 1948-1998)
'Rally for Gough' 1975 (installation view)

 

Ken Wright (Australian/New Zealand, 1948-1998)
Rally for Gough (installation view)
1975
Gelatin silver print
Private collection
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Andrew Chapman (Australian, b. 1954) 'Lest we forget' 1980 (installation view)

 

Andrew Chapman (Australian, b. 1954)
Lest we forget (installation view)
1980
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2024
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Andrew Chapman studied photography at Prahran College from 1974 to 1976 and then again in 1980. His Street protest, November 11th (1975) documents a politically motivated rally. It was taken on the corner of Albert Street and moray Street in South Melbourne. Chapman was in his second year at Prahran College and had been listening to parliament on the radio in the office of the then photography technician Murray White. When the news broke of the Whitlam Government’s dismissal, Chapman was quick to join the rallies that broke out in the streets. Later, in 1980, the streets were still politically charged when Chapman returned to Prahran to complete his course. His image, Lest we forget (1980) was made in City Square on Swanston Street at an anti-Fraser demonstration in the lead-up to the 1980 federal election. Described by Julie Millowick as the student who never stopped photographing, even during class, Chapman always has his Leica camera ready. Throughout his career Chapman has photographed much of Australia’s social and political landscape, working both personally and for clients, including as a photojournalist for major Australian newspapers and magazines.

Wall text from the exhibition

Andrew Chapman alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Wall text from the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Wall text from the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from top left clockwise photographs by Julie Higginbotham: 'Greville Street Market', 1975; 'Catching butterflies, Prahran Park', 1974; and 'Greville Street', 1976

 

Installation view of the first gallery of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from top left clockwise photographs by Julie Higginbotham: Greville Street Market, 1975; Catching butterflies, Prahran Park, 1974; and Greville Street, 1976
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Julie Higginbotham practiced a style of unobtrusive street photography in the mid-1970s, making candid expressive images such as ‘Catching butterflies, Prahran Park’ (1974), which records a moment of human interaction with a keen eye for composition and synchronicity. Higginbotham recalls being offered a bohemian, European-inspired style of education at Prahran College while she was there from 1971 to 1974, particularly by Cox whose emphasis on freedom of expression and personal choice resonated. Through her street photography, Higginbotham was interested in recording the cultural changes that were taking place in Melbourne at the time. Living above a shop in the heart of Greville Street in 1975, she was part of a lively hippie community in Prahran. While living conditions were squalid, the cheap rents attracted artists, musicians and alternative thinkers to the area. Greville Street at this time was one of Melbourne’s key counterculture locations, known for live music, organic food and second-hand clothes shops. Higginbotham produced several images that document the vibrancy of this movement, including a series of street photographs she made at the Greville Street Market on Saturday in 1975.

Wall text from the exhibition

Julie Higginbotham alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

 

Julie Higginbotham interview Prahran CAE 1971 – 74 Photography

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from left, Andrew Chapman's photographs 'Anti Fraser demonstrator, Collins Street Melbourne' 1979; 'Tribune newspaper seller, Melbourne' 1980; 'Party supporter, Liberal Party campaign launch, Moorabbin Town Hall' 1980

 

Installation view of the first gallery of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from left, Andrew Chapman’s photographs Anti Fraser demonstrator, Collins Street Melbourne 1979; Tribune newspaper seller, Melbourne 1980; Party supporter, Liberal Party campaign launch, Moorabbin Town Hall 1980
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Andrew Chapman (Australian, b. 1954) 'Tribune newspaper seller, Melbourne' 1980 (installation view)

 

Andrew Chapman (Australian, b. 1954)
Tribune newspaper seller, Melbourne (installation view)
1980
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2024
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Andrew Chapman (Australian, b. 1954) 'Tribune newspaper seller, Melbourne' 1980 from the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne, March - May 2025

 

Andrew Chapman (Australian, b. 1954)
Tribune newspaper seller, Melbourne (installation view)
1980
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2024

 

Andrew Chapman (Australian, b. 1954) 'Party supporter, Liberal Party campaign launch, Moorabbin Town Hall' 1980 (installation view)

 

Andrew Chapman (Australian, b. 1954)
Party supporter, Liberal Party campaign launch, Moorabbin Town Hall (installation view)
1980
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2024
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing at left, George Volakos' 'Flinders Street Station' 1972; and at right, Graham Howe's 'Man on tram, Melbourne' 1970

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing at left, George Volakos’ Flinders Street Station 1972; and at right, Graham Howe’s Man on tram, Melbourne 1970
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photographs by Rob Gale from his Dogs and their humans (1978) and Swanston Street 5pm (1978) series
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Rob Gale (Australian, b. 1953) 'Untitled 01' 1978 (installation view)

 

Rob Gale (Australian, b. 1953)
Untitled 01 (installation view)
1978
From the series Swanston Street 5pm
Pigment ink-jet print, printed 2024
Collection of the artist
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Rob Gale studied photography at Prahran Collect from 1976 to 1978. For his series, Swanston Street, 5pm (1978), Gale took inspiration from an iconic painting by the Australian artist John Brack, Collins Street, 5pm (1955). Gale’s photographic exploration of Brack’s stylised view of Melbourne’s office workers was made during peak hour at a busy tram stop near Flinders Street Station. Influenced by American street photographers such as Bruce Golden and Weegee, Gale used a hand-held flash to illuminate his subjects. In a nod to Brack’s painting, this technique allowed Gale to create harsh, stylised views of impatient commuters. The flash also seems to have induced grimaces and sideways stares which, along with the harsh lighting, shadows and unusual camera angles, served to accentuate the strange and surreal atmosphere in the photographs.

Wall text from the exhibition

Rob Gale alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Rob Gale (Australian, b. 1953)
'Untitled 12' 1978 from the series 'Swanston Street 5pm' from the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne, March - May 2025

 

Rob Gale (Australian, b. 1953)
Untitled 12
1978
From the series Swanston Street 5pm
Pigment ink-jet print, printed 2024
Collection of the artist

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photographs from left clockwise, Steven Lojewsi's 'Man with umbrella near curb, Melbourne' 1975; Johann Krix's 'Proud moment, Moomba' c. 1971; and Andrew Wittner's 'Where's my car, Melbourne' 1973

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photographs from left clockwise, Steven Lojewsi’s Man with umbrella near curb, Melbourne 1975; Johann Krix’s Proud moment, Moomba c. 1971; and Andrew Wittner’s Where’s my car, Melbourne 1973
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Andrew Wittner (Australian, b. 1955) 'Where's My Car?' 1973, printed 2024

 

Andrew Wittner (Australian, b. 1955)
Where’s My Car?
1973, printed 2024
Gelatin silver print
Collection of the artist

Andrew Wittner alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Steven Lojewsi (Australian born England, b. 1952) 'Man with umbrella near curb, Melbourne' 1975 (installation view)

 

Steven Lojewsi (Australian born England, b. 1952)
Man with umbrella near curb, Melbourne (installation view)
1975
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2025
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Steven Lojewski was born in London and grea up in Canada before arriving in Australian in 1969. He studied photography at Prahran College from 1974 to 1976 and later at Sydney College of the Arts. While studying at Prahran, Lojewski made a number of photographs on the streets of Melbourne. Sparsely populated, these early-career vintage prints demonstrate Lojewski’s highly defined, formal approach to documenting the urban landscape and illustrate his ability to produce a subtle range of silvery mid-tones and carefully styled compositions.

Wall text from the exhibition

Steven Lojewski alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Steven Lojewsi (Australian born England, b. 1952) 'Man with umbrella near curb, Melbourne' 1975

 

Steven Lojewsi (Australian born England, b. 1952)
Man with umbrella near curb, Melbourne
1975
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2025

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing at left, John Conte's 'Telephone, Prahran' 1971; at centre top, Philip Quirk's 'Lone ranger (Prahran resident with Royal Show souvenirs)' 1973; at centre bottom, Philip Quirk's 'The headmistress, sports day, Como Park' 1975; and at right, Johann Krix's 'Toorak Road, South Yarra' 1972

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing at left, John Conte’s Telephone, Prahran 1971; at centre top, Philip Quirk’s Lone ranger (Prahran resident with Royal Show souvenirs) 1973; at centre bottom, Philip Quirk’s The headmistress, sports day, Como Park 1975; and at right, Johann Krix’s Toorak Road, South Yarra 1972
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Philip Quirk (Australian, b. 1948)
'Lone ranger (Prahran resident with Royal Show souvenirs)' 1973 (installation view)

 

Philip Quirk (Australian, b. 1948)
Lone ranger (Prahran resident with Royal Show souvenirs) (installation view)
1973
Gelatin silver print
15.9 x 23.8cm
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection acquired 2024
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Based in Sydney, Philip Quirk has been a practising documentary photographer since the 1970s. He studied photography at Prahran College from 1971 to 1973 and has frequently used his camera to capture endearing images of humanity. Influenced by international photographers such as Henri Cartier-Bresson and Diane Arbus, Quirk’s images feature unusual characters and situations, often incorporating humour and incongruity. His work, Lone ranger (Prahran resident with Royal Show souvenirs) (1973) formed part of his final portfolio assessment at Prahran College. Walking through the streets of Prahran, Quirk stopped to talk to this elderly resident and photographed him in the afternoon sunlight. With its emphasis on light and composition combined with an interest in Australian culture, this photograph is a precursor to the street and social documentary work Quirk produced in the years immediately following his time at Prahran College.

Wall text from the exhibition

Phil Quirk alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Johann Krix (Australian born Austria, b. 1948) 'Toorak Road, South Yarra' 1972 (installation view)

 

Johann Krix (Australian born Austria, b. 1948)
Toorak Road, South Yarra (installation view)
1972
Gelatin silver print
Collection of the artist
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Robert Ashton's photographs, 'Champion Jackpot' 1974; 'Builders Arms Hotel' 1974; 'Family' 1974 from the series 'Fitzroy'

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Robert Ashton’s photographs, Champion Jackpot 1974; Builders Arms Hotel 1974; Family 1974 from the series Fitzroy
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Robert Ashton (Australian, b. 1950)
'Champion Jackpot' 1974, printed 2008 (installation view)

 

Robert Ashton (Australian, b. 1950)
Champion Jackpot (installation view)
1974, printed 2008
Pigment inkjet print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection acquired 2010
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Robert Ashton studied photography at Prahran college from 1968 to 1970 and first exhibited his work at Brummels Gallery of Photography in 1973. As a student at Prahran, Ashton recalls being taught to follow his heart and his eye in a way that was free of constraints, developing a visual language influenced by the style of European black-and-white photography that he was introduced to by Paul Cox. His early documentary work concentrated on inner-city subjects, and he is widely known for his acclaimed series Fitzroy, which warmly documents the people of Fitzroy, focusing on human life and community connection. This series was originally published as a photobook, Into the hollow mountains a portrait of Fitzroy, in 1974.

Wall text from the exhibition

Robert Ashton alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne  showing from left clockwise, Geoff Strong's 'Bald man enjoying the sun, St Kilda' 1975; Steven Lojewski's 'Man with hat and lighthouse, St Kilda' 1975; Glen O'Malley's 'St Kilda' 1973; and Steven Lojewski's 'Man on bench, Stardust St Kilda' 1975

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from left clockwise, Geoff Strong’s Bald man enjoying the sun, St Kilda 1975; Steven Lojewski’s Man with hat and lighthouse, St Kilda 1975; Glen O’Malley’s St Kilda 1973; and Steven Lojewski’s Man on bench, Stardust St Kilda 1975
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Geoff Strong (Australian, b. 1950) 'Bald man enjoying the sun, St Kilda'
1975

 

Geoff Strong (Australian, b. 1950)
Bald man enjoying the sun, St Kilda
1975
Gelatin silver print
19.1 x 26.3cm
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2025

 

Geoff Strong moved to Melbourne from Brisbane for the photography course at Prahran College, which he began in 1975 after already having established himself as a political journalist. Strong’s image, Bald man enjoying the sun, St Kilda (1975) showcases his acute interest in the qualities of Melbourne’s sunlight. The human element, a man’s bald head, becomes a formal, compositional device, which appears more like a bronze ball than a human form. Strong’s depiction of harsh light in this sparse composition accentuates the photograph’s formal elements and calls to mind the surreal paintings of Georgio de Chirico.

Text from the Museum of Australian Photography website

Geoff Strong alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Steven Lojewsi (Australian born England, b. 1952) 'Man with hat and lighthouse, St Kilda' 1975 (installation view)

 

Steven Lojewsi (Australian born England, b. 1952)
Man with hat and lighthouse, St Kilda (installation view)
1975
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2025
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

James McArdle (Australian, b. 1950)
'Couple, Luna Park' 1976 (installation view)

 

James McArdle (Australian, b. 1950)
Couple, Luna Park (installation view)
1976
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2025
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

James McArdle (Australian, b. 1950)
'Conscript, Luna Park' 1976 (installation view)

 

James McArdle (Australian, b. 1950)
Conscript, Luna Park (installation view)
1976
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2025
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

James McArdle is a photographic artist, curator, writer and educator based in Castlemaine, Victoria. While studying photography at Prahran College from 1974 to 1976, McArdle took his camera out onto the streets of Melbourne. He made several social documentary images as well as more playful, abstract compositions, which highlight his interest in shadow and form. The vintage silver gelatin prints on display here come mostly from McArdle’s first-and second-year street photography folios. They were made during long walks around St Kilda and Elwood. Conscript, Luna Park (1976) formed part of McArdle’s third-year major project on Luna Park, which included portraits taken in the Penny Arcade. Created using a Linhof 4 x 5 inch press camera and flash, this folio was assessed by Wolfgang Sievers.

Wall text from the exhibition

Dr James McArdle profile on the Academia website

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from left clockwise, James McArdle's 'Hungry puddle, Elwood' 1975 and 'St Kilda Courthouse' 1974; Martin Munz's 'Man at crossing, Lower Esplanade St Kilda' 1979; and Greg Neville's 'Man and shadow' 1971

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from left clockwise, James McArdle’s Hungry puddle, Elwood 1975 and St Kilda Courthouse 1974; Martin Munz’s Man at crossing, Lower Esplanade St Kilda 1979; and Greg Neville’s Man and shadow 1971
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

James McArdle (Australian, b. 1950)
'Hungry puddle, Elwood' 1975

 

James McArdle (Australian, b. 1950)
Hungry puddle, Elwood
1975
Gelatin silver print
27.0 x 18.5cm
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by James McArdle in honour of John Cato 2025

 

Greg Neville (Australian, b. 1950) 'Man and shadow' 1971 (installation view)

 

Greg Neville (Australian, b. 1950)
Man and shadow (installation view)
1971
Gelatin silver print
Collection of the artist
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Sandra Graham's photographs 'Walls 3 (Joseph)' and 'Walls 2 (cloak 1)' 1976 from the series 'Walls' (left); and 'Backstage, Chapel street bridge, Prahran' 1976 (right)

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Sandra Graham’s photographs Walls 3 (Joseph) and Walls 2 (cloak 1) 1976 from the series Walls (left); and Backstage, Chapel street bridge, Prahran 1976 (right)
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Sandra Graham (Australian, b. 1947)
'Walls 3 (Joseph)' 1976 (installation view)

 

Sandra Graham (Australian, b. 1947)
Walls 3 (Joseph) (installation view)
1976
Gelatin silver print
Collection of the artist
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Formal concerns permeate the street portraits by Sandra Graham who studied photography at Prahran college fromollege from 1974-1975. In her series Walls, Graham relates the human forms of her subjects to the textured walls behind them. For instance, in Walls 3 (Joseph) (1976), the weathered face and stained clothes of a painter are shown in front of a mottled wall that he is about to paint white. Graham blends figure and ground in this image, playing with tonal relationships in black and white. She creates a painterly style of flatness through this series, which was made on streets around St Kilda and Albert Park.

Wall text from the exhibition

Sandra Graham alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Sandra Graham (Australian, b. 1947)
'Walls 3 (Joseph)' 1976

 

Sandra Graham (Australian, b. 1947)
Walls 3 (Joseph)
1976
Gelatin silver print
Collection of the artist

 

Gallery two section one (clockwise)

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Installation views of the second gallery part A of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

Wall text from the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Wall text from the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Lyn Cheong (Australian, b. 1954)
'Self-portrait' 1977; 'Self-portrait' 1977 (installation view)

 

Lyn Cheong (Australian, b. 1954)
Self-portrait (installation view)
1977
Self-portrait (installation view)
1977
Dye diffusion transfer prints
Collection of the artist
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Nicholas Nedelkopoulos (Australian, b. 1955)
'Shrunken head' 1978-1991; 'Dark wedding' 1978-1990 (installation view)

 

Nicholas Nedelkopoulos (Australian, b. 1955)
Shrunken head (installation view)
1978-1991
Dark wedding (installation view)
1978-1990
Chromogenic prints
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection acquired 1992
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Nicholas Nedelkopoulos (Australian, b. 1955) 'Shrunken head' 1978-1991 (installation view)

 

Nicholas Nedelkopoulos (Australian, b. 1955)
Shrunken head (installation view)
1978-1991
Chromogenic print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection acquired 1992
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Leonie Reisberg (Australian, b. 1955) 'Portrait of Peggy Silinski, Merimbula, NSW' 1974 (installation view)

 

Leonie Reisberg (Australian, b. 1955)
Portrait of Peggy Silinski, Merimbula, NSW (installation view)
1974
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by Janice Hinderaker through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program 2023
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Leonie Reisberg attended Prahran College between 1974 and 1975, where she developed her photographic practice. Her work from this period is often associated with a growing interest in experimental and documentary photography that emerged in Melbourne during the 1970s.

Reisberg’s approach blends real-life moments with a more composed and conceptual style, often exploring themes of intimacy, femininity and social dynamics. She is part of a cohort of photographers that helped shape the trajectory of contemporary Australian photography, particularly within the context feminist and documentary practices.

Wall text from the exhibition

Leonie Reisberg alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Leonie Reisberg (Australian, b. 1955)
'Portrait of Peggy Silinski, Merimbula, NSW' 1974

 

Leonie Reisberg (Australian, b. 1955)
Portrait of Peggy Silinski, Merimbula, NSW
1974
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by Janice Hinderaker through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program 2023

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing at centre, Andrew Chapman’s Self-portrait in bath 1975; and at right, Viki Petherbridge’s Frames 10-18 1975 from the series Frames
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Viki Petherbridge (Australian, b. 1954) 'Frames 10-18' 1975 (installation view)

 

Viki Petherbridge (Australian, b. 1954)
Frames 10-18 (installation view)
1975
from the series Frames
Gelatin silver print
Collection of the artist
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Wall text from the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Wall text from the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Peter Milne's photographs from top clockwise, 'Rowland S Howard' 1977; 'Polly Borland' 1979; and 'Rowland S Howard, Nick Cave, Ollie Olsen, Megan Bannister, Anita Lane, Bronwyn Adams' 1977

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Peter Milne’s photographs from top clockwise, Rowland S Howard 1977; Polly Borland 1979; and Rowland S Howard, Nick Cave, Ollie Olsen, Megan Bannister, Anita Lane, Bronwyn Adams 1977
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Peter Milne (Australian, b. 1960)
'Rowland S Howard' 1977 (installation view)

 

Peter Milne (Australian, b. 1960)
Rowland S Howard (installation view)
1977
Pigment inkjet print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by Helen Frajman 2023
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Peter Milne began his studies at Prahran College in 1980. Prior to this, he had already begun photographing his friends, family, and the Melbourne punk scene in the mid-to late 1970s. Over the following decades, Milne captured a range of cultural icons, including Nick Cave, Rowland S Howard and Polly Borland. Known for his intimate and warm portraiture, Milne uses dramatic lighting to create strong compositions. His images of Rowland S Howard, in particular, highlight these techniques, with some photographs featuring Howard in striking light or set against brutalist architecture.

Wall text from the exhibition

See the exhibition Juvenilia: Peter Milne at Strange Neighbour, Fitzroy, Melbourne February – March 2015

 

Peter Milne (Australian, b. 1960)
'Polly Borland' 1979

 

Peter Milne (Australian, b. 1960)
Polly Borland
1979
Pigment ink-jet print
48 x 32cm
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by Helen Frajman 2021

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing portraits by Polly Borland from 1983

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing portraits by Polly Borland from 1983
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Polly Borland (Australian, b. 1959)
'Dave' 1983, printed 2025 (installation view)

 

Polly Borland (Australian, b. 1959)
Dave (installation view)
1983, printed 2025
Silver dye bleach print
Collection of the artist
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Polly Borland attended Prahran College between 1980 and 1983. Borland shot most of her student work, featured here, on Kodachrome. She shot the works in her Camberwell apartment with direct sunlight pouring through the window. Pieces of carefully placed cellophane on the window created coloured shadows across the subjects’ faces. …

Borland and Cave first began working together in the early 1980s after they met at a party in St Kilda in 1979. The image of Borland at the St Kilda party is documented by fellow friend Peter Milne. Borland’s formative photographs in the early 1980s were part of a new wave of experimental images that departed from renderings of ordinary life.

Wall text from the exhibition

 

Polly Borland (Australian, b. 1959) 'Nick' 1983, printed 2025 (installation view)

 

Polly Borland (Australian, b. 1959)
Nick (installation view)
1983, printed 2025
Silver dye bleach print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection acquired 2025
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Polly Borland (Australian, b. 1959) 'Nick' 1983, printed 2025

 

Polly Borland (Australian, b. 1959)
Nick
1983, printed 2025
Silver dye bleach print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection acquired 2025

 

Polly Borland made this work during her student days at Prahran College where she studied between 1980 and 1983. Borland shot most of her student work on Kodachrome. Shot on Kodachrome, this work forms part of a series of portraits Borland made in her Camberwell apartment with direct sunlight pouring through the window. Pieces of carefully placed cellophane on the window created coloured shadows across the subjects’ faces. 

Borland’s images of Nick Cave from the 1980s and 1990s have become legendary. Often described as raw and intense, these images highlight the tension between the public persona of the famous musician and the more vulnerable, human side of the singer and artist. Borland and Cave first began working together in the early 1980s after they met at a party in St Kilda in 1979.

Text from the Museum of Australian Photography website

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from top left clockwise, Christopher Köller's photographs 'Past self portrait' 1980; 'Philip and Maria' 1981; 'Joe as a Russian soldier' 1980; and 'Bauhausler (homage to Oscar Schlemmer and August Sander)' 1980

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from top left clockwise, Christopher Köller’s photographs Past self portrait 1980; Philip and Maria 1981; Joe as a Russian soldier 1980; and Bauhausler (homage to Oscar Schlemmer and August Sander) 1980
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Christopher Köller (Australian born England, b. 1943) 'Past self-portrait' 1980

 

Christopher Köller (Australian born England, b. 1943)
Past self-portrait
1980
Gelatin silver print
23.0 x 24.0cm
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection acquired 2024

 

Christopher Köller trained as a silk-screen printer before travelling extensively throughout the late 1960s and 1970s. Upon his return to Australia, Köller studied photography at Prahran college fromollege, graduating in 1980. Köller enrolled in Prahran with the intention of doing an expose on the conditions experienced by the miners of Bolivia as he had learnt about their plight while travelling in South America.

In his second year Köller stopped looking at photography books and started poring over the pages of art book, influenced by his now partner and historian Nanette Carter and lecturer Norbert Loeffler. Inspired by these teachings, Köller started to set up his images. His first self-portrait titled Past self portrait (1980) is an image of a young artist arriving at Station Pier, Melbourne with his passport in hand. It was part of a series of self-portraits that were shown at The Photographers’ Gallery and Workshop. Other works in this period were influenced by Russian Constructivism – particularly Vladimir Mayakovsky – and 1930s German avant-garde art. In another image, Köller’s subject, dressed in a shirt and tie, stand in front of an Oskar Schlemmer drawing, made by the artist.

Wall text from the exhibition

Christopher Köller alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Christopher Köller (Australian born England, b. 1943) 'Joe as a Russian soldier' 1980 (installation view)

 

Christopher Köller (Australian born England, b. 1943)
Joe as a Russian soldier (installation view)
1980
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection acquired 2024
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Christopher Köller (Australian born England, b. 1943) 'Joe as a Russian soldier' 1980

 

Christopher Köller (Australian born England, b. 1943)
Joe as a Russian soldier
1980
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection acquired 2024

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Nanette Carter's photographs 'Proof' 1979 and 'Newspaper' 1980

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Nanette Carter’s photographs Proof 1979 and Newspaper 1980
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Nanette Carter (Australian, b. 1954) 'Proof' 1979 (installation view)

 

Nanette Carter (Australian, b. 1954)
Proof (installation view)
1979
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection acquired 1981
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Nanette Carter studied first-year photography at Prahran College in 1974 and then completed a diploma (1977) and post graduate diploma (1980) in fine art at the Phillip Institute of Technology, majoring in photography. Her practice explored feminist issues with autobiographical overtones, and she exhibited her work widely between 1981 and 1995. She ceased practising as a Photographer in the early 1990s to pursue her career as a lecturer in design history.

Carter’s image Proof (1979) is a striking self-portrait that reflects on the concept of identity and addresses the idea of photographic ‘proof’ in a multifaceted way. The word written across her face explores the proof of identity and the assertion of existence that photography claims. Newspaper (1980) utilities her partner Christopher Köller as subject. From early on in their relationship, Carter and Köller used each other as models.

Wall text from the exhibition

Nanette Carter alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Nanette Carter (Australian, b. 1954)
'Proof' 1979

 

Nanette Carter (Australian, b. 1954)
Proof
1979
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection acquired 1981

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from left clockwise, Rod McNicol's photographs 'Nanette' 1978; 'Stewart' 1978; and 'Kent' 1978 from the series 'Permanent mirrors'

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from left clockwise, Rod McNicol’s photographs Nanette 1978; Stewart 1978; and Kent 1978 from the series Permanent mirrors
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Rod McNicol (Australian, b. 1946)
'Nanette' 1978 (installation view)

 

Rod McNicol (Australian, b. 1946)
Nanette (installation view)
1978
From the series Permanent mirrors
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2024
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Rod McNicol (Australian, b. 1946) 'Nanette' 1978 from the series 'Permanent mirrors'

 

Rod McNicol (Australian, b. 1946)
Nanette
1978
From the series Permanent mirrors
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2024

 

Rod McNicol has been drawn to portraiture ever since he attended Prahran College in 1974. His fellow classmates included Nanette Carter and Bill Henson, and he formed a close connection with Athol Shmith, who would become, in McNicol’s words, ‘a lifelong mentor and friend’. McNicol held his first exhibition and Brummels Gallery of Photography with Carol Jerrems, where he exhibited works from his Permanent mirrors series. This exhibition marked a transition to what McNicol would call his structured approach to portraiture. In the image Nanette, McNicol made a makeshift studio on Paul Cox’s front veranda and placed Carter against a neutral backdrop.

In late 1978, McNicol moved into his warehouse apartment on Smith Street, Fitzroy. Since this move, he has incorporated this space into his work and it has become an important component, both as a location and as an aesthetic context.

Wall text from the exhibition

Rod McNicol alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Rod McNicol (Australian, b. 1946)
'Kent' 1978 (installation view)

 

Rod McNicol (Australian, b. 1946)
Kent (installation view)
1978
From the series Permanent mirrors
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection acquired 2013
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Rod McNicol’s series of portraits Permanent mirrors grew out of his interest in nineteenth-century photographic portraiture, whereby the slow exposure times necessitated what he calls a ‘gauche, self-conscious, fatalist stare’. For McNicol, these portraits carried the ‘spectre of mortality itself’. The environmental portraits that make up his Permanent mirrors series embody many of the formal attributes of nineteenth-century portraiture that appealed to him, insofar as the sitters are seated in highly static poses, staring directly and blankly at the camera. Soon after, McNicol introduced a range of highly significant formal changes to his portraits, whereby sitters were photographed on a kitchen chair against a plain, neutral background in the artist’s Fitzroy studio. McNicol continues to photograph people from his neighbourhood in this way.

Text from the Museum of Australian Photography website

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from left top to bottom, Stella Sallman's photographs 'Sue at the mirror' 1977; 'Sue on the bed' 1977; 'Sue and Carmen' 1978; 'Sue, Simon and Carmen' 1977; 'Beautiful transvestite' 1975

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from left top to bottom, Stella Sallman’s photographs Sue at the mirror 1977; Sue on the bed 1977; Sue and Carmen 1978; Sue, Simon and Carmen 1977; Beautiful transvestite 1975
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Stella Sallman (Australian, b. 1956)
'Sue and Carmen' 1978 (installation view)

 

Stella Sallman (Australian, b. 1956)
Sue and Carmen (installation view)
1978
Chromogenic print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection acquired 2025
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Stella Sallman attended Prahran College from 1976 to 1978. She had originally planned to study fashion design at RMIT, but she was unable pursue the course because she didn’t have a folio. Instead, after completing the preliminary year in Art and Design at Prahran College, she discovered a deep fascination with photography.

Sallman was invited by Rennie Ellis to exhibit her series of glam punks, which she started in her second year, at Brummels Gallery of Photography in 1978, as a support for fellow photographer Jon Rhodes. She said, ‘Rennie came and did some lectures at Prahran. I found him very inspiring because he wasn’t about things looking technically correct.’ He was also brimming with ‘exuberant enthusiastic positive energy.’ The 13 works exhibited at Brummels were portraits of people that Sallman had encountered. Sallman had seen Sue whilst travelling on a train and asked if she could take her portrait. ‘I was very curious about people that didn’t conform.’ In Sallman’s images, she uses colour to emphasise the personality and mood of her subjects, challenging the more traditional, formal portraiture that had prevailed at the time.

Wall text from the exhibition

Stella Sallman alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Gallery two section two (clockwise)

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing at left, Carol Jerrems 'Alphabet folio' 1968 dated 1969

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing at left, Carol Jerrems Alphabet folio 1968 dated 1969
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980) Letter from the 'Alphabet folio' 1968 dated 1969 (installation view)
Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980) Letter from the 'Alphabet folio' 1968 dated 1969 (installation view)
Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980) Letter from the 'Alphabet folio' 1968 dated 1969 (installation view)

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980)
Letters from the Alphabet folio (installation views)
1968 dated 1969
Gelatin silver print
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased 1971
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

Carol Jerrem’s Alphabet folio is one of her most celebrated and iconic works, and it holds an important place in the history of Australian photography, Created as an assignment during her time as a student at Prahran College, the Alphabet folio consists of 25 letters, with the letter ‘S’ deliberately omitted by Jerrems. The assignment left a lasting impression on Jerrems, as she regularly set this assignment for her own students when she was teaching at the Heidelberg Technical School and the Tasmania School of Art.

Wall text from the exhibition

Carol Jerrems studied at Prahran College between 1967-1969 and graduated in 1970, studying under lecturers McKenzie, Cox, and Lee.

Carol Jerrems alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Carol Jerrems’ No title photographs 1968/1969
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

These photographs of the model Lynn Allen and her then boyfriend are part of a set of assignment images from the late 1960s, when Jerrems was studying at Prahran College. Jerrems and Allen met at High School (Jerrems was one year ahead) and they lived one street apart from each other when these images were taken. Allen modelled for Jerrems for two years.

Wall text from the exhibition

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980) 'No title' 1969; 'No title' 1969 (installation view)

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980)
No title (installation view)
1969
No title (installation view)
1969
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2024
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980) 'No title' 1969 (installation view)

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980)
No title (installation view)
1969
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated 2024
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photographs by Carol Jerrems

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photographs by Carol Jerrems
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Carol Jerrems’ photographs at left top, Kath Walker 1974; at bottom left, Thancouple (Gloria Fletcher) and Carole Johnson 1974; and at right, Ron Johnson 1974
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980) 'Thancouple (Gloria Fletcher) and Carole Johnson' 1974 (installation view)

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980)
Thancouple (Gloria Fletcher) and Carole Johnson (installation view)
1974
Gelatin silver print
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
Gift of Mrs Joy Jerrems 1981
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980) 'Ron Johnson' 1974

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980)
Ron Johnson
1974
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australia Photography, City of Monash Collection donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program 2015
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Carol Jerrem’s photographs at left, Esoteric personal (mini) recent exhibition 1976; at top right, Vale Street 1975; at bottom right, Juliet holding ‘Vale Street’ at Murray Road 1976
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980) 'Esoteric personal (mini) recent exhibition' 1976 (installation view)

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980)
Esoteric personal (mini) recent exhibition (installation view)
1976
Gelatin silver prints
Private collection
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980) 'Vale Street' 1975 (installation view)

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980)
Vale Street (installation view)
1975
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australia Photography, City of Monash Collection donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program by Susan Hesse 2012
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980) 'Vale Street' 1975

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980)
Vale Street
1975
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australia Photography, City of Monash Collection donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program by Susan Hesse 2012

 

In 1975, Carol Jerrems made what would become her most famous photograph. Vale Street shows Jerrem’s friend Catriona Brown standing in front of Mark Lean and Jon Bourke, teenage boys from Heidelberg Technical School where Jerrems was teaching at the time. The photograph, taken in the back yard of a house at 52 Vale Street, St Kilda, comes from a series of pictures that show the three subjects socialising, smoking and, under the direction of Jerrems, gradually disrobing. Jerrems carefully set up and managed this no-iconic image, which quickly came to personify the optimism and ambitions of countercultural and feminist politics at the time

Wall text from the exhibition

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photographs by Carol Jerrems (left) and Paul Cox (centre)

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photographs by Carol Jerrems (left) and Paul Cox (centre)
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Paul Cox’s photographs with at left, Age of Aquarius (Carol Jerrems, Jan Hurrell) 1970; at centre top, Elizabeth 1 1972; at centre bottom, Fantasy of divine illusion 1972; and at right, Prahran 2 1974
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Paul Cox (Australian born Netherlands, 1940-2016) 'Age of Aquarius (Carol Jerrems, Jan Hurrell)' 1970 (installation view)

 

Paul Cox (Australian born Netherlands, 1940-2016)
Age of Aquarius (Carol Jerrems, Jan Hurrell)
1970
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australia Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by the artist through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Paul Cox played a pivotal role in the Photography Department at Prharan College, initially appointed part-time in February 1968, he transitioned to full-time position in 1970 and continued teaching photography and filmmaking until his departure in 1982. Younger than colleagues such as Cato and Shmith, Cox’s age helped him forge strong, personal connections with his students. Many alumni attribute their exposure to international photography luminaries to Cox’s influence. However, it was Cox’s own distinctive approach to photography that left a lasting impact on his students. Cox moved to Australia from the Netherlands in 1965 and although he was not formally trained as a teacher, he brought with him a European sensibility.

In 1973, Cox founded The Photographers’ Gallery and Workshop, alongside Ingeborg Tyssen, John F William and Rod McNicol, a groundbreaking space that played a crucial role in establishing photography as a respected art form in Australia and provided a vital platform for contemporary photographers.

Wall text from the exhibition

Paul Cox on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Paul Cox (Australian born Netherlands, 1940-2016) 'Age of Aquarius (Carol Jerrems, Jan Hurrell)' 1970

 

Paul Cox (Australian born Netherlands, 1940-2016)
Age of Aquarius (Carol Jerrems, Jan Hurrell)
1970
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australia Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by the artist through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program

 

Paul Cox (Australian born Netherlands, 1940-2016) 'Fantasy of divine illusion' 1972 (installation view)

 

Paul Cox (Australian born Netherlands, 1940-2016)
Fantasy of divine illusion (installation view)
1972
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australia Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by the artist through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Paul Cox (Australian born Netherlands, 1940-2016) 'Prahran 2' 1974 (installation view)

 

Paul Cox (Australian born Netherlands, 1940-2016)
Prahran 2 (installation view)
1974
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australia Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by the artist through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Wall text from the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Wall text from the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing a poster for an exhibition by Tod McNicol and Carol Jerrems at Brummels Gallery of Photography, August - September 1978
Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne two letters from Carol Jerrems including at bottom a letter to William (Bill) Heimerman (1950-2017) co-director at the time of The Photographers' Gallery and Workshop
Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Installation views of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne with artefacts in a vitrine, showing a poster for an exhibition by Tod McNicol and Carol Jerrems at Brummels Gallery of Photography, August – September 1978; two letters from Carol Jerrems including at bottom a letter to William (Bill) Heimerman (1950-2017) co-director at the time of The Photographers’ Gallery and Workshop; and two gelatin silver prints by Carol Jerrems
Photos: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing at centre, work by John Cato

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing at far left a photograph by Paul Cox, at second and third left photographs by Athol Shmith and at centre, photographs by John Cato
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing at left, Paul Cox’s Portrait of Athol Shmith 2 1983; and at right, Athol Shmith’s Anamorphic image No. 17 and Anamorphic image No. 1 both 1973
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Athol Shmith is widely known for his commercial portraiture and fashion photography. His style became emblematic of an era that was transitioning from the more formal rigid photographic style of the early 20th century to something more dramatic. His portraits are highly polished, sophisticated and capture the essence of the post-war era’s glamour.

Shmith’s sale was characterised by a strong focus on lighting and composition, often using dramatic lighting setups to create bold, striking images. As Head of the Photography Department from 1972 to 1979 Art Prahran College, Shmith brought a high level of technical expertise.

Shmith created his Anamorphic series while teaching at Prahran College, and exhibited the series at Realities Gallery in 1973. Student Suzanne Budds recalls being a model for one of the images in this series.

Wall text from the exhibition

Athol Shmith Lecturer profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Paul Cox (Australian born Netherlands, 1940-2016) 'Portrait of Athol Shmith 2' 1983 (installation view)

 

Paul Cox (Australian born Netherlands, 1940-2016)
Portrait of Athol Shmith 2 (installation view)
1983
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australia Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by the artist through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program 2000
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from left, John Cato's photographs 'Seawind' 1871-1975; 'Tree - a journey' 1971-1973; and 'Tree - a journey #13' 1971-1973 from the series 'Essay I: landscape in a figure' 1971-1979

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing from left, John Cato’s photographs Seawind 1871-1975; Tree – a journey 1971-1973; and Tree – a journey #13 1971-1973 from the series Essay I: landscape in a figure 1971-1979
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

John Cato (Australian, 1926-2011) 'Tree - a journey' 1971-1973 (installation view)
John Cato (Australian, 1926-2011) 'Tree - a journey' 1971-1973 (installation view)

 

John Cato (Australian, 1926-2011)
Tree – a journey (installation views)
1971-1973
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by the Cato Estate 2021

 

John Cato (Australian, 1926-2011) 'Tree - a journey' 1971-1973

 

John Cato (Australian, 1926-2011)
Tree – a journey
1971-1973
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by the Cato Estate 2021

 

John Cato began his informal studies in photography with his father, the photographer Jack Cato, in 1938. He worked as a commercial photographer from 1947 to 1974, including a notable stint as a press photographer for The Argus from 1947 to 1950. Over the course of his career, Cato collaborated with Athol Shmith for more than two decades, before shifting away from commercial photography in 1974 to focus on his own fine art practice. That same year, Cato also embarked on his career as a photography educator, taking a teaching position at Prahran College, eventually succeeding Shmith as Head of the Photography Department in 1980.

Cato was known for his mystical and spiritual approach to photography, a philosophy that deeply influenced both his teaching style and his own photographic work. His method was unconventional, emphasising not just technical skill, but the creation of images with a deeper, almost transcendent resonance. Many of Cato’s works are minimalist, capturing quiet, still moments in nature, where form and texture take precedence over literal representation. These images often have an abstract quality, inviting the viewer to engage with the landscape on a more introspective, emotional level. Cato’s photography was not just about capturing a scene, it was about evoking a deeper connection to the transformative power of the natural world.

Wall text from the exhibition

Read my Vale to Dr John Cato (1926-2011)

John Cato on the Prahran Legacy website

 

John Cato (Australian, 1926-2011) 'Tree - a journey #13' 1971-1973 (installation view)
John Cato (Australian, 1926-2011) 'Tree - a journey #13' 1971-1973 (installation view)

 

John Cato (Australian, 1926-2011)
Tree – a journey #13 (installation views)
1971-1973
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by the artist
Acquired 1981

 

John Cato (Australian, 1926-2011) 'Tree - a journey #13' 1971-1973

 

John Cato (Australian, 1926-2011)
Tree – a journey #13
1971-1973
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by the artist
Acquired 1981

 

 

“Thanks are due to…. Phil Quirk, Peter Leiss, and the now deceased Jon Conte, who started finding alumni (starting with those of 1968-1972) in 2012; Colin Abbott who encouraged Photonet gallery (now MAGNET) in 2014 to put on a show of 1 sample each of student-era and contemporary work of most of the 1974-1976 cohort; Colin has generously part-funded the book that MAPh has produced; designer and archivist Mimmo Cozzolino has contributed beautifully preserved ephemera from his College years, as well as donating his design skills to the ongoing project. Peter Leiss, assisted by Nicholas Nedelkopoulos, produced fine video interviews with alumni… a labour of love!

James McArdle joined the project in 2017. Merle Hathaway, who accepted an invitation to work with the team in 2021, has been an invaluable and key driver of the project in getting this exhibition (and future showings). Merle has secured upcoming shows of contemporary work by 1968-1991 alumni for MAGNET (through May 2025),  the BIFB (August 2025) and elsewhere…

Above all, MAPh curators, Angela Connor and Stella-Loftus-Hills, have been extraordinary in their enthusiasm for the concept, and their realisation of it through their expertise and hard work and is beyond our wildest expectations.  To have contributing writers of the calibre of Gael Newton, Helen Ennis, Daniel Palmer, Adrian Danks et al. is an honour and a further tribute to MAPh organisation and thoroughness.”

Associate Professor James McArdle


For more information please see The Prahran Photography website which upholds the legacy of Prahran College 1970s photography through posts on profiles of the alumni (an ongoing project). The site was initiated by James McArdle, who graduated in 1977 with a Diploma of Art and Design from Prahran College and Merle Hathaway, who coined the title, and who joins James in writing some of the posts.

 

Making film

Required to collaborate on a class film or create one of their own, photography students often took on multiple roles in each other’s projects. Paul Cox frequently cast his students as actors in his films, forging relationships that continued long after they graduated from college. In Cox’s productions, students also filled essential technical roles such as stills photographer and cinematographer. As well as developing their skills, this collaborative environment fostered a sense of community among aspiring filmmakers.

Paul Cox is known for his distinctive, often introspective films that explore human relationships, emotions, and existential themes. His work, while not always mainstream, is highly regarded in the Australian film industry and internationally for its emotional depth and unique storytelling style.

Mirka is a short film that features French-Australian visual artist Mirka Mora, a key figure in the Melbourne art scene. Mora gained recognition for her distinctive and colourful works, and her blend of surrealism, fantasy and personal experiences. The film explores her journey as an artist and her personal life, showcasing her experiences and her unique approach to art. The film offers a personal perspective into her world and is a rare glimpse into the life of one of Australia’s most beloved and influential artists.

Mirka was a collaborative project, directed by Paul Cox with the assistance of several Prahran students.

Student life

The students at Prahran College were part of a vibrant and dynamic environment that nurtured creativity, experimentation and community. Many drew inspiration from their immediate circles – friends and acquaintances – for their class assignments. They actively participated in exhibitions, showcasing their work to the public and their peers. Students presented their works in critique sessions that played a vital role in the learning process, providing a forum for discussion, debate and critical feedback.

Assignments often revolved around chosen topics such as fashion, portraiture or family, and sometimes involved field trips out into the landscape or excursions to places like hospitals, factories and the beach. Taking advantage of a ‘free assignment’ in 1976 a group of rebellious students got together to produce images of themselves dressed as revolutionaries, wearing clothes sourced from local opportunity shops and carrying real guns.

The images of students from Prahran College in the 1970s serve as visual documents of the bohemian spirit and encapsulate the idealism of the time. The way students were photographed, often in unposed and relaxed settings, captures the free-spirited nature of the College, with the camera becoming a tool for exploring vulnerability and personal expression, rather than just recording events or situations.

The legacy of the bohemian spirit that was cultivated at Prahran College during the 1970s is still evident in the work of contemporary Australian artists today, many of whom continue to embrace self-expression, individuality and alternative narratives.

Text from the Museum of Australian Photography website

 

Gallery three

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing Andrew Wittner's photograph 'John Cato leading a group on a photographic expedition, Steve Lojewski using a film camera' 1975; and George Volakos' 'Rye back beach 1' 1972

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing at left, Andrew Wittner’s photograph John Cato leading a group on a photographic expedition, Steve Lojewski using a film camera 1975; and at right, George Volakos’ Rye back beach 1 1972
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Andrew Wittner (Australian, b. 1955) 'John Cato leading a group on a photographic expedition, Steve Lojewski using a film camera' 1975, printed 2024 (installation view)

 

Andrew Wittner (Australian, b. 1955)
John Cato leading a group on a photographic expedition, Steve Lojewski using a film camera (installation view)
1975, printed 2024
Gelatin silver print
Collection of the artist
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

George Volakos (Australian born Greece, b. 1948) 'Rye back beach 1' 1972, printed 2024 (installation view)

 

George Volakos (Australian born Greece, b. 1948)
Rye back beach 1 (installation view)
1972, printed 2024
Gelatin silver print
Collection of the artist
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photographs by Richard Muggleton, George Volakos, Colin Abbott, Graham Howe, Philip Quirk, Jim McFarlane, Greg Neville, Andrew Wittner, Peter Bowes, and an unknown photographer

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photographs by Richard Muggleton, George Volakos, Colin Abbott, Graham Howe, Philip Quirk, Jim McFarlane, Greg Neville, Andrew Wittner, Peter Bowes, and an unknown photographer
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photographs by Philip Quirk, Jim McFarlane, Peter Bowes, and Peter Leiss

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photographs by Philip Quirk, Jim McFarlane, Peter Bowes, and Peter Leiss
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photographs by Julie Higginbotham, Andrew Wittner, and Colin Abbott

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photographs by Julie Higginbotham, Andrew Wittner, and Colin Abbott
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Julie Higginbotham (Australian, b. 1953) 'Mirka film' 1973

 

Julie Higginbotham (Australian, b. 1953)
Mirka film
1973
Pigment ink-jet print
Courtesy of the artist

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981)' at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne

 

Installation view of the exhibition The basement: photography from Prahran College (1968-1981) at the Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill, Melbourne showing photographs by Philip Quirk, Peter Leiss, and Peter Bowes including at centre left, Peter Leiss’ Untitled [Bill Heimerman (right) and Ian Lobb (left) at the rear of The Photographers’ Gallery] c. 1975-1980 (below); and at centre Peter Leiss’ Jean-Marc Le Pechoux 1976
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Ian Lobb was co-director of The Photographers’ Gallery and Workshop with Bill Heimerman. Jean-Marc Le Pechoux was editor of the important Light Vision: Australia’s international photography magazine launched in September 1977.

Read my Vale Ian Lobb (1948-2023), photographer
Read my Vale William Heimerman (1950-2017)

 

Peter Leiss (Australian born England, b. 1951) 'Untitled [Bill Heimerman and Ian Lobb at the rear of the Photographers' Gallery]' c. 1975-1980

 

Peter Leiss (Australian born England, b. 1951)
Untitled [Bill Heimerman and Ian Lobb at the rear of the Photographers’ Gallery]
c. 1975-1980
Silver gelatin print

 

Greg Neville (Australian, b. 1950)
'Tutorial: lecturers and students [back row L–R Derrick Lee, Bryan Gracey, Athol Shmith, Paul Cox, Elizabeth Tainsh]' c. 1971 (installation view)

 

Greg Neville (Australian, b. 1950)
Tutorial: lecturers and students [back row L–R Derrick Lee, Bryan Gracey, Athol Shmith, Paul Cox, Elizabeth Tainsh] (installation view)
c. 1971
Pigment ink-jet print
Collection of the artist
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

Greg Neville alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Greg Neville (Australian, b. 1950)
'Tutorial: lecturers and students [back row L–R Derrick Lee, Bryan Gracey, Athol Shmith, Paul Cox, Elizabeth Tainsh]' c. 1971

 

Greg Neville (Australian, b. 1950)
Tutorial: lecturers and students [back row L–R Derrick Lee, Bryan Gracey, Athol Shmith, Paul Cox, Elizabeth Tainsh]
c. 1971
Pigment ink-jet print
Collection of the artist

Unidentified students with lecturers editing 35mm transparencies on a light box.

 

Summary of Bill Henson’s opening speech for The basement exhibition, 1st March, 2025

Internationally acclaimed photographer Bill Henson delivered a characteristically personal, challenging and reflective speech to mark the opening of The Basement.

He began his address by reminiscing about his time at Prahran in the mid-1970s – a period he remembered as unconventional and formative, despite his own intermittent attendance. “The only catch in my experience there is that I never went,” he quipped to rising laughter from the audience. Henson recalled how his interactions with lecturers such as John Cato and Athol Shmith shaped his artistic philosophy more than technical instruction ever could. “They were setting a moral example, an ethical example, an example of empathy,” he said, emphasising the profound impact their mentorship had on him.

Henson fondly and colourfully described Shmith, a glamorous portraitist who photographed Hollywood stars, and Cato, a figure of quiet wisdom, conjuring their style as an “imperious insouciance” – a blend of grandeur and carefree independence. He emphasised that, unlike today’s art educators who have to navigate academic formalities, these lecturers were practicing artists who brought hard-won experience into the classroom.

“They hadn’t gone through a professional teaching career,” Henson explained. “They weren’t like the kind of lecturer that I seem to see in art schools now, who have to go and get a ‘doctorate of painting’ to keep their job,” but were decidedly “outlandish” and unorthodox.

Their focus was not on rigid curricula but on fostering creativity and curiosity. “They were very generous with their comments,” Henson noted, recalling how they encouraged him to pursue his own path. He would disappear for months at a time, working on his own projects before returning with a bundle of photographs to share with his lecturers; “John would turn around and say, ‘Fuck, we thought you’d left!'” Despite his absences, they were formative in shaping his artistic independence, Shmith advised him to “just piss off and do your own work.”

Henson also shared anecdotes that highlighted the camaraderie and spontaneity of those years. One memorable moment was when Shmith surprised Henson by arranging for his work to be shown at the National Gallery of Victoria – a gesture that underscored his pride in his students’ potential. “That was as big a shock for me as anyone else,” Henson admitted.

Henson advised aspiring young artists to “try to be true to yourself, and don’t… stop… working!” Also important was intergenerational dialogue in art; he urged young people to seek wisdom from older artists before their insights are lost. Drawing on his own friendships with figures like Barry Humphries, Leo Schofield and Marc Newson, he highlighted how such exchanges enrich both parties through shared experiences and perspectives.

Beyond personal anecdotes, Henson used his speech to reflect on broader themes in art education and practice. He lamented what he sees as the increasing politicisation of contemporary art, which he believes has shifted focus away from aesthetics toward “box-ticking exercises” driven by ideology. While acknowledging that political movements such as feminism were present among Prahran’s students in the 1970s – “there were the feminists; there were little groups doing their social diligence” – he noted that these stances did not overshadow the college’s overarching emphasis on beauty and creative exploration. “There wasn’t this righteousness, this indignation, this kind of territorial thing about issues,” he said. In contrast was an openness and enthusiasm that defined Prahran during his time there – a place where beauty and creativity were paramount. Quoting Plato, he remarked, “Beauty is the splendour of truth,” positioning this ideal as central to artistic endeavour.

In opening The Basement exhibition Henson’s speech served not only as a tribute to Prahran College’s legacy – the enduring influence of its educators and alumni on Australia’s photographic landscape – but also as a call to preserve the values of curiosity, independence, and beauty in art.

Bill Henson opening speech summarised in James McArdle. “Opening!” on the On This Date in Photography website, 1st March, 2025 [Online] Cited 18/04/2025

Many thankx to James McArdle for allowing me to reproduce this text.

 

 Julie Millowick (Australian, b. 1948)
'John Cato, PCAE basement, Prahran' 1976 (installation view)

 

Julie Millowick (Australian, b. 1948)
John Cato, PCAE basement, Prahran (installation view)
1976
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by Julie Millowick 2024
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Julie Millowick (Australian, b. 1948)
'John Cato, PCAE basement, Prahran'
1976

 

Julie Millowick (Australian, b. 1948)
John Cato, PCAE basement, Prahran
1976
Gelatin silver print
Museum of Australian Photography, City of Monash Collection donated by Julie Millowick 2024
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Peter Leiss (Australian born United Kingdom, b. 1951) 'Robert Besanko and Nanette Carter at The Photographers' Gallery, Punt Road' 1976 (installation view)

 

Peter Leiss (Australian born United Kingdom, b. 1951)
Robert Besanko and Nanette Carter at The Photographers’ Gallery, Punt Road (installation view)
1976
Gelatin silver print
Collection of the artist
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

Peter Leiss alumni profile on the Prahran Legacy website

 

Stella Sallman (Australian, b. 1956)
'Peter Leiss' 1976 (installation view)

 

Stella Sallman (Australian, b. 1956)
Peter Leiss (installation view)
1976
Gelatin silver print
Private collection
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980) 'Rennie Ellis and Robert Ashton'
1976 (installation view)

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980)
Rennie Ellis and Robert Ashton (installation view)
1976
Gelatin silver print
Private collection
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

In the early 1970s, advertising photographer and photojournalist Rennie Ellis with deputy director Robert Ashton reopened the space as Brummels Gallery of Photography. Assisted with two Arts Council grants, it was non-profit, and the first privately run art gallery in the country to be devoted specifically to photography…

The gallery closed in January 1980, the month before the premature death of its inaugural exhibitor, Carol Jerrems. Having run for eight years, the gallery had advanced the standing of photography as art and the careers of many Australian photographers including Warren Breninger, Godwin BradbeerPonch HawkesDavid Moore, Gerard Groeneveld, Peter Leiss, Steven Lojewski, Rod McNicol, Wesley Stacey, Robert Ashton, Ian Dodd, Sue FordGeorge Gittoes, Ashe Venn, John Williams, Jon Rhodes, Geoff Strong, Jean-Marc Le Pechoux and Henry Talbot.

“Brummels Gallery,” on the Wikipedia website

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980) 'Paul Cox' 1977 (installation view)

 

Carol Jerrems (Australian, 1949-1980)
Paul Cox (installation view)
1977
Gelatin silver print
Private collection
Photo: Marcus Bunyan

 

 

Museum of Australian Photography
860 Ferntree Gully Road, Wheelers Hill
Victoria 3150 Australia
Phone: + 61 3 8544 0500

Opening hours:
Tue – Fri: 10am – 5pm
Sat – Sun: 10pm – 5pm
Mon/public holidays: closed

Museum of Australian Photography website

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Marcus Bunyan black and white archive: ‘Orphans and small groups’ 1994-1996 Part 2

April 2021

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Ma mère' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Ma mère
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

 

Earlier in my life I believed that identity was always fluid, always in flux. These photographs reflect that belief.

Now as I get older, this belief has changed.

Identity is always steady – at a certain level – and that the old adage to know ones-self is still the greatest challenge. And that this knowledge brings a core that is consistent.

The fluidity of self-knowledge disappears when attention is sharpened.


Marcus Bunyan 2021

 

 

I am scanning my medium format Mamiya RZ67 negatives 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 and things that surrounded me.

All images © Marcus Bunyan. Please click the photographs for a larger version of the image. Please remember these are straight scans of the prints, all full frame, no cropping !

Dr Marcus Bunyan

*PLEASE NOTE THIS POSTING CONTAINS ART PHOTOGRAPHS OF MALE NUDITY – IF YOU DO NOT LIKE PLEASE DO NOT LOOK, FAIR WARNING HAS BEEN GIVEN*

Photographs are available from this series for purchase. As a guide, a vintage 8″ x 10″ silver gelatin print costs $700 plus tracked and insured shipping. For more information please see my Store web page.

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (Rembrandt thinking)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (Rembrandt thinking)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'The conversation' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
The conversation
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (Pope folded)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (Pope folded)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (Pope unfolded)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (Pope unfolded)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'The Angelus, New R, 1892' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
The Angelus, New R, 1892
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Thy Kingdom Come' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Thy Kingdom Come
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Purity' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Purity
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Whistler's mother (looking out to sea)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Whistler’s mother (looking out to sea)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Holbein's Happiness' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Holbein’s Happiness
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled (Sweet heart with leaves)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (Sweet heart with leaves)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Windows at 63aa' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Windows at 63aa
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Urban abstraction (for Max)' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Urban abstraction (for Max)
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Between the breath and the silence' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Between the breath and the silence
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Shame Fraser' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Shame Fraser
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Port Melbourne to Port of Melbourne' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Port Melbourne to Port of Melbourne
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Out back' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Out back
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (pear on black)' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (pear on black)
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Pear I' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Pear I
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Pear II' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Pear II
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Abstract I' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Abstract I
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Abstract II' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Abstract II
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Nude in sunlight' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Nude in sunlight
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Abstract III' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Abstract III
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Abstract IIII' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Abstract IIII
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Abstract V' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Abstract V
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Abstract VI' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Abstract VI
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Question  mark' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Question    mark
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Four lines and two trestles' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Four lines and two trestles
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Four tyres' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Four tyres
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (two cracks)' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (two cracks)
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (plank)' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (plank)
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (creature)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (creature)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (creature)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (creature)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (creature)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (creature)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (creature)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (creature)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (creatures)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (creatures)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled (creatures)' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled (creatures)
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Roundel I' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Roundel I
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Roundel II' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Roundel II
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Roundel III' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Roundel III
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Roundel IIII' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Roundel IIII
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'The structure and fabric of existence 1' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
The structure and fabric of existence 1
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Passionfruit²' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Passionfruit²
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Passionfruit²' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Passionfruit²
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'The structure and fabric of existence 2' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
The structure and fabric of existence 2
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' 1995

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Williamstown 1' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Williamstown 1
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Williamstown 2' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Williamstown 2
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Williamstown 3' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Williamstown 3
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Case Tractor – 1925 –' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Case Tractor – 1925 –
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Fordson Tractor 1922' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Fordson Tractor 1922
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Hart Parr' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Hart Parr
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'John Deere Tractor c. 1925' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
John Deere Tractor c. 1925
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Lanz Bulldog Tractor 1930' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Lanz Bulldog Tractor 1930
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'McCormick Deering Tractor c. 1928' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
McCormick Deering Tractor c. 1928
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Fighter 1' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Fighter 1
1994-96
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Fighter 2' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Fighter 2
1994-96
Gelatin silver print

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) '"Boomerang Way" Tocumwal Wishing Well' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
“Boomerang Way” Tocumwal Wishing Well
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) '"Boomerang Way" Tocumwal Wishing Well' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
“Boomerang Way” Tocumwal Wishing Well
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) '"Boomerang Way" Tocumwal Wishing Well' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
“Boomerang Way” Tocumwal Wishing Well
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Australian landscape' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Australian landscape
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Australian landscape' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Australian landscape
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Australian landscape' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Australian landscape
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'A twist of the mind' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
A twist of the mind
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'A twist of the mind' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
A twist of the mind
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'A twist of the mind' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
A twist of the mind
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Australian landscape' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Australian landscape
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Australian landscape' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Australian landscape
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Australian landscape' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Australian landscape
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Australian landscape' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Australian landscape
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Untitled' 1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan. 'Two men and a ute' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Two men and a ute
1994-95
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Plume (X marks the spot)' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Plume (X marks the spot)
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Lumbe, Blacksmith, Undertaker' 1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Lumbe, Blacksmith, Undertaker
1995
Gelatin silver print

 

 

Marcus Bunyan website

Marcus Bunyan black and white archive 1991-1997

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Marcus Bunyan black and white archive: ‘Orphans and small groups’ 1994-1996 Part 1

February 2021

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Bamboo' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Tall Bamboo
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

 

I am scanning my negatives 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 and things that surrounded me.

All images © Marcus Bunyan. Please click the photographs for a larger version of the image. Please remember these are just straight scans of the prints, all full frame, no cropping !

Marcus

Photographs are available from this series for purchase. As a guide, a vintage 8″ x 10″ silver gelatin print costs $700 plus tracked and insured shipping. For more information please see my Store web page.

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Baby, Oslo' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Baby, Oslo
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Baby, Oslo' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Baby, Oslo
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Baby, Oslo' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Baby, Oslo
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Baby, Oslo' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Baby, Oslo
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Barrows' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Barrows
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Barrows' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Barrows
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Bellows' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Bellows
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Bonsai' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Bonsai
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Bricks and cups' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Bricks and cups
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Cabbage' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Cabbage
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Children and flowers

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Children and flowers I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Children and flowers I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Children and flowers II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Children and flowers II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Children and flowers III' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Children and flowers III
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Children and flowers IV' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Children and flowers IV
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

______________________________

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Corrugations I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Corrugations I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Corrugations II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Corrugations II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Corrugations III' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Corrugations III
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Corrugations IV' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Corrugations IV
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Crazy paving' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Crazy paving
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Marguerite Daisy I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Marguerite Daisy I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Marguerite Daisy II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Marguerite Daisy II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

______________________________

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Doll face I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Doll face I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Doll face II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Doll face II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Drainpipe I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Drainpipe I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Drainpipe II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Drainpipe II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Face I (William Klein)' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Face I (William Klein)
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Face II (William Klein)' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Face II (William Klein)
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Gate I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Gate I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Gate II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Gate II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Chalice I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Chalice I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Chalice II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Chalice II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Chalice III' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Chalice III
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Cracked' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Cracked
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Gumnuts' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Gumnuts
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Hat I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Hat I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Hat II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Hat II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Helicopter, flag pole and sun' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Helicopter, flag pole and sun
1994-96
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'If?' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
If?
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Jubilee Street, Melbourne' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Jubilee Street, Melbourne
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Kids horse I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Kids horse I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Kids horse II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Kids horse II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Monster' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Monster
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Marquetry' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Marquetry
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Saint Gregory I' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Saint Gregory I
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Saint Gregory II' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Saint Gregory II
1994-1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Saint Gregory III' 1994-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Saint Gregory III
1994-96
Gelatin silver print

 

Melbourne gay pride 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Body painting, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Body painting, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Body painting, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Body painting, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Body painting, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Body painting, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Body painting, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Body painting, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'James Dean, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
James Dean, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Banquet table, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Banquet table, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Eagle brand, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Eagle brand, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Pentagram, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Pentagram, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Love, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Love, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Dragons wing, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Dragons wing, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Rose Kennedy, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Rose Kennedy, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Om, Melbourne gay pride' 1994

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Om, Melbourne gay pride
1994
Gelatin silver print

 

 

Marcus Bunyan website

Marcus Bunyan black and white archive 1991-1997

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Photographs: Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) Part 2

December 2020

 

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Seven Yachts in the Bay)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Seven Yachts in the Bay)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
29 x 37cm (11.4 x 14.6 in.)

 

 

A second tranche of photographs from the Australian photographer Max Dupain. This means that Art Blart has one of the largest groups of his work online with larger images.

In this posting I have grouped the images through ships and boats; surf and beach; nudes / montage / surrealism; city and Harbour Bridge; dance and abstraction; portraits and Pictorialism – finishing with two stunning bromoil landscapes.

View Max Dupain photographs Part 1

Dr Marcus Bunyan


All images are used under fair use conditions for the purpose of educational research. Please click on the photographs for a larger version of the image.

 

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Hero Towing Pamir to Sydney Heads' c. 1940s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Hero Towing Pamir to Sydney Heads
c. 1940s
Gelatin silver print
41 x 39.5cm

 

Pamir was a four-masted barque built for the German shipping company F. Laeisz. One of their famous Flying P-Liners, she was the last commercial sailing ship to round Cape Horn, in 1949. By 1957, she had been outmoded by modern bulk carriers and could not operate at a profit. Her shipping consortium’s inability to finance much-needed repairs or to recruit sufficient sail-trained officers caused severe technical difficulties. On 21 September 1957, she was caught in Hurricane Carrie and sank off the Azores, with only six survivors rescued after an extensive search.

Text from the Wikipedia website

 

A model of Pamir, a four-masted barque

 

A model of Pamir, a four-masted barque that was one of the famous Flying P-Liner sailing ships of the German shipping company F. Laeisz

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Rigging Sails' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Rigging Sails
Nd
Gelatin silver print
25.5 x 25cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Life at the Spit' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Life at the Spit
Nd
Gelatin silver print
23.5 x 22cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Aerial of Waters Edge)' 1930s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Aerial of Waters Edge)
1930s
Gelatin silver print
26 x 24cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Aerial View of Manly Beach)' 1938

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Aerial View of Manly Beach)
1938
Gelatin silver print
23 x 31cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Life Guards Marching with Reel)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Life Guards Marching with Reel)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
34.5 x 30cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Sunbaking by the Wall)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Sunbaking by the Wall)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
30.5 x 32cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Surfboard, Umbrella and Crowds)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Surfboard, Umbrella and Crowds)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
29 x 25.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Stiff Nor'Easter' 1940s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Stiff Nor’Easter
1940s
Gelatin silver print
38 x 40.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Beach Watchers, Bondi' 1940s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Beach Watchers, Bondi
1940s
Gelatin silver print
28.5 x 25.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Surf Race Start' 1947

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Surf Race Start
1947
Gelatin silver print
36 x 37cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Picnicker Leaving the Beach' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Picnicker Leaving the Beach
Nd
Gelatin silver print
30 x 34.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Beach Play' 1937

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Beach Play
1937
Gelatin silver print
30.5 x 36cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Nude Figures)' 1930s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Nude Figures)
1930s
Gelatin silver print
24 x 20cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Nude in Shadow on the Sand)' 1937

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Nude in Shadow on the Sand)
1937
Gelatin silver print
35.5 x 30cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Nude Montage)' 1930s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Nude Montage)
1930s
Gelatin silver print
34.5 x 33cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Standing Nude on Sand)' 1930s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Standing Nude on Sand)
1930s
Gelatin silver print
39 x 33.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Nude Sunbaker)' 1939

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Nude Sunbaker)
1939
Gelatin silver print
35 x 46.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Rhythmic Form)' 1935

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Rhythmic Form)
1935
Gelatin silver print

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Debussy Quartet in G' 1937

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Debussy Quartet in G
1937
Gelatin silver print
30.5 x 23.5cm

 

Max Dupain. '(Solarised Nude and Rays of Light)' 1935

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Solarised Nude and Rays of Light)
1935
Gelatin silver print
12.5 x 9.5cm

 

Max Dupain. '(Nude and Pole)' 1934

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Nude and Pole)
1934
Gelatin silver print
45.5 x 36cm

 

Max Dupain. 'Little Nude' 1938

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Little Nude
1938
Gelatin silver print
41 x 31cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Spontaneous Composition' 1935

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Spontaneous Composition
1935
Gelatin silver print
38 x 41cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Moira in the Mirror)' 1931

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Moira in the Mirror)
1931
Gelatin silver print
25.5 x 28cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Elizabeth Street, Melbourne)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Elizabeth Street, Melbourne)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
40.5 x 39cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Angel Statue, 392 Bus and Terraces)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Angel Statue, 392 Bus and Terraces)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
28 x 38cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Australian Hotel, The Rocks)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Australian Hotel, The Rocks)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
31 x 38cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Hickson Road)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Hickson Road)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
39 x 50.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Darling Harbour from Studio Window' 1940s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Darling Harbour from Studio Window
1940s
Gelatin silver print
32 x 45cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Brooms for Sale' 1950

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Brooms for Sale
1950
Gelatin silver print
31.5 x 44.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'George Street Silhouette' 1940

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
George Street Silhouette
1940
Gelatin silver print
30.5 x 29.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Central Station, Sydney' 1939

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Central Station, Sydney
1939
Gelatin silver print
40 x 39cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Collins Street, Melbourne' 1946

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Collins Street, Melbourne
1946
Gelatin silver print
42 x 39.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Morning, Kings Cross Ice Wagon' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Morning, Kings Cross Ice Wagon
Nd
Gelatin silver print
45 x 40.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Parking, Macquarie Street' 1930s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Parking, Macquarie Street
1930s
Gelatin silver print
39 x 48.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Suburban Terraces' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Suburban Terraces
Nd
Gelatin silver print
28 x 38cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Hobart Siesta' 1947

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Hobart Siesta
1947
Gelatin silver print
38.5 x 38cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Diver, Northbridge Baths' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Diver, Northbridge Baths
Nd
Gelatin silver print
23 x 18.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Milson's Point)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Milson’s Point)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
30.5 x 32.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Harbour Bridge at Dusk)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Harbour Bridge at Dusk)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
31 x 28.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Sydney from South Pylon' 1938

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Sydney from South Pylon
1938
Gelatin silver print
38 x 50.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Harbour Bridge Closed at Night)' 1946

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Harbour Bridge Closed at Night)
1946
Gelatin silver print
18 x 24cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Harbour Bridge with Traffic, Buses and Policeman)' 1940-1950s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Harbour Bridge with Traffic, Buses and Policeman)
1940-1950s
Gelatin silver print
17.5 x 24cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Observatory Hill, Looking North to the Sydney Harbour Bridge' 1940

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Observatory Hill, Looking North to the Sydney Harbour Bridge
1940
Gelatin silver print
40.5 x 40cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Four Graces)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Four Graces)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
37 x 48cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Four Graces)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Four Graces)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
24 x 30.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Design – Suburbia' 1933

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Design – Suburbia
1933
Gelatin silver print
29.5 x 23cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Design in Barred Light' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Design in Barred Light
Nd
Gelatin silver print
25 x 18.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Timelapse Nude Figure)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Timelapse Nude Figure)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
23.5 x 29.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Nude Figure and Light)' 1930s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Nude Figure and Light)
1930s
Gelatin silver print
30.5 x 36cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Portrait and Shadows)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Portrait and Shadows)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
50 x 40cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Domestic Poem, Douglas Stewart' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Domestic Poem, Douglas Stewart
Nd
Gelatin silver print
27 x 26cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Jean' 1936-1937

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Jean
1936-1937
Gelatin silver print
37 x 31cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Tired Soldier in Queensland Train' 1943

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Tired Soldier in Queensland Train
1943
Gelatin silver print
45 x 40.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Hostel Breakfast' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Hostel Breakfast
Nd
Gelatin silver print
31 x 41cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Three Men at Work)' 1940s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Three Men at Work)
1940s
Gelatin silver print
52 x 49cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Waiting for the Queen' 1954

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Waiting for the Queen
1954
Gelatin silver print
38.5 x 39.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Waiting for the Queen)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Waiting for the Queen)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
24.5 x 24cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Enter The Queen' 1954

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Enter The Queen
1954
Gelatin silver print
50 x 50cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Gloucester Landscape' 1951

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Gloucester Landscape
1951
Gelatin silver print
40.5 x 50.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Sundown, Mona Vale Marshes' 1932

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Sundown, Mona Vale Marshes
1932
18.5 x 24cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'The Flight of the Spectres' 1932

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
The Flight of the Spectres
1932
Bromoil
27.5 x 29cm

 

 

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Photographs: Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) Part 1

November 2020

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Sydney Harbour Crepuscule' 1937

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Sydney Harbour Crepuscule
1937
Gelatin silver print
32.5 x 47cm

 

Noun. crépuscule m (plural crépuscules) twilight, dusk (the time of the day when the sun sets)

 

 

Iv’e been saving up these images for some time. This, the first of a two-part posting, features many images that are rare online, especially in a large size.

Dupain was a master of the use of light and form (Tea Towel Trio, 1934), an early proponent of Modernist photography in Australia (Silos at Pyrmont; Silos through windscreen, both 1935), an expert in night photography (Mosman Bay at dusk, 1937) and the use of chiaroscuro (Passengers Disembarking from Ferry, 1950s; Newsstand, Nd). He was an innovator in surrealist photography (Night with her train of stars and her gift of sleep, 1936-37), photomontage (Nude Figure with Shell Transposed, 1936), and advertising photography. His nude studies evidence an experimentation towards the representation of the human body (Jean with Wire Mesh, 1938; Nude Figure behind Wire Mesh, 1930s), his portraits possess a sensitivity and feeling towards subject matter (Portrait of Boy in Sunlight, 1936), while his portrayal of Australian culture –  the body as architecture (Bondi, 1939); the myth of the surf lifesaver (Life Guards with Flag and Reel March, Nd); and the bustling metropolis (Rush Hour, Kings Cross, 1938) address the burgeoning self confidence of the Australian nation in the 1930s.

Seemingly, there was nothing that Dupain could not turn his hand too, that he could not photograph.

What strikes me most when looking at his photographs is the precision of his visual inquiry. His focus, his previsualisation, in knowing exactly what he wanted to say in that image – even while shifting genres and points of view. Like the subtle camera positioning of Atget where the angles are not what you would expect, Dupain rarely puts his camera where a mere mortal would stand to take a photograph. He looks, down (Manly, 1940s), up (crouching on his haunches to make the Life Guards and the Bondi couple seem monumental) and across – framing his compositions with diagonals, arches, and waves of people, almost like musical annotation. Everything looks simple and eloquent, elegant, but beneath the surface these are sophisticated images.

Far from being nostalgic, I look at Dupain’s body of work, and then at an individual photograph like Buses, Eddy Avenue (Nd) – and marvel at Dupain’s contemporary rendition (rending?) of time and space. Placing his camera as far to the right as he dared, Dupain captures the diagonal line of the parked buses in sunlight framed by the dark arch of the tunnel, the tram passing from left to right, the perfectly positioned clocktower and willowy flag giving a sense of movement… and then that man, that man, standing stock still at right with his shadow falling in front of him. IF he was not there, the whole focus of the image, the punctum, would be gone. It would just be a serviceable image. But he IS there and Dupain recognised that!

Similarly, in one of my favourite photographs by Dupain, At Newport (1952) “Dupain’s viewpoint turns the top of the wall into a taught line across the picture and his five bathers are strung out along it and held in tension like forms on a wire. As one prepares to dive, his counterweight, the sinewy young man, descends on the dry side. At the picture’s edges, the girls in bathing caps counterbalance the boy with hunched shoulders.” Birds on a wire, notes on a musical stave. Can you imagine being Dupain standing there and recognising that composition and the distorted shadow, in that very instance of its emergence, its flowering, for that ever so brief second in the existence of the cosmos….

Simply put, Max Dupain is the greatest Australian male photographer that has ever lived.

Dr Marcus Bunyan

View Max Dupain photographs Part 2


All images are used under fair use conditions for the purpose of educational research. Please click on the photographs for a larger version of the image.

 

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Mosman Bay at dusk' 1937

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Mosman Bay at dusk
1937
Gelatin silver print
28 x 37.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Night with her train of stars and her gift of sleep' 1936-1937

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Night with her train of stars and her gift of sleep
1936-37
Gelatin silver print
30 x 36cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Rhythmic Form)' 1935

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Rhythmic Form)
1935
Gelatin silver print
22.5 x 30.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Nude Figure with Trombone Shadow)' 1930s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Nude Figure with Trombone Shadow)
1930s
Gelatin silver print
25 x 17.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Nude Figure with Shell Transposed)' 1936

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Nude Figure with Shell Transposed)
1936
Gelatin silver print
50 x 35.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Two forms' 1939

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Two forms
1939
Gelatin silver print
50.5 x 38.5cm

 

This photograph relates conceptually to Dupain’s experiments with photographs of nudes. According to the vitalist philosophies of the time, the spiralling rounded shell being shaped by nature is feminine, while the hard metallic tool is man-made and represents the masculine principle. Photographed on a plain surface and lit with raking light, the sense of space is ambiguous. Dupain retained an interest in still-lifes throughout his career, returning to them particularly towards the end of his life. In the 1930s his most well-known still-life was Shattered intimacy 1936 (AGNSW collection) where an image of broken glass and a broken classical statue has been solarised, producing a powerful narrative. Two forms is a more contemplative image as the shell and the head of a hammer lie side by side and are of similar scale. Interestingly, the two forms are distant from each other, rather than close together, and their scale gives them equality. It is not known whether Dupain necessarily subscribed to the contemporaneous anxiety about the ‘new woman’, but certainly one can read this image as an examination of difference.

© Art Gallery of New South Wales Photography Collection Handbook, 2007

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Tea Towel Trio' 1934

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Tea Towel Trio
1934
Gelatin silver print
29.5 x 22cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Still Life' 1935

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Still Life
1935
Gelatin silver print
29.5 x 21.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Blankets' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Blankets
Nd
Gelatin silver print
31 x 24cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Male Nude with Discus)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Male Nude with Discus)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
39 x 32cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Dart' 1935

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Dart
1935
Gelatin silver print
50 x 37.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Dart' 1935

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Dart
1935
Gelatin silver print

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Sleeping Boy' 1941

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Sleeping Boy
1941
Gelatin silver print

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Portrait of Boy in Sunlight' 1936

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Portrait of Boy in Sunlight
1936
Gelatin silver print
29 x 26cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Jean with Wire Mesh' 1938

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Jean with Wire Mesh
1938
Gelatin silver print
49.5 x 39.5cm

 

In 1937, [Jean] Bailey posed for Jean with wire mesh, which some experts hail as the single most powerful image ever taken by Max Dupain, generally regarded as Australia’s greatest lensman.

It’s more subtle than his most famous image, Sunbaker, also shot in 1937. It’s less frozen in time than his striking scenes of wartime Australians serving in New Guinea. It’s more universal than his evocative tableaux of shearers, cattle drovers, miners and “six o’clock swillers”. And it’s less contrived than the commissioned portraits he took of wealthier women for the equivalent of today’s social pages.

Of all the many women who posed for his camera, Bailey was regarded as Dupain’s muse. Even by her own admission, she was not the most beautiful woman in 1930s Sydney.

In some pictures, by other photographers, she looks quite plain. …

But Dupain saw something special in her, though even Bailey does not know what it was.

“It’s not enormously erotic,” says [Alan] Davies. “But it is incredibly sensual, masterful in its use of light and shade. To photograph someone with her forehead in full sunlight and the rest of her figure cloaked in shadow is an extraordinary technical achievement. Most photographers would regard it as professional suicide. They wouldn’t attempt it.”

The image, he says, “is an astonishing masterpiece of chiaroscuro”. Unlike so many of Dupain’s images, this – and another outstanding work in the exhibition of an unknown model called Nude with pole – are timeless, betraying none of the nostalgia for which Dupain is so often noted.

White, who under Dupain’s tutelage became an accomplished photographer herself, says simply, “I think Jean with wire mesh is his most beautiful image. It leaves Sunbaker for dead.”

Anonymous. “Portrait of a lady,” on The Sydney Morning Herald website, July 12, 2003 [Online] Cited 24/10/2020

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Nude Figure behind Wire Mesh)' 1930s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Nude Figure behind Wire Mesh)
1930s
Gelatin silver print
50.5 x 40 cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Hands of a Dancer' 1935

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Hands of a Dancer
1935
Gelatin silver print
29 x 27.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Artist and Model' 1938

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Artist and Model
1938
Gelatin silver print
35.5 x 30.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Super-Imposed Woman and Night Cityscape)' 1937

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Super-Imposed Woman and Night Cityscape)
1937
Gelatin silver print
46 x 35cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Fire Stairs at Bond Street Studio (Solarised)' 1935

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Fire Stairs at Bond Street Studio (Solarised)
1935
Gelatin silver print
30 x 21.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Fire Stairs at Bond Street Studio' 1930s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Fire Stairs at Bond Street Studio
1930s
Gelatin silver print
24.5 x 9cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Olive Cotton in Wheat Fields)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Olive Cotton in Wheat Fields)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
30 x 30cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Fire Stairs at Bond Street)' 1934

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Fire Stairs at Bond Street)
1934
Gelatin silver print
26 x 21cm

 

Max Dupain is Australia’s most celebrated modernist photographer. Born in the Sydney, Dupain practiced photography as a teenager, receiving his first camera in 1924. In 1929 he joined the New South Wales Photographic Society, and in 1930 was employed in the studio of prominent Pictorialist Cecil Bostock, where he received solid training in all aspects of photography. He established his own studio in Sydney in 1934, servicing commercial clients and producing still lifes, figure photography and portraits. In his personal work, he explored the surrealist aesthetic of Man Ray, experimenting with formal abstraction and montage. With the outbreak of World War II, Dupain worked with the Camouflage Unit in 1941, travelling to New Guinea and the Admiralty Islands. His photography of the 1960s and 70s was shaped by architectural interests and he fostered working relationships with several prominent architects, most notably Harry Seidler.

Text from the Art Gallery of New South Wales website [Online] Cited 24/10/2020

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Silos through windscreen' 1935

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Silos through windscreen
1935
Gelatin silver print
40 x 43cm

 

While cars and machinery were rarely Max Dupain’s personal choice of forms to photograph, his Silos through windscreen 1935 embraces the new age from a new perspective. It is an uncharacteristically complex composition. The view of the silos from the front seat shows off the car’s smart dashboard; at the same time his camera records a fragment of a brick factory reflected in the rear vision mirror.

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Silos at Pyrmont' 1935

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Silos at Pyrmont
1935
Gelatin silver print
49 x 37cm

 

Pyrmont silos is one of a number of photographs that Dupain took of these constructions in the 1930s. In all cases Dupain examined the silos from a modernist perspective, emphasising their monumentality from low viewpoints under a bright cloudless sky. Additionally, his use of strong shadows to emphasise the forms of the silos and the lack of human figures celebrates the built structure as well as providing no sense of scale. Another photograph by Dupain in the AGNSW collection was taken through a car windscreen so that the machinery of transport merges explicitly with industrialisation into a complex hard-edge image of views and mirror reflections. There were no skyscrapers in Sydney until the late 1930s so the silos, Walter Burley Griffin’s incinerators and the Sydney Harbour Bridge were the major points of reference for those interested in depicting modern expressions of engineering and industrial power.

Dupain was the first Australian photographer to embrace modernism. One of his photographs of the silos was roundly criticised when shown to the New South Wales Photographic Society but Dupain forged on regardless with his reading, thinking and experimentation. Some Australian painting and writing had embraced modernist principles in the 1920s, but as late as 1938 Dupain was writing to the Sydney Morning Herald:

“Great art has always been contemporary in spirit. Today we feel the surge of aesthetic exploration along abstract lines, the social economic order impinging itself on art, the repudiation of the ‘truth to nature criterion’ … We sadly need the creative courage of Man Ray, the original thought of Moholy-Nagy, and the dynamic realism of Edouard [sic] Steichen.”1

1/ Dupain, M. 1938, ‘Letter to the editor’, Sydney Morning Herald, 30 March

© Art Gallery of New South Wales Photography Collection Handbook, 2007

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Bondi' 1939

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Bondi
1939
Gelatin silver print
37 x 37.5cm

 

Dupain was one of the first Australian photographers to embrace Modernism. The simplicity of form and unusually low vantage point of this picture reflect the influence of German photography that he saw in the journal Das Deutsche Lichtbild. At first Dupain preferred another version of the image; when it was published in 1948, the photograph shows the woman standing with her arms folded. Here, she leans toward the man, their bodies slightly overlapping. Standing parallel to the picture plane, their bodies and those of the young men at their sides form a pyramid – one of Dupain’s preferred forms at this time.

Text © National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'At Newport' 1952

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
At Newport
1952
Gelatin silver print
25 x 29cm

 

There is a strong sense of masculinity found in many of Dupain’s beach works. In At Newport this is emphasised by the strong, angular lines of the figures, an image that seems to capture the essence of male youth at the beach. In this image, three male swimmers are positioned in the foreground of a beachside pool setting. The long shadows of the late summer sun place further emphasis on the angularity and thus the masculinity that is a feature of this image.

Text from the Annette Larkin Fine Art website

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'At Newport Baths' 1952

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
At Newport
1952
Gelatin silver print
45.0 x 40.0cm
National Gallery of Australia
Purchased 1976

 

Dupain took At Newport in 1952 at the Newport Baths, as it was then known, a sea-water pool next to the Pacific Ocean about 20 miles north of Sydney. It’s an ambiguous photograph in more ways than one because the angle of the shot makes it seem as if the tremendous weight of the sea is being held back by nothing stronger than a low wall, with the water rising almost to the brim. Dupain’s viewpoint turns the top of the wall into a taught line across the picture and his five bathers are strung out along it and held in tension like forms on a wire. As one prepares to dive, his counterweight, the sinewy young man, descends on the dry side. At the picture’s edges, the girls in bathing caps counterbalance the boy with hunched shoulders. The distant pillars along the side of the pool duplicate these intervals. There appears to be some indecision, though, about the crop Dupain intended on the right. A print in his archive shows space between the right-hand girl and the edge, which is better, while a print in a national collection omits her entirely. Losing her disembodied head and intense concentration on the diver weakens the photograph. (There is also a second picture of bathers from the same group (below))

At Newport can be straightforwardly construed as another celebration by Dupain the dedicated modernist of the vitalising power of sunlight and the exuberant Australianness of the beach, but there is an alternative way of reading it. An essay in Dupain’s Sydney (1999) notes that the photographer didn’t like people very much, valued solitude, and would rather be doing something than have to talk. (He was remarkably industrious, leaving an archive of more than a million pictures.) This group of bathers is together but disconnected. Two faces are hidden and unknowable, looking down at the water, and the others are half-concealed in shadow, lost in their own thoughts. Then there is the ungainly shape cast by the young man’s long legs, which serves as a foil to the dark tones of the rising land. The shadow introduces an element of discord and adds to the mood of subtle disquiet.

Rick Poynor. “Exposure: Newport Baths by Max Dupain,” on the Design Observer website 23/06/2015 [Online] Cited 24/10/2020

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Newport Baths I' 1952

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Newport Baths I
1952
Gelatin silver print
23.5 x 25.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Bondi Couple' 1950s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Bondi Couple
1950s
Gelatin silver print
20.5 x 20.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Manly' 1940s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Manly
1940s
Gelatin silver print
47 x 37.5cm

 

From 1938, and throughout the late 1940s after his return from the war, Dupain took many photographs of Manly beach from the high vantage point offered by its iconic shark tower. These landscapes often found striking diagonal obliques in the convergence of incoming surf, the activities of lifesavers, the lines of beachgoers, and the surrounding modernist architecture, including promenades. These photographs tell us as much about Dupain’s leisure time as they do his artistic interests: the beach was ‘how I used to spend my weekends’, Dupain later wrote. More than its convenience, Manly offered a very local experience of modernity. Dupain strongly believed in and advocated for a contemporary photography, that it was important to consciously be part of the age into which one was born.

Text © National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Life Guards with Flag and Reel March)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Life Guards with Flag and Reel March)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
26 x 26.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Life Savers at Attention in a Row)' 1940s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Life Savers at Attention in a Row)
1940s
Gelatin silver print
25.5 x 30 cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Lifesavers' 1940s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Lifesavers
1940s
Gelatin silver print
36.5 x 47.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Passengers Disembarking from Ferry)' 1950s

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Passengers Disembarking from Ferry)
1950s
Gelatin silver print
30.5 x 30.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Male Commuters departing Ferry)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Male Commuters departing Ferry)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
27 x 26cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Newsstand)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Newsstand)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
36 x 30.5cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Meat Queue, Sydney' 1946

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Meat Queue, Sydney
1946
Gelatin silver print
40.5 x 50.5cm

 

Meat queue, Sydney was one in a series of pictures Sydney photographer Max Dupain undertook for the Department of Information. When interviewed by curator Helen Ennis in 1991 Dupain said:

“We were doing a story on queues after the war. They were all over the place – queues for buses, vegetables, fruit. I just happened to come across this butcher shop in Pitt Street, I think it was. Here they were all lined up, and I went around it, took a number of pictures, ultimately ending up with this sort of architectural approach with four of five females all dressed in black with black hats, not looking too happy about the world. Suddenly one of them breaks the queue when I’m focused up all ready to go, pure luck.”1

The solidity of the linear figures taken from mid distance beneath a meat coupon scale which will weigh a proportion of meat with the allowable coupons democratises the women. The picture is given a sudden focus as the central figure decides to move from the queue and unwanted contact is made with the woman ahead. Described as both a documentary photograph, but not necessarily a social comment, the economic food-rationing of postwar Australia is shown in this clear modernist image of black-and-white shapes in shallow space. Form rather than content defines this image. The central figure in a lighter coloured coat is balanced on either side by the darker coats as the black hats, which make a wave along the horizontal, parallel the line of meat hooks.

1/ Ennis, H. 1991, Max Dupain: photographs, Australian National Gallery, Canberra p. 18.

© Art Gallery of New South Wales Photography Collection Handbook, 2007

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Morning Commuters, The Kabu, Circular Quay' 1938

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Morning Commuters, The Kabu, Circular Quay
1938
Gelatin silver print
32.5 x 30cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Tram Abstraction' 1930

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Tram Abstraction
1930
Gelatin silver print
23.5 x 20cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) '(Buses, Eddy Avenue)' Nd

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
(Buses, Eddy Avenue)
Nd
Gelatin silver print
17.5 x 17cm

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Rush Hour, Kings Cross' 1938

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Rush Hour, Kings Cross
1938
Gelatin silver print

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Rush Hour, Kings Cross' 1938

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Rush Hour, Kings Cross
1938
Gelatin silver print

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992) 'Rush Hour, Kings Cross' 1938

 

Max Dupain (Australian, 1911-1992)
Rush Hour, Kings Cross
1938
Gelatin silver print
40.5 x 42cm

 

 

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Marcus Bunyan black and white archive: ‘Horses, sheep’, 1994-1995

September 2020

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

 

The second of two postings of new scans from my black and white negative archive.

The horse photographs were taken at a Royal Melbourne Show one year. The photographs of the sheep were taken in country New South Wales.

Ah, the light!

Dr Marcus Bunyan

 

I am scanning my negatives 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 and things that surrounded me.

All images © Marcus Bunyan. Please click the photographs for a larger version of the image. Please remember these are just straight scans of the prints, all full frame, no cropping !

Photographs are available from this series for purchase. As a guide, a vintage 8″ x 10″ silver gelatin print costs $700 plus tracked and insured shipping. For more information please see my Store web page.

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Foal' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Foal
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Foal' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Foal
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Mother, foal' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Mother, Foal
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Brand' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Brand
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Diamonds' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Diamonds
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Diamonds' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Diamonds
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Button braids' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Button braids
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Bridle' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Bridle
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Hock, Gaskin' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Hock, Gaskin
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Saddle' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Saddle
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Saddle' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Saddle
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Untitled' from 'Horses, sheep' 1994-1995

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958)
Untitled
1994-1995
From Horses, sheep
Gelatin silver print
© Marcus Bunyan

 

 

Marcus Bunyan black and white archive 1991-1997

Marcus Bunyan website

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Marcus Bunyan black and white archive: ‘Padlocks/People’, 1994-1996

July 2020

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

 

The padlocks were from a collection borrowed from a friend and photographed on a black velvet background. I liked their antiquity coupled with their minimalist modernist aesthetic highlighted against the black background. The installation photographs at the bottom of the posting show how they were originally exhibited at my solo exhibition The Cleft in Words, The Words as Flesh at Stop 22 Gallery, Melbourne in 1996, in a grid formation with the facade of an English cathedral.

The people were photographed out of the open door of an old W class tram on Swanston Street, Melbourne, with me sitting on the floor of the tram handholding my Mamiya RZ67 – so that the people outside were at eye level as they entered. At the time, I was fascinated by the open door of the tram, of life sliding past, of people not being aware they were being photographed climbing up into the tram after the door had opened.

Today, putting these two sets of images together, I am thinking about the relationship between the mundanity of everyday life and being locked into the routine and ritual of existence, with barely a key in/sight. At the time, and now, I am informed by a quotation from Susan Stewart:

“To walk in the city is to experience the disjuncture of partial vision/partial consciousness. The narrativity of this walking is belied by a simultaneity we know and yet cannot experience. As we turn a corner, our object disappears around the next corner. The sides of the street conspire against us; each attention suppresses a field of possibilities… The walkers of the city travel at different speeds, their steps like handwriting of a personal mobility.”1

Shadows lengthen, people hasten, rushing who knows where, the body immersed in absent presence, present and not present, conscious and not conscious, aware and yet unaware of the narratives of the body and the city. Walkers of this transcendent and anonymous silence.

Dr Marcus Bunyan

 

1/ Stewart, Susan. On Longing: Narratives of the Miniature, the Gigantic, the Souvenir, the Collection. Durham: Duke University Press, 1993, p. 2. Prologue.

 

I am scanning my negatives 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 and things that surrounded me.

All images © Marcus Bunyan. Please click the photographs for a larger version of the image. Please remember these are just straight scans of the prints, all full frame, no cropping !

Photographs are available from this series for purchase. As a guide, a vintage 8″ x 10″ silver gelatin print costs $700 plus tracked and insured shipping. For more information please see my Store web page.

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Padlocks/People' 1995-1996

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Untitled
1995-1996
From Padlocks/People
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Installation of the Padlocks at the exhibition ‘The Cleft in Words, The Words as Flesh’ at Stop 22 Gallery, Melbourne, 1996'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Installation of the Padlocks at the exhibition ‘The Cleft in Words, The Words as Flesh’ at Stop 22 Gallery, Melbourne, 1996
1996
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, born England 1958) 'Installation of the Padlocks at the exhibition ‘The Cleft in Words, The Words as Flesh’ at Stop 22 Gallery, Melbourne, 1996'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Installation of the Padlocks at the exhibition ‘The Cleft in Words, The Words as Flesh’ at Stop 22 Gallery, Melbourne, 1996
1995-96
Gelatin silver print

 

 

Marcus Bunyan black and white archive 1991-1997

Marcus Bunyan website

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Photographs: ‘Australia 1946-1947’ Part 1 March 2020

March 2020

 

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (girl on porch)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (girl on porch)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

 

One of the great joys about compiling this archive is the ability to rescue unloved and unknown images. To give them a voice in the contemporary world.

These 2 1/4″ square (6 x 6cm) medium format black and white negatives come from the collection of my friend Nick Henderson. There is no marking on any of the negatives, leading me to believe that the film numbers were on the backing paper of the 120 film roll. The negatives are housed in paper packets adorned with a logo and words ‘APS Developing and Printing Service’ – perhaps Australian Photographic Services? Each packet contains basic title information for some of the photographs. Looking at the photographs and their perspective on the world, it would seem that the camera is a waist view camera, in other words the photographer was looking down into the viewfinder, the camera not held at eye level. The camera could possibly have been a Voigtländer or similar camera (see below). The quality of the negatives is reasonable, with some fall off in terms of sharpness occurring at the edge of the image. The photographs can be dated to 1946-1947 due to the February 1947 expiry Victorian registration label on the Chevrolet (thank you Simon Barnfield for spotting this!), are taken by an unknown photographer (probably male)… photographs of life in Sydney, his family and their travels around Australia. This is the first tranche of photographs with roughly the same number to come in the second part of the posting.

What makes these photographs particularly interesting is:

1/ the breadth of subject matter taken just after the Second World War and the fact that they are medium format

2/ the relaxed nature and beauty of the photographs of the children, and the light!

3/ the unknown images of places such as Bondi Beach and historical monuments, such as that of the forlorn The Dog on the Tuckerbox

4/ the photographs of the motor sport activity of hillclimbing, unfortunately no place known but its has been suggested it could be the 90-years-old Maldon hill climb at Mt Tarrengower because of the box-ironbark (and the fact that there are photographs of Maldon in the collection).


Variously we have country towns, theatrical groups, sailing, boating, churches, Sydney ferries, a trip to Maldon in Victoria for the Maldon Show, family picnics, cars and caravans, houses and horse riding, churches and children, and the oh so cute dogs in their own car boxes. So Australian. The photographs really give an extensive insight into suburban life in Australia just after the privations of the Second World War… and the photographer had a good eye. That is what is most important – that they knew how to take a good photograph.

Talking to my friend James McArdle who writes the oh so excellent On this Date in Photography website (essential reading!), he was unaware of the time it takes to prepare images for these postings. It has literally taken me hours and hours of hard work to scan these negatives and then digitally clean and balance them. All to give them a new lease of life in the world, to preserve their captured memories and histories. I hope you can appreciate all the hard work and admire the images I have revealed.

See Part 2 of the posting

Dr Marcus Bunyan


Many thankx to Nick Henderson for allowing me to publish the photographs in the posting. All photographs collection of Nick Henderson. Please click on the photographs for a larger version of the image. See Part 2 of the posting.

 

 

APS (Australian Photographic Services?) Developing and Printing Service 'Film packets and negatives' 1946-1947

APS (Australian Photographic Services?) Developing and Printing Service 'Film packets and negatives' 1946-47

 

APS (Australian Photographic Services?) Developing and Printing Service
Film packets and negatives
1946-1947
Negatives: 2 1/4″ square (6 x 6 cm)
Packet (closed): 3 7/8 x 3 1/4″ (10cm x 8cm)
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Voigtländer Brillant 1930s

 

Voigtländer Billiant
1930s
Photograph by Rama, Wikimedia Commons, Cc-by-sa-2.0-fr

 

The Voigtländer Brillant is a range of pseudo-TLR cameras, and later true TLR cameras, taking 6 Ã— 6 cm exposures on 120 film, made by Voigtländer from 1932. Famed Hungarian-Dutch photographer Eva Besnyö used a Brillant for her early work.

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (Circular Quay, Sydney)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (Circular Quay, Sydney)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (Karrabee ferry, Sydney, leaving High St Wharf, Kurraba in the background)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (Karrabee ferry, Sydney, leaving High St Wharf, Kurraba in the background)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Karingal and Karrabee ferry

Karingal and Karrabee were built by Morrison & Sinclair, Balmain for Sydney Ferries Limited, being launched in 1913. They were the smallest of the round-ended K-class Sydney ferries, and could carry 608 and 653 passengers respectively.

They were near identical sister ferries operated by Sydney Ferries Limited and its NSW State Government operated successors on Sydney Harbour from 1913 until 1984. Wooden ferries built at the time of Sydney Ferries’ rapid early twentieth century, they were the smallest of the round-end “K-class ferries”.

The ferries were built as coal-fired steamer and were converted to diesel in the 1930s – the first Sydney Harbour ferries to be so converted. Unlike many early twentieth century Sydney Ferries, they survived the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the 1930s, and the State Government takeover in 1951.

Karrabee sank at Circular Quay after taking on water during the Great Ferry Race in 1984 – an incident that received extensive media coverage – and did not return to service. Karingal, and the other three remaining old wooden ferries, were taken out of service shortly after Karrabee’s sinking. In service for 71 years, they were among the longest-serving ferries on Sydney Harbour.

“Karingal” and “Karrabee” are Australian Aboriginal words meaning ‘happy home’ and ‘cockatoo’ respectively.

Text from the Wikipedia website [Online] Cited 12/12/2019

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (Bondi Beach, Sydney)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (Bondi Beach, Sydney)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (Bondi Beach, Sydney)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (Bondi Beach, Sydney)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (Bondi Beach, Sydney)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (Bondi Beach, Sydney)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (The Dog on the Tuckerbox)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (The Dog on the Tuckerbox)
Gundagai, 1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (The Dog on the Tuckerbox)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (The Dog on the Tuckerbox)
Gundagai, 1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

The Dog on the Tuckerbox

The Dog on the Tuckerbox is an Australian historical monument and tourist attraction, located at Snake Gully, approximately five miles (eight kilometres) from Gundagai, New South Wales as described in the song of the same name.

The inspiration for the statue has been traced to a doggerel poem, “Bullocky Bill”, published anonymously by “Bowyang Yorke” in 1857 (other references have 1880 in the Gundagai Times, however confirmation of either is hard to find), which humorously describes a series of misfortunes faced by a bullock driver, culminating in his dog either sitting on or spoiling the food in his tucker-box (an Australian colloquialism for a box that holds food, similar to a lunchbox, but larger). …

A dog monument was first erected at a site nine miles from Gundagai in 1926. Gundagai stonemason Frank Rusconi suggested a memorial using the legend of the Dog on the Tuckerbox in 1928; and in 1932 the proposal was taken up by the community…

The Back to Gundagai Committee chose the Five Mile camping site rather than the Nine Mile Peg as a location for the monument on the basis that it was more convenient to the Hume Highway and closer to the town, thereby more beneficial to tourism.

A nationwide competition was held to obtain the most suitable inscription for the monument. The chosen inscription on the base of the monument was written by Brian Fitzpatrick of Sydney. The inscription says:

“Earth’s self upholds this monument
To conquerors who won her when
Wooing was dangerous, and now
Are gathered unto her again.”

The dog section of the monument was modelled by Rusconi and cast at ‘Oliver’s Foundry’ in Sydney. Rusconi also sculpted its base.

The Dog on the Tuckerbox monument was erected in 1932 as part of ‘Back to Gundagai’ week, and a large crowd “gathered to her again” to witness the unveiling by Prime Minister Joseph Lyons on 28 November 1932. It was planned to donate money placed in the wishing well at the base of the monument to the Gundagai District Hospital. A souvenir shop was also opened nearby. Copyright on the monument was vested in the Gundagai Hospital, who for many years received a useful income from receipt of royalties from firms using the iconic image.

Text from the Wikipedia website [Online] Cited 12/12/2019

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (hillclimb, possibly at Maldon, Victoria)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (hillclimb, possibly at Maldon, Victoria)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (hillclimb, possibly at Maldon, Victoria)' (detail) 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (hillclimb, possibly at Maldon, Victoria) (detail)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (hillclimb, possibly at Maldon, Victoria)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (hillclimb, possibly at Maldon, Victoria)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown location, possibly the 90-years-old Maldon hill climb at Mt Tarrengower because of the box-ironbark (and the fact that there are photographs of Maldon in the collection).

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (hillclimb, possibly at Maldon, Victoria)' (detail) 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (hillclimb, possibly at Maldon, Victoria) (detail)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (hillclimb, possibly at Maldon, Victoria)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (hillclimb, possibly at Maldon, Victoria)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (hillclimb, possibly at Maldon, Victoria)' (detail) 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (hillclimb, possibly at Maldon, Victoria) (detail)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (boat)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (boat)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (boat at sea)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (boat at sea)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (child on porch)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (child on porch)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (boy outside house)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (boy outside house)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (boy smiling)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (boy smiling)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (boy and girl smiling)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (boy and girl smiling)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (child on lawn)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (child on lawn)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (child and chairs)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (child and chairs)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (man and woman)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (man and woman)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (house)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (house)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (boy on horse)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (boy on horse)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (dog and saucepan)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (dog and saucepan)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (1932 Chevrolet)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (1932 Chevrolet)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (1932 Chevrolet and caravan)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (Chevrolet and caravan)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (1932 Chevrolet and dogs)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (1932 Chevrolet and dogs)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

The photographs can be dated to 1946-1947 due to the February 1947 expiry Victorian registration label on the Chevrolet. Thank you to Simon Barnfield for spotting this.

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (1932 Chevrolet and caravan)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (Chevrolet and caravan)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (Man and car)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (man and car)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (family picnic)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (family picnic)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (Man and car)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (man and car)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (house on hill)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (house on hill)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (room interior)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (room interior)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (Future Miss Maldons, Maldon Show, Maldon, Victoria, with Maldon Timber & Hardware at 28 Main Street in the background)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (Future Miss Maldons, Maldon Show, Maldon, Victoria, with Maldon Timber & Hardware at 28 Main Street in the background)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Where are they now, so many ghosts with flowers in their hair.

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (Scottish band, Maldon Show, Maldon, Victoria)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (Scottish band, Maldon Show, Maldon, Victoria)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (church)' 1946-47

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (church)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (church)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (church)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (group of actors)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (group of actors)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (actor and ballerina)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (actor and ballerina)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (actor)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (actor)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (band performances)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (band performances)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

Unknown photographer (Australian) 'Untitled (Bilsons, country town)' 1946-1947

 

Unknown photographer (Australian)
Untitled (Bilsons, country town)
1946-1947
Medium format negative
Collection of Nicholas Henderson

 

 

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Exhibition: ‘Shea Kirk: Vantages’ at the Centre for Contemporary Photography, Fitzroy, Melbourne

Exhibition dates: 15 June - 11 August, 2019

 

 

Shea Kirk (Australian, b. 1985) 'Dale Robertson (left and right view)' 2019 from the exhibition 'Shea Kirk: Vantages' at the Centre for Contemporary Photography, Fitzroy, Melbourne, June - August, 2019

 

Shea Kirk (Australian, b. 1985)
Dale Robertson (left and right view)
2019
From the series Vantages
Courtesy the artist

 

In Vantages, Kirk invites people to be photographed in the setting of his home studio, in front of simple, unadorned backdrops. Using dual large-format cameras, each portrait is exposed onto separate sheets of black-and-white film, capturing two images of the sitter from slightly different perspectives, emulating the viewpoints of each eye. In an explicitly contemporary take on traditional modes of portraiture, Kirk’s considered and methodical process facilitates an intimate exchange between photographer and subject, with the intention of creating a heightened sense of agency for each sitter. In this way, the series becomes an exercise for the sitter in representing themselves, defying the threat of reduction to a single vantage point.

Text from the National Gallery of Victoria website

 

 

Another impressive exhibition at the Centre for Contemporary Photography, this time by artist Shea Kirk in their first solo exhibition.

Photographed in a home-studio with plain backdrops (which remind me of photo-booth images and the white backgrounds of Richard Avedon) on dual large format cameras, I love the split screen vision of these stereoscopic portraits. The schism between left and right, as when you close and open your left and right eye to see something from a different point of view. I couldn’t get the stereoscopic viewer provided to work for me when looking through it… which is probably a good thing because I like the split between the images, those different vantage points, instead of the image being combined into a statuesque edifice.

(The definition of “vantage” is a point of view or position that is more superior or advantageous than another. Personally I don’t think any point of view, in terms of identity construction, should be superior to another.)

Where I think the exhibition is less successful is in the pose of some of the subjects. The press release states that the subjects “stare at us with a disarming self-awareness … presenting as though conscious of their own vulnerabilities – they are aware of what it means to represent themselves”, but all to often I get no sense of who these people really are, what their personality is, in their stillness and statuesqueness, in the time freeze snap of the camera shutter.

I am no great fan of dead pan photography, and here the subjects too often stare off into the distance, supposedly immersed in their own reverie, allowing the viewers eye to rove over their outer appearance, as though the edifice tells us all about who they are. This works well in the image of the nude women covered in tattoos, a magnificent image of strength and beauty but the technique falls flat in the image of Christiane D’Arc (2018, below) for example. I just don’t buy this vacant stare, or to put it another way, photography as mere representation.

The sitter might be aware of their own vulnerabilities and aware of what it means to represent themselves, but it’s not they who are engaged in deciphering the enigma. The best images give you more, for example the photographs of Dale Robertson (2019, above). Here, in the right hand side image, the subject stares straight at the camera engaging me directly, while the mystery of this human being is enhanced by the left hand portrait where he is staring away. What is he thinking, feeling? I get it, it works.

This is a fantastic exhibition for a first solo effort. What is going to be really interesting is to see how Kirk develops this work further. What direction will the work take, which pathways will the artist uncover on their journey of discovery. I would suggest reading the Robert Johnson books He, She and We if not already read. For any artist, these are exciting times!

Dr Marcus Bunyan


Many thankx to the Centre for Contemporary Photography for allowing me to publish the photographs in the posting. Please click on the photographs to view a larger version of the image.

 

 

Installation view of the exhibition 'Shea Kirk: Vantages' at the Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Shea Kirk: Vantages' at the Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Shea Kirk: Vantages' at the Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Shea Kirk: Vantages' at the Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne

Installation view of the exhibition 'Shea Kirk: Vantages' at the Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne

 

Installation views of the exhibition Shea Kirk: Vantages at the Centre for Contemporary Photography, Melbourne
Photographs: J. Forsyth

 

 

Vantages is an ongoing series of stereoscopic portraits by Melbourne-based artist Shea Kirk. Working with dual large-format cameras to simultaneously capture two images from different perspectives, Kirk invites subjects to be photographed in his humble home-studio. Each portrait is exposed onto black and white sheet film through a slow and methodical process, enabling an intimate exchange that highlights the agency between photographer and subject. When viewed through a stereoscope, these dual-portraits can be seen three-dimensionally, rendering the subject hauntingly statuesque.

Often in states of undress and portrayed standing or sitting in front of simple backdrops, the subjects in Vantages stare at us with a disarming self-awareness, perhaps only possible in the selfie-obsessed, smart-phone age. Subjects present as though conscious of their own vulnerabilities – they are aware of what it means to represent themselves – and through the very nature of this dual imaging process, they resist being reduced to a single vantage point.

Vantages references a rich history of photographic portraiture, with a freshness that is distinctly contemporary. Vantages considers the significance of portraiture now, through Kirk’s powerfully contemplative, and beautifully realised dual images.

Biography

Shea Kirk is a Melbourne-based visual artist working with traditional photographic methods and techniques. Shea Kirk has been a finalist in the Olive Cotton Award (2019); National Photographic Portrait Prize (2019) and the Head On Portrait Prize (2018), and has participated in a number of group exhibitions across Victoria.

Press release from the Centre for Contemporary Photography 21/09/2019

 

Shea Kirk (Australian, b. 1985) 'Mohini Hillyer (left and right view)' 2017 from the exhibition 'Shea Kirk: Vantages' at the Centre for Contemporary Photography, Fitzroy, Melbourne, June - August, 2019

 

Shea Kirk (Australian, b. 1985)
Mohini Hillyer (left and right view)
2017
From the series Vantages
Courtesy the artist

 

Shea Kirk (Australian, b. 1985) 'Christiane D'Arc (left and right view)' 2018

 

Shea Kirk (Australian, b. 1985)
Christiane D’Arc (left and right view)
2018
From the series Vantages
Courtesy the artist

 

Shea Kirk (Australian, b. 1985) 'Jacob Coppedge (left and right view)' 2019

 

Shea Kirk (Australian, b. 1985)
Jacob Coppedge (left and right view)
2019
From the series Vantages
Courtesy the artist

 

Shea Kirk (Australian, b. 1985) 'Paul Stillen (left and right view)' 2019

 

Shea Kirk (Australian, b. 1985)
Paul Stillen (left and right view)
2019
From the series Vantages
Courtesy the artist

 

Shea Kirk (Australian, b. 1985) 'Joao Quintao Marcolla (left and right view)' 2019

 

Shea Kirk (Australian, b. 1985)
Joao Quintao Marcolla (left and right view)
2019
From the series Vantages
Courtesy the artist

 

 

Centre for Contemporary Photography

No permanent exhibition space at the moment

Centre for Contemporary Photography website

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Marcus Bunyan black and white archive: ‘Mask’, 1995-1996

April 2019

*PLEASE NOTE THIS POSTING CONTAINS ART PHOTOGRAPHS OF MALE NUDITY – IF YOU DO NOT LIKE PLEASE DO NOT LOOK, FAIR WARNING HAS BEEN GIVEN*

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian, b. 1958) 'Paul (Dildo I)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Dildo I)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

 

This series of photographs is of my partner, my lover, my best friend and my muse for twelve and a half years. We had such fun with life, pushing the boundaries at every opportunity. It was a privilege to be able to photograph him in every situation that we thought about, to capture the creativity of spirit and being, of existence.

There are many photographs of this handsome, intelligent man that I took – a deep collaboration that I will never have again in my lifetime. The photographs that emerged from our relationship remind me of those that Alfred Stieglitz took of Georgia O’Keeffe – strong images based on trust and intimacy.

To Paul, I am proud of the photographs we took together and I am eternally grateful for our love, relationship and exploration of body, mind and spirit. Thank you.

Marcus

 

I am scanning my negatives 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 and things that surrounded me.

All images © Marcus Bunyan. Please click the photographs for a larger version of the image. Please remember these are just straight scans of the prints, all full frame, no cropping !

Photographs are available from this series for purchase. As a guide, a vintage 8″ x 10″ silver gelatin print costs $700 plus tracked and insured shipping. For more information please see my Store web page.

 

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Mask I' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Mask I
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Mask II' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Mask II
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Horse bit)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Horse bit)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Boots)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Boots)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Balance I' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Balance I
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Mask III' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Mask III
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Dildo II)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Dildo II)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Blind)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Blind)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Balance II' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Balance II
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Balance III' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Balance III
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Balance IV' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Balance IV
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Dildo III)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Dildo III)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Hands on hips)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Hands on hips)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Blind)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Blind)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Hands on hips)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Hands on hips)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Saliva I' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Saliva I
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Saliva II' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Saliva II
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Hands behind back)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Hands behind back)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Mask IV' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Mask IV
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958) 'Paul (Boots and mask)' 1995-1996 from the series 'Mask'

 

Marcus Bunyan (Australian born England, b. 1958)
Paul (Boots and mask)
1995-1996
From the series Mask
Gelatin silver print

 

 

Marcus Bunyan website

Marcus Bunyan black and white archive 1991-1997

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