Blog

Festival in Naarm / Melbourne celebrates old school photography

artists, spaces

16 May 2017

Having photography as my professional background, the photographic image is a passion for me.

In the world of digital photography, phone images and Instagram, I see photography as a different medium.

The Festival of Photography, currently on at NGV International and NGV Australia, Federation Square, is a celebration of the "old school" photography, with five artists having solo exhibitions:

• William Eggleston Portraits – NGV International, until 18 June
• Bill Henson – NGV International, until 27 August
• Ross Coulter: Audience – NGV International, until 16 July
• Zoë Croggon: Tenebrae – NGV International, until 30 July
• Patrick Pound: The Great Exhibition – NGV Australia, Federation Square, until 30 July

The festival celebrates artists who are at different levels in their careers and presents photography in different ways – from the portrait to collage, to performance, to the collection of the photograph.

I was fortunate to participate in Ross Coulter's exhibition Audience (2013–2016).

Audience is a photographic series that documented members of the local art community in empty galleries and museums. The invited members were instructed to imagine viewing a performance art event. To shoot in an empty space takes organisation and time, as it is not often a gallery is empty even once an exhibition has come to a close. The next exhibition is rolling in and work is being wrapped to go to a new home.

It was a pleasure to be part of Ross's exhibition and three-year project.

Festival of Photography (free entry)

NGV Australia
Federation Square
Daily, 10am to 5pm

NGV International
180 St Kilda Road
Daily, 10am to 5pm