our house sale has happened
The sale of our Canberra home has happened!
Parting for Melbourne
Following our decision to move to Melbourne, we have packed up and cleaned out — and now have our home up for auction — this Saturday 4th November.
Click here for more on this.
Time out for my birthday
We are moving to Melbourne
We have been extra busy! A couple of months ago the decision was made to move to Melbourne this year. Maybe this was far too optimistic — but we are going for it!
Gender journey and genres 1994
revisiting my archive
The current national and international attention on women artists prompted me to plumb my archive where I found this 1994 commentary on the status of women in photography.
The Movement of Women 1996
Another piece from my archive
In a previous post I talked ‘gender, journeys and genres (1994).
Another find was The Movement of Women 1996.
International Women’s Day 2023
Enjoying a morning cuppa in a quiet place in our garden — wearing suffragette colours to celebrate International Women’s Day and the legion of awesome women photographers past and present I have encountered in my curatorial career.
The theme this year is #EmbraceEquity. There are so many gains but still so stubborn a gap in equity, is it time for militancy???
Here’s to all of you — enjoy the day wherever you are…
Vale Wesley Stacey
Wesley Stacey died Bega Hospital 9 February 2023. My first meeting with photographer Wesley Stacey was at his Annandale home in Sydney 1974. He was already well known and recognised as one of the most tuned in figures of the new art photography scene.
Doctoral Compost
A few stories about recycling
Have uploaded a few stories and comments on recycling — sort of connected with my blog stories on Parting With Your Art. Click here for the latest.
Parting With Your Art — Women:s Art Register
A Guide for Australian Artists
I have uploaded a page about the Women:s Art Register and their very handy publication Leaving Your Legacy: A Guide for Australian Artists.
The guide is a comprehensive starting point — and the organisation is definitely worth supporting. Click here.
Picture in Print 1976 & 2022
Australian Photo-History Publications
I have unearthed an essay from 1976 which was a commentary about photo-history books available at the time.
Re-constructed Vision
Contemporary work with photography 25th July-23rd August, 1981
Over the recent years I have been searching through my archives for articles and essays that we have since published on our web-site. I had overlooked one exhibition. That was the 1981 Project Gallery exhibition Re-constructed Vision: Contemporary work with photography at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
It is now uploaded to our web site.
camera chic
East West Chic
In 2017 The Asia Art Society of Australia (TAASA) hosted a seminar of East West Chic.
I presented a talk on Camera Chic based on a collection we had put together – with fun pictures from Asian studio portraiture. The collection highlighted the fusion of East and West evident in dress, accessories, and studio backdrops. Click here for more
Make sure you see the link to the powerpoint slides with loads of photographs to enjoy.
Parting with your Art — copyright
Copyright and Australian Photography
Have uploaded some comments (not legal advice) about the complex topic of copyright and Australian photography — click here
Peter Adams A Few of the Legends
My comments on Peter’s book
I have uploaded some comments on Peter Adams’ 2021 book
A Few of The Legends — click here
Parting with your art — library stories
A new upload to my blog about Parting With Your Art.
This time about a friend’s experience of parting with her library plus a tale from me about all those plastic folders. Click here.
On Our Collections
Comments and observations on the work of the photographer,
Dorothy Warner of Adelaide 1890 — 1969 — click here
On Our Collections
James Jameson circa 1866–84
Comments and observations on a CVD of a nanny and two children — click here
On Our Collections
E. B. Mowll – Portrait
Comments and observations on a striking portrait by the E.B. Mowll Studio — click here
revisiting Photo Files 1999
The 1999 reader contains 33 essays selected by Blair French, who was then program manager for the Australian Centre for Photography.
The texts had been previously published in the Centre of Photography’s journal — Photofile — that had been published since 1983. I wrote the preface to this publication. There’s a table of contents below my online essay along with links to information about photofile and the ACP. Click here for my essay.
cover image: Tracey Moffatt, Up In The Sky #3 1997 (detail)
Parting with your art — photographer’s cards
Have uploaded a page about my collection of photographer’s greeting cards that has been placed with the AGNSW Library — click here
Parting with Your Art ~ November 2021
An update on parting with my archives
Updated November 2021
Have uploaded more to Parting with Your Art — click here.
This new page is an update on my most recent experiences on parting with my own archive as well as some thoughts that may be useful to others dealing with these downsizing matters
For the full list of pages so far: Click here
Curators and Photography
Have uploaded to our photo-web site a special section on the first photography curators — Australian that is. We have listed four: Jennie Boddington, Ian North, Gael Newton (me!), and Alan Davies. The listings for Jennie and myself include 1983 interviews by the Australian Centre of Photography. These are very long! (you have been warned)
If you know of any other useful online material on these people, please make contact.
Typewriters I Have Known
In searching out my archive of essays, I came upon a draft of one about a technology tool that served me well… The Typewriter. Now updated — Click here.
Australian Pictorial Photography ~ Seeing The Light
Essay from Truth Beauty 2008
This essay was originally published in the 2008 catalogue for the Vancouver Art Gallery exhibition — click here.
CARTE-O-MANIA
National Portrait Gallery Canberra 2018–19 exhibition
For people interested in Australian CDVs, it is highly recommended that you get hold of the book that accompanied the 2018–1019 exhibition. Click here for a sample of the book
Spot On
the art of film stills photography, 1906–2001
I was approached by Penny Grist of the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra to advise on the 2017 exhibition — Starstruck. I then had the great experience of working with the co-curators Penny from the Portrait Gallery and Jenny Coombes of National Film and Sound Archive. This was a fun collaborative research experience — with my essay published in their book for the exhibition. Click here for the essay now online.
Michael Riley
The elders: Indigenous photography in Australia
The wonders of looking through your own archive. I realised I had not uploaded an essay from 2006 on Michael Riley. Have now — so here’s the link — click here.
Parting with Your Art ~ June 2021
Large Collections and Managing Expectations
Updated June 2021 Have uploaded more to Parting with Your Art — click here.
This page is about managing expectations, large collections, institutional collection policies, points for collectors approaching art museums and archives, recommended first steps — and more..
For the full list of pages so far: Click here
Melita Dahl Portrait 2021
An essay for Melita Dahl’s exhibition at PhotoAccess
Contributed an essay for Melita Dahl’s June 2021 exhibition at PhotoAcccess in Canberra. The exhibition is open until 10 July 2021.
more on John Kauffmann
As I said in a previous post — I have been uploading my writings to my essay pages.
There is now an updated portal page for John Kauffmann — click here; that includes a link to my 1996 essay for the exhibition John Kauffmann Art Photographer
John Kauffmann
I have been uploading more of my writings to my essay pages.
Today I have uploaded a 1980 essay on John Kauffmann. Click here for this essay
Updating Parting with Your Art ~ April 2021
More Pages about Parting with Your Art
Updated April 2021
topics: Downsizing Collections; More on Capital Gains Tax; Finding new homes for my library. Have uploaded these new pages to Parting with Your Art — click here.
William Henry Fox Talbot
Collection of photographs by William Henry Fox Talbot sells for nearly $2M.
photoria
PHOTORIA, a new website that sheds light on the role of women in the history of Australian photography between 1850 and 1950. There is, overall, a broad disparity in the breadth of knowledge in favour of men in contrast to that of the women who populated the industry. This website is a resource to redress that disparity. Click on image for the website.
introducing Parting with Your Art
Pages about Parting with Your Art
Updated 12 August 2020
Have uploaded new pages on Parting with Your Art — click here.
parting with your art
watch this space
Will be writing up some experiences and thoughts about parting with your art. This will be based on my own experiences as well as many stories heard in recent years.
thousands of historic photographs online
Paris Musées launches online photography
Paris Musées, the public institution that manages all of the museums in Paris, has launched a new Collections portal with the public access to more than 100,000 high-resolution digital reproductions of classic artwork and photography.
Click here for the article on DP Review — or here for the portal
above image: 61 rue Saint-Louis-en-l’Ile, enseigne “Au petit Bacchus”. Paris (IVème arrondissement). Photographie d’Eugène Atget (1857–1927). Paris, musée Carnavalet.
Walter Woodbury
Entrepreneur, Inventor: Woodbury in Indonesia
I have uploaded a small essay I wrote in 2014 about Walter Woodbury in Indonesia. This essay was linked to the exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia — Garden of the East: photography in Indonesia 1850s-1940s. Click here for my essay online.
There’s also another small essay online that relates to a photograph — the one above — titled Serimpies, or dancing girls of the Sultano c.1858 . Click here for that essay.
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For the list of my essays (being updated) click here
Photojournalism by Jessica Lange
The Guardian online presentation
Highway 61 revisited — photographs of this historic route. Click here
20th-century Japanese photography
Hanran
Great looking exhibition — get me to Canada
An exhibition organized by the Yokohama Museum of Art in collaboration with the Canadian Photography Institute of the National Gallery of Canada.
Hanran: 20th-Century Japanese Photography
October 11, 2019 to Sunday, March 22, 2020
October 11, 2019 to Sunday, March 22, 2020
Click here for the link to the exhibition page — with images at the bottom of the page that can be enlarged..
George Silk
George Silk, Photojournalist
I have several essays online relating to George Silk the photojournalist. Born in Levin, New Zealand in 1916, Silk served as a photojournalist for Life Magazine for 30 years.
He is well known as a war photographer, that part of his career began in 1939 serving for the Australian government in the Middle East, North Africa and Greece.
There are many other aspects of his achievements covered in my essays. Most of my research related to the exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia in 2000.
Here are the links to my essays:
Going to Extremes: George Silk, Photojournalist from the NGA exhibition catalogue
Going to extremes: George Silk photographer essay in Art & Australia
George Silk,Fawn and rainbow trout, tributary of the Madison River, Montana
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For the list of my essays (being updated) click here
Tracey Moffatt
Online essays about Tracey Moffatt
I have several essays online about Tracey Moffatt and her photography. There’s also a link to an online version of the 1995 publication Fever Pitch with essays by Tracey and myself.
Tracey Moffatt: Invocations (2001)
Published in the exhibition catalogue — Australian National University Gallery 2001
Tracey Moffatt: The memory theatre of Tracey Moffatt
An exhibition held at the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, 2 February — 9 April 2000
Tracey Moffatt: See the woman with the red dress on … and on … and on
Essay in Art and Asia Pacific 1994
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Online: 1995 Fever Pitch, Tracey Moffatt & Gael Newton
Published online the now out of print publication (1995) with key essay by Gael Newton on Tracey Moffatt’s work along with two essays by Tracey Moffatt.
Fever Pitch was originally published in 1995 by Piper Press, Annadale (Sydney).
For more of Gael Newton’s papers — click here.
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For the list of my essays (being updated) click here
Australian Feminist Photography
Indecent Exposures:
Twenty Years of Australian Feminist Photography
My 1994 review of Indecent Exposures: Twenty Years of Australian Feminist Photography by Catriona Moore, Allen & Unwin in association with the Power Institute of Fine Art, Sydney — click here
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For the list of my essays (being updated) click here
Curatorland
Writing in the Rain, FX Harsono - Still from colour video 2011 Collection National Gallery of Australia
Following my leaving the National Gallery in September 2014, I was asked by the editor of the Journal of the Asian Arts Society Australia to write about my last decade at the gallery — the decade that saw the establishment of a survey collection of Asia-Pacific photography spanning from South Asia to the west coast of the Americas.
The new collection was largely based around major collections acquired from several major private collections of Asia-Pacific photography including one of some 5000 colonial-era Indonesian photographs.
Here’s that story — click here
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For the list of my other essays (being updated) click here
Australian Photography since the 1970s
Michael Riley’s Cloud (2000)
Generations: Australian Photography since the 1970s
This essay was originally published in the catalogue Photographica Australis
for the 2002 exhibition by the Australian Centre of Photography
Curated by Alasdair Foster. Click here
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For the list of my essays (being updated) click here
Axel Poignant
I have uploaded an online version of the catalogue for the 1982 retrospective exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW — Axel Poignant, photographs 1922–1980. Click here.
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For the list of my essays (being updated) click here
Peter Dombrovskis
Now online — my essay published in the 2006 book on Peter Dombrovskis:
Simply by Liz Dombrovskis. Click here for the link
There was also an exhibition in 2018 at the National Library of Australia, reviewed by Sasha Grishin — click here
Mark Kimber
Exhibition: The River of Faces
Exhibition at GAGProjects (Adelaide) till 18 November 2018.
Click here for my essay and links to the exhibition page.
Charles Bayliss
Charles Bayliss 1879 panorama at NLA
Wonderful day in the National Library of Australia. A chance to see some photographs by Charles Bayliss.
A quiet celebration here today
Member of the Order of Australia
I have many people to thank for their support over a career that I continue to enjoy.
V&A Photographic Centre
Photographic Centre opening date announced
Opening on 12 October 2018
Bill Henson
Exhibition notice
Bill Henson at the Tolarno Galleries 104 Exhibition Street Melbourne
till 2 June 2018.
Frank Hurley at Manly Art Gallery and Museum
Posted by Gael Newton on Wednesday, 4 April 2018
Harold Edgerton at the Whitney
An exhibition notice for an exhibition at the Whitney Museum of American Art.
Click here for the link…
And for more on Harold Edgerton — see my 1999 paper for the catalogue at the National Gallery of Australia — click here.
Thai photography
NUS Museum (Singapore) Rediscovering Forgotten Thai Masters of Photography: till 21 July 2018. Research by Manit…
Posted by The Art Museum on Friday, 23 March 2018
Frank Hurley at Manly Art Gallery and Museum
Click on the image for more on this exhibition
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2018
Celebrating a Pioneer of Australian Photojournalism
Celebrating IWD — 8th March 2018
Adelie Hurley (1919–2010) - The first Australian female commercial photojournalist
Robert Mcfarlane
Adelaide Film Festival announces photographer Robert Mcfarlane as 2017 Jim Bettison & Helen James Award recipient
Frank Hurley at Manly Art Gallery & Museum
Frank Hurley: From Circular Quay to Collaroy Plateau.
Mossgreen Auction — SMH photographs
AUCTION: Sydney Morning Herald
Vintage Photography Collection, Part 1
Merry Christmas
Bill Heimerman
Thanks Marcus for encompassing both Bill’s personal and professional roles; let’s hope a proper history gets done.
Posted by The Art Museum on Monday, 30 October 2017
Max Dupain
Links to essays on Max Dupain
We have uploaded a new page on photo-web that provides a link to my essays on Max Dupain as well as links to other articles and resources. Click here.
Celebrating photographers
Celebrating artists — having artists parties — remains a good thing to do. A story from my history — back to 1978. enjoy!The photo below: David Moore photographing fellow photographers at the party.
Posted by The Art Museum on Monday, 23 October 2017
The Unflinching Gaze
The Unflinching Gaze: photo media & the male figureBathurst Regional Art Gallery, Open until 3 Dec 2017there’s a link to the gallery at the bottom of the article..
Posted by Gael Newton on Friday, 20 October 2017
Peter Dombrovskis
Peter Dombrovskis — Journeys into the wild.
Sasha Grishin reviews National Library of Australia (Canberra) 2018 exhibition: Peter Dombrovskis — Journeys into the wild.
William and Winfred Bowness Photography Prize
the 2017 announced: winner: Polixeni Papapetrou
Continue reading William and Winfred Bowness Photography Prize
Andre Kertesz photographs
Mirroring Life, a retrospective exhibition — photographer André Kertész (1894–1985)Foam Museum Amsterdam 15 Sept 2017 — 10 Jan 2018
Posted by The Art Museum on Saturday, 16 September 2017
Japanese images
Sights and Scenes in Fair JapanSainsbury Institute for the Study of Japanese Arts and Cultures
Posted by The Art Museum on Monday, 14 August 2017
Lee Fook Chee
Exhibition: Lee Fook CheeLee Fook Chee: Son of Singapore, Photographer of Hong KongThe Art House, Singapore, 3 Aug‑3 Sept 2017
Posted by The Art Museum on Thursday, 10 August 2017
the cup that cheers
My Favourite Slide: The cup that cheers
originally published earlier this year as a contribution to the research ‘Heritage in the Limelight: the magic lantern in Australia and the world’. click here for my paper
Max Dupain auctions Postscript
A Postscript to my AUCTION AUTOPSY:
The Mossgreen Dupain Sales 2016–17
click here to see my postscript on my former report on these significant photography auctions by Mossgreen.
Coffee at the Cafe Gang Gang
a quiet coffee in the new Downer cafe
another cool day in Canberra
David Moore
Max Dupain auctions
AUCTION AUTOPSY: The Mossgreen Dupain Estate Sales 2016–17
click here to see my report on these significant photography auctions by Mossgreen.
Coffee in O’Connor
Keeping warm and enjoying a coffee
Time out on a freezing cold morning in Canberra
TAP
Trans Asia Photography review
click here for the TAP site — or here for the Spring 2017 details — that includes a link to a review by me.
Anna Gray AM
Queen’s Birthday honour to former NGA curator
As listed: Dr Anne Mary Gray AM
Jeff MOORFOOT OAM
Ballarat photography festival director recognised
from the listing:
V&A photographic centre
designs for new V&A Photography Centre
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has revealed a visual of its new Photography Centre — click here
Joanna Sassoon
Agents of Empire: How E.L. Mitchell’s photographs shaped Australia
For nearly 100 years, E.L. Mitchell’s emblematic photographs have shaped ideas about Australia.
But who was Mitchell and why did he succeed above his competitors?
William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize
MGA Call for entries
Entries now invited
Continue reading William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize
Anne Zahalka in Albury
Exhibition: The Landscape Revisited
Anne Zahalka’s new exhibition at the city gallery in Albury- MAMA — till Sunday 5th November 2017
Stills Gallery: Curtain Call
Scenes from the Exhibition
Curtain Call at Stills Gallery Sydney
Here at photographs of the opening of the final Stills Gallery exhibition — Curtin Call
Frank Hurley & Australian Native Plants
INFORMATION CALL-OUT: FRANK HURLEY
Searching for Frank Hurley along our northern beaches
Did you know that Frank Hurley was a very keen gardener and photographer of wild flowers?
Stills Gallery: Curtain Call
Exhibition: Curtain Call at Stills Gallery Sydney
Still have given notice of their final exhibition.
With Curtain Call, Stills Gallery is looking back over the history of the gallery and presents the mother of all salon hangs featuring over 70 artists from over the 26 years of exhibitions including:
The Photography Room: May — June 2017
3 New Exhibitions at The Photography Room
Dörte Conroy — What Comes to Mind: Lorna Sim — Enigma:
Maurice Weidmann- Absence of Sunshine
Continue reading The Photography Room: May — June 2017
Belinda Hungerford: ROAD WORK AHEAD
New paper uploaded on photography research
Click on the image above to see a new research paper by Belinda Hungerford that has been uploaded to photoweb.
Being Cosmopolitan
National Gallery Singapore
CHARTING THOUGHTS: ESSAYS ON ART IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
A new research book has been published by the National Gallery of Singapore. It contains essays on Southeast Asian art by 25 scholars.
I was given the honour by the NGS of being one the contributing scholars.
The book is available from the NGS shop and through their website — click here.
Regis Lansac
Head On Photography Exhibition
Exhibition of Regis Lansac’s photographs at Janet Clayton Gallery:
3–28 May 2017
NGA Photography
19thC photography in Japan
There’s a small exhibition at the National gallery of Australia.
Elaine Campaner
Exhibition: Elaine Campaner at Gallery 9
An Elaine Campaner exhibition of photographs — recommended.
Philip Bentley and Group M
A history of Group M photographers by Philip Bentley
Back in 1996, Philip Bentley, Melbourne historian, wrote a thesis on the history of the Melbourne photographers, Group M.
Ballarat Foto Biennale — Portrait Prize
Martin Kantor Portrait Prize Entry
Applications close: 31st May 2017
click on image for more.…
Maggie Diaz photography prize for women
Call for entries
click on image for details — entries close 26 July 2017
Planetary Gardening at photoaccess
Review by Peter Haynes
Curated by Ashley Lumb and Laura McLean — click on image.
Group M
Australian photographers — Melbourne 1959 – late 1960s
click on banner for link to information about this great group of Australian photographers
Planetary Gardening at photoaccess
This is an exhibition at photoaccess (Canberra) curated by Ashley Lumb and Laura McLean.
George W Bell
George W Bell: Australian photographer & painter
George W Bell photographer (1920 — 2008) was member of Group M — in Melbourne.