Exhibitions | Brian Cassey Photographer Cairns Australia

Istanbul … HK Cage Images Feature …

February 7, 2018

Great to see my images of cage home, coffin home and other lowest cost ‘housing’ residents in Hong Kong get another significant airing … this time at the Zeytinburnu International Photography Festival in Istanbul, Turkey in January.

“Z Foto Fest” … as it is affectionately known for short … is an International photo festival hosted by the Türkiye Fotoğraf Vakfı (Turkey Photography Foundation) and the Municipality of Zeytinburnu on the European side of Istanbul, just outside the walls of the ancient city.

This years theme for the festival is ‘Oxygen’ with the aim of strengthening public awareness on environmental issues through the power of visual arts. Oxygens stated aim is to illustrate “the concepts of ecological collapse, perishing nature, industrial waste, human helplessness at facing wars, environmental issues, destruction caused by immigration and urbanization, accumulating waste from excess consumption of society, global warming and climate change, and comparing challenging and rare beauties of nature.” A big and noble call …

With that end in mind, “Z Foto Fest” contacted me about the prospect of showing my Hong Kong ‘homes’ work … and I readily agreed. Sadly, due to other commitments, I couldn’t travel to Istanbul … one of my favourite cities … to see the result.

The work “Living in a Coffin & Cage Dwellers of Hong Kong” was shown over five days of the festival at the Zeytinburnu Cultural And Art Center alongside other artists work from Russia, Italy, Austria, USA, China and Romania under the umbrella title “Abandoned – Rural – Overcrowded”. Z Foto Fest ends on February 11th.

Below are a selection of just some of my Hong Kong images involved in the exhibit … and a grab from the “Z Foto Fest” site.

Images © Brian Cassey

Z Foto Fest 2018 Istanbul Turkey - Hong Kong Cage & Coffin Homes - by Brian Cassey

One Closes … Another Soon to Open …

February 6, 2018January 30, 2018

Today … Tuesday 30th January … was the last day at The Tanks, Cairns for my “A Photographer’s Life – Part One exhibition … tomorrow is the day the works come off the walls and the cameras and photographic hardware get packed away (somewhere!). Thanks to all for the wonderful feedback …

Coincidentally, I spent today preparing the image files for my next exhibition soon to open at The Fox Gallery in Melbourne.

Thanks to ‘Fox’ gallery owner Tom Goldner … my work from inside the Manus Island asylum seeker detention centre in Papua New Guinea following it’s closure by the Australian government with over six hundred refugees still desperately ensconced therein … will be unleashed on a Melbourne audience from the 24th February. “Inside Manus Detention Centre” will consist of seventeen images documenting the plight of those from the Middle East, Africa and Asia who have faced years long incarceration at the will of the Australian government … with still no future on the horizon.

The images in question were made on assignment for News Corp with journalist Rory Callinan. We had been on Manus for less than a day when we found ourselves on a small local boat headed for Australia’s ‘closed’ Lombrum detention centre … a trip made by several refugees and local boatman to smuggle foods and medicines into the camp. Our time ‘inside’ was brief but long enough to show the desperate situation inside the camp where there was no food, water, medication, power or services. Weeks later all six hundred odd were forcibly removed.

Whilst I’m at the ‘Fox’ I will also be presenting a two hour talk and slide show (on Saturday the 24th) based on my “A Photographer’s Life” work … and you can secure a spot by visiting here … https://www.thefoxdarkroom.com.au/product/artist-talk-brian-cassey-photographers-life/ .

Below I’ve posted a couple of images from “Inside Manus Detention Centre” which runs at ‘The Fox Gallery” Kensington, Melbourne from grand opening eve on 23rd February (to which you are invited) till 4th March.

Images © Brian Cassey.

"Inside Manus Detention Centre" - The Fox Gallery Melbourne - by Brian Cassey

“A Photographer’s Life – Part One” at The Tanks …

May 20, 2018December 10, 2017

It has been an absolute pleasure to bring my “A Photographer’s Life – Part One” exhibition back to Cairns. More than half the featured works were made in the Cairns or north Queensland region (the remainder from various parts of the planet).

The work was originally collated as a ‘featured exhibition’ in the 2017 Head On Photo Festival earlier this year and was hosted by the Moran Foundation at the heritage listed Juniper Hall in Paddington, Sydney. The exhibition was selected by eminent photography journalist Alison Stieven-Taylor as one of the top five exhibitions in the festival (from a total of 147).

When I approached The Tanks curator Chris Stannard with the idea of showing the work in Cairns he didn’t hesitate … and he and his team has worked a miracle to get it up and launched before the years end. I owe Chris and his team … Ulys, Lou, Ivan and the team … a massive vote of ‘Thanks’. Indeed … the exhibition has been ‘tweaked’ since Sydney and, in all honesty, looks significantly better than it did in the gracious surrounds of historic Juniper Hall.

In particular, the camera hardware referred to in the exhibition is featured more prominently at The Tanks … and there also a few ‘kit’ additions. Thanks to a donation by fellow photographer David Hancock, the exhibit now includes the first ever usable digital photojournalist camera from the 90’s … the then massively expensive Kodak Nikon AP NC2000 … and a long forgotten United Press International ‘wire’ drum photo transmitter from the 70’s to the 80’s. These sit alongside a collection of my very used and battered Nikon kits … and examples of my earliest cameras from the very first plastic VP Twin way back when I was a pre teen.

There are also two large TV screens continuously showing five of my video features including the multi award winning “Eyes – the Soul of a Photograph”.

Exhibition opening eve last Friday was wonderful … and I’d like to thank the many who arrived and made it such a great night. TA !

“A Photographer’s Life – Part One” is showing at The Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns till January 30th 2018 … with a short break for Xmas festivities between 23rd December to January 2nd.

Finally … on the day of the exhibition opening I was interviewed on ABC Radio Far North by affable breakfast presenter Kier Shorey … about the exhibition, work and life … and, if you fancy, the near thirteen minute audio is below.

Images at The Tanks © Brian Cassey

"A Photographer's Life - Part One" - The Tanks, Cairns by Brian Cassey

Tanks Exhibition … From 8th December …

October 21, 2017October 21, 2017

The Tanks Arts Centre (Cairns) November/December program of events is hot off the press … and has brought home the reality that the time for my next exhibition is getting close.

“A Photographer’s Life – Part One” will be opening in Cairns on December 8th … and running to the 23rd December (closed for Xmas and New Year) and open again from 2nd to the 30th January.

Very much a retrospective (and in a way introspective) journey through my love affair with the camera and the photographic image from the very first day I clicked a shutter … and continuing on through the decades. It contains many images made in Cairns and tropical north Queensland … and many more from around the planet. Much of the camera and photographic ‘hardware’ from across the decades will also accompany the show. Below is the promotional page from just published ‘The Tanks’ events program.

Tank 4 at Cairns Tanks Arts Centre is a fantastic venue and my sincere thanks is more than due to venue curator Chris Stannard and his team. This will be my second exhibit at Tank 4 following the “The Aak Puul Ngantam Stockman” in 2014.

“A Photographer’s Life – Part One” already enjoyed an ‘ugely successful month long showing during this years Head On Photo Festival in Sydney at the beautiful heritage listed Juniper Hall, Paddington.

You are invited on the 8th December … and more than welcome on that or any other day … so If you fancy … please whack the dates in your diary … will be great to see you there.

Image © Brian Cassey

"A Photographer's Life - Part One" - exhibition at The Tanks Arts Centre Cairns from December 8th 2017 - by Brian Cassey

Why This Won the Trinity Bay School Portrait Prize …

September 6, 2019September 2, 2017

Last week it was a pleasure to once again judge the works in the annual photographic portrait prize at Trinity Bay High School in Cairns.

This years exhibition totalled about sixty portraits from the students (and a handful of teachers). The overall standard of the entries appeared improved on last years crop. A significant achievement. It took a stroll several times around the exhibition walls before finally settling on this years First, Second, Third, a couple of ‘commendations’ and a staff prize.

The work that I finally settled on as best in show was a multi layered portrait by grade 12 Shantelle Birch entitled “Self Hate” (top – below). Not only is Shantelle’s work a complicated and quality portrait, but also comments on the role of portraiture in society itself. The strong title and intricate image evokes emotion, addresses a contemporary youth issue on personal image and self doubt … and the pressures to confirm to stereotypes that visually bombard youth everyday. For her very well deserved win she was thrilled to receive a Nikon D3400 DSLR courtesy of sponsor Garricks Camera House.

Fractionally behind in Second Place was “The Despondent Girl” (second from top – below) … a well structured beautifully textured and composed portrait by Irin Phomraksa (also grade 12). Her work was anchored on the stare of the one visible eye amongst the seeming chaos of the windswept image.

Third was a classic and well constructed portrait – “Look Like Art” (bottom – below) by grade 11’s Lit Thai. Highly Commended awards went to untitled works by Etevise Taua and Lachlan Best (Lachlan’s clever and disturbing!), whilst the exhibition crowd voted Graziella Romunga’s work as ‘People’s Choice’. Staff prize went to a stand out entry – “Goodbye” by Anna Koetz Trowse.

Trinity Bay High School Visual Arts department teachers, including Sean Tooley and Ian Whittaker, should take a bow. Once again it was great to see, comment on and judge the wonderful photographic work of their talented students.

Images © the artists – Shantelle Birch, Irin Phomraksa and Lit Thai (2017)

Trinity Bay High School Photographic Portrait Prize - judged by Brian Cassey

Hanging Martin Kantor … What a Difference a Week Makes …

December 11, 2017August 30, 2017

When I first saw images of the initial hanging of the Ballarat International Foto Biennale’s inaugural Martin Kantor Portrait Prize – including my finalist image of Noel Pearson – I was both in a state of shock and devastated.

How could they have got it so wrong …

The framed and mounted works that each individual finalist (all twenty seven of them) had spent considerable time and money on producing for the high profile show, were strewn around tawdry industrial wire fencing, hung back to back with other works of different sizes and not referenced in any cohesive fashion at all. It all looked … as photojournalism journalist Alison Stieven-Taylor wrote … “like amateur hour”. It was, indeed, awful …

I penned messages explaining my concerns and opinions to several of the accomplished fellow finalists I knew … and they unanimously agreed. From there we decided to collectively bring our concerns to the BIFB hierarchy. I managed to find contact details for most of the Martin Kantor finalists and penned a lengthy letter (with the fine sub-editing skills of Tony Kearney) outlining our total disappointment with the hanging of our work. That letter was emailed to BIFB on Friday morning signed by 18 of the total of 27 finalists.

Credit, as they say … credit where credit is due. By Friday afternoon BIFB Festival and Creative Director Fiona Sweet delivered an apology to all of us, agreed with our concerns and promised to correct the situation. Using a new design of a hastily contacted architect (Moloney Architects) the exhibition was totally transformed and rehung … and reopened on Tuesday morning just over three days after the delivery of our collective email. The exhibition now looks worthy of the wonderful portraits of prominent Australians produced by Australia’s most accomplished photographic portraitists. Much Thanks for putting it all to rights BIFB.

Below … at top … (Thanks to Alison Stieven-Taylor ©) … my Martin Kantor finalist work ‘Noel Pearson’ as initially hung in Ballarat Town Hall … and below … the revamped exhibition as it was reopened on Tuesday morning (courtesy BIFB ©) with my ‘Noel Pearson’ portrait now far left.

Martin Kantor Portrait Prize - exhibition rehang - Ballarat International Foto Biennale - Brian Cassey

Some B&W Success …

August 21, 2017

Can’t say that I’ve ever entered a Black & White photography specific award in the past … but when I noticed that Monovisions Black and White Photography Magazine was hosting their ‘First Edition’ (inaugural) Monovisions B&W International Photography Awards … I thought … what the hell … why not give it a bash!

I have just had some news today from Monovisions … and I’m a little pleased I did.

Appears I have three dispatches from the awards … winning a Second place and two Highly Commended awards in the Portrait category.

A B&W edition of my ‘The Skin I’m In – II” portrait (Thanks again due to my subject Carol … you’ve done it again!) was selected as Second Place Winner … only topped by the winning portrait work of Marco Gressler from Switzerland. Third place went to the work of Agnieszka Mac Uchman from Poland.

In fact such was the International flavour of the selected works that my two ‘Highly Commended’ images (“Mowisha from Jumbun” and “Aak Puul Ngantam Stockman – Dominic” … below) sat amongst other acknowledged works from … Russia, Poland, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, USA, the Netherlands, Croatia, France, China, Spain, Sweden, the UK, Slovakia, Italy, New Zealand, Germany, Lithuania, Austria, Bangladesh, Qatar, Brazil, Kenya, Canada, Romania, India, Turkey, Portugal, Argentina … and Macau ! To also grab a ‘second’ from amongst all that lot is pretty satisfying.

To the ‘film purest’ I must point out that each of my three selected images started out as full colour digital image files … and not film !! Sorry bout that …

Images © Brian Cassey … click on each to take you to their relevant Monovisions Photography Awards pages.

The Final Frame … Nikon F2 and AFP400TX …

August 6, 2017August 2, 2017

Well that brought back memories …

Back when shooting film and you have one frame left on your roll of thirty six … and something too good to miss presents itself.

Thanks to Renato Repetto‘s excellent AFP400TX project (#AFP400TX, @AFP400TX – see my earlier post) I recently got to revisit that long forgotten scenario. As explained earlier the project aims to get a manual everything Nikon F2 loaded with just one 36 frame roll of Tri-X film into the hands of selected photographers around Australia … and from the resulting images compile capital city exhibitions and a book.

An admirable project that I’m very pleased to be a part of.

I took my turn with the beautiful F2 a couple of weeks ago. Renato has just received my processed images back from the project sponsors Rewind Photo Lab in NSW … and has allowed me to use one image to show you guys what’s going on. (The rest are a secret until the project culmination.)

Prior to making this particular image I had already shot a variety of scenarios and carefully used 35 of the precious 36 frames on the roll. Then I met Geoff …

… and Geoff had a story to tell.

An accomplished musician, Geoff Tozer has been told he is dying. He has been diagnosed with bowel, bladder, bone and advanced spinal cancer. But … he says … “I’m too busy to die”. Geoff told me he’s a friend of Rolling Stones Bill Wyman and accomplished in Wyman’s musicality. He is set to work on the soundtrack of a new movie on the short life of Stones member Brian Jones … possibly alongside musician legends Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page and Mick Fleetwood.

So … with just that one frame left on my project roll of film I was feeling a bit of pressure when I lined up the image and pressed the shutter to make Geoff’s portrait.

It was with some relief that I received the scanned image (below) from Renato last eve !

The AFP400TX Nikon F2 camera is now winging it’s way down to Victoria for Melbourne photographers Michael Coyne, Jesse Marlow, Tracey Nearmy, Barat Ali Batoor and Andrew Chapman to make their contribution.

Image © Brian Cassey

Finalist in Martin Kantor Ballarat Tribute …

December 11, 2017July 21, 2017

The Ballarat International Foto Biennale has been a fixture for Australian and International photographers and their audiences since 2005 … and the festival prides itself on “immersing the historic township in photographic art”. The 2017 program is expected to attract over 50,000 visitors during the month long festival from mid August.

This year they have also introduced an important new exhibit … the inaugural Ballarat International Foto Biennale Martin Kantor Prize … and I’m somewhat stoked to have been selected as one of the twenty eight Finalists.

The rationale of the prize is to recognise “portraiture of significant Australians” … and perhaps they don’t come much more ‘significant’ than my Finalist subject … Noel Pearson. I made the image of Noel whilst he was mesmerising an audience during one of his oratory triumphs at an indigenous convention in Port Douglas. The light was extremely low and the framing of the image was made ‘in camera’. (Image below)

I’m joined in the finalist selection but some of Australia’s very best photographic portraitists including George Fetting, Tamara Dean, Rod McNicol, Tobias Titz, Tony Kearney, David Darcy … and the prize is a fitting tribute to the late Martin Kantor. a photographer and philanthropist who was known for his arresting portraits of famous musicians and artists.

The Martin Kantor Prize exhibition runs for the length of the festival … 19th August to 17th September … at Ballarat Town Hall. The overall winner of the the $15,000 acquisitive prize will be announced at 2pm on the 20th August. Sadly I doubt if I will be able to get there to see it.

Image of Noel Pearson © Brian Cassey

Ballarat International Foto Biennale Martin Kantor Prize - 'Noel Pearson' - by BRIAN CASSEY

Nikon F2 … Roll of Tri-X … 36 Pics …

July 10, 2023July 15, 2017

Thanks to legendary veteran combat photographer Tim Page (who dobbed me in) … I have this week been wielding on a spare shoulder a pristine circa 1971 manual everything Nikon F2 loaded with a roll of Tri-X film.

The idea … the brainchild of photographer Renato Repetto … is to get the Nikon into the hands of top (and not so top) photographers all around Australia who will each shoot one roll of B&W film … just 36 frames each.

The AFP400TX Project is about seeing life through the eyes of Australian Film Photographers. The Nikon F2 (eye level DE-1 Plain Prism, 1971-1976) no 7587117 with a 55mm 2.8 Micro Nikkor will be used for every exposure of the project, making the only variable the photographer. All rolls of film will be developed by the project sponsor Rewind Photo Lab in NSW to ensure consistency across the project.

My colleagues of note featured in the project include the afore mentioned Tim Page … David Dare Parker, Michael Coyne, Stephen Dupont, Jesse Marlow, Sean Davey, Heather Faulkner, Roger Garwood … and many maybe not so well known.

A diary accompanying the camera will document the creative thoughts of all the photographers in the project for later incorporation into a photo book. The book will be launched with gallery exhibitions in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne featuring silver gelatin prints of the best photos of the project.

Now … I cut my teeth shooting ‘manual everything’ film SLR’s way, way back when … but can now confirm that ‘going back’ is somewhat of a sobering and frightening experience !!

Below is a pic I made (on a D4S) of Wik Munkan artist Lex Namponan from Aurukun, wielding the precious Nikon F2 used in the project. Lex was born in 1971 … the same year that the F2 was released. I used two precious frames from the Tri-X roll to make a portrait of Lex. Fingers crossed that Lex and I make the AFP400TX Project exhibitions and book …

Image © Brian Cassey

AFP400TX Project - Australia - Brian Cassey

‘Remixes’ at ‘Flying Monkey’ …

June 13, 2017

It was a great compliment to be asked to participate in an exhibition collaboration with talented Cairns artist Rick Beresford … and the results of that partnership are now up on the walls of the Flying Monkey Gallery.

Rick – an accomplished artist, curator and arts educator – asked if he could ‘work’ on several of my images … and the startling resulting works now form the exhibition ‘The Remixes’.

The exhibition is now open to the public at the Flying Monkey … and the official launch/opening will be at the unusual time of 10am (yup … in the morning) next Saturday 17th June (just before I jump on a plane for Melbourne!). So please do drop in Saturday to the Flying Monkey on Sheridan Street Cairns, grab yourself a coffee and some breakfast and say ‘Hi’ !

Below is one of the results of our collaboration from an image I made of three year old Harmony in the indigenous community of Kowrowa west of Kuranda.

Image and work © Brian Cassey and Rick Beresford

'The Cassey Remixes' - at the 'Flying Monkey Gallery' Cairns - by Brian Cassey and Rick Beresford

Sydney Unhanging … & World Press …

July 6, 2017June 8, 2017

Back from a quick trip down to Sydney to ‘dehang’ the “A Photographer’s Life – Part One” exhibition at Juniper Hall … and made the most of the two and a bit days in the harbour city.

Was fortunate to score the help of not one, but two, lovely ‘assistants’ during Mondays take down and packing of the works from the exhibition walls. Both Jewel Isaacs (a great friend from my early days in Cairns who I hadn’t caught up with for several decades) and Jennifer Allison (fellow UK ‘ex-pat’ and now a passionate new full time photographer based in Sydney) turned up to lend a hand.

With the exhibition prints duly dispatched back to Cairns, Jen and I took time out to see some of the last Head On Photo Festival exhibitions of this years festival at the Gaffa Gallery … including Matthew Portch’s “Lost America”, John Dobson’s “Suburbia” and Sissy Reyes’s “The Martians Are Coming”. Some intriguing work …

However, the undoubted highlight was a several hour visit (Tuesday before the flight back home) to Australia’s oldest library – the State Library of New South Wales – to see the “2017 World Press Photo Exhibition”. If you haven’t yet made it to this years brilliant World Press exhibition I strongly suggest you do … there is nothing better than seeing these absolutely amazing images from the Planet’s best photojournalists exceedingly well lit, printed large and displayed around the library’s cavernous old walls for maximum impact. The words and stories surrounding the images also stir the emotions. The “2017 World Press Photo Exhibition” runs till the 25th June.

(If you do make it to the State Library for World Press … an added bonus is that there is another exhibition on the same floor by Sydney street portraitist Jon Lewis – “Beauty in Difference” – that is also well worth your attention.)

L’Oiel … Head On Festival Top Five …

September 7, 2022May 12, 2017

Pretty speechless about this … an article today in France’s brilliant photographic magazine “L’Oiel de la Photographie” (The Eye of Photography) by photographic journalist Alison Stieven-Taylor has my Head On exhibition … “A Photographer’s Life – Part One” … as one of the top five exhibitions in the current “Head On Photo Festival” in Sydney.

Considering that this years “Head On Photo Festival” features photographers work in about a hundred and twenty exhibitions and locations around Sydney city … that is amazingly gratifying. Especially when, as I have seen, the amazing work from photographers around the planet who have been selected to exhibit their fantastic work on seemingly every available Sydney wall.

Alison rounded out her top five picks with Juli Balla’s “Where the Sidewalk Ends”, Dina Litovsky’s “Meatpacking”, Astrid Verhoef’s “Inscapes” and “Kings Cross 1970-1971” by Australian legend Rennie Ellis.

However, there are many other exhibitions at Head On this year that will also blow you away … including, but not only, “Amelia and the Animals” by Robyn Schwartz, brilliant “Bowie Unseen” by Marcus Klinco, Michael Amendolia’s work on sight restoration in Africa and Asia, Natan Dvir’s “Platforms” … and … Maggie Steber’s mesmerising “The Secret Garden of Lily Lapalma”.

I’ll be posting more about my exhibition and my time at the festival in the days to come. Do yourself a favour and try and take in as much as you can of one of the Planets greatest photography events.

Below … a screen grab from “L’Oiel de la Photographie” and Alison’s ‘top five’ exhibitions.

Images © Brian Cassey, text © Alison Stieven-Taylor and “L’Oiel de la Photographie”.

BBC 5 Live & “A Photographer’s Life – Part One” …

May 10, 2017May 10, 2017

Prior to the last weekends launch of my exhibition “A Photographer’s Life – Part One” at the 2017 Head On Photo Festival in Sydney, I was interviewed by my old mate BBC Australia correspondent Phil Mercer.

The BBC 5 Live interview, hosted by Phil and Rhod Sharp, became a rather lengthy affair and touched on my photographic work over the decades, Head On Photo Festival and my featured “A Photographer’s Life – Part One” exhibition in Sydney, various aspects of photography and photojournalism … and my life in the UK and Australia. It runs for near 22 minutes.

“A Photographer’s Life … “

April 28, 2017

Just one week out from the opening of my very personal exhibition … “A Photographer’s Life – Part One” … at the wonderful Juniper Hall, Paddington, Sydney.

The exhibition assembled from across my decades of work has been quietly coming together over the past few months with the help of Moshe Rosenzveig from Head On … and is a featured exhibition of this years “Head On Photo Festival” which also kicks off across Sydney next weekend.

So it was timely and hugely appreciated to today get a massive plug for the exhibition from renowned photography journalist Alison Stieven-Taylor in her brilliant ‘Photojournalism Now’ industry newsletter.

‘Photojournalism Now’ is a must read one stop weekly read for all that is relevant and new in photography and photojournalism.

Alison introduces this weeks edition`on Facebook with this … “This week it’s all about Head On Photo Festival (Moshe Rosenzveig, Brian Cassey, Michael Amendolia, Maggie Steber, Dina Litovsky, Juli Balla) – check it out. This is a mind blowing line up and it’s only a preview.” … and personally I’m pretty ‘mind blown’ to be included in such a list of photographic talent 🙂

Alison goes on to excuse my Brit birth in her plug for “A Photographer’s Life – Part One” … below.

Thanks Alison … and looking forward to a thoroughly enjoyable exhibition and festival.

(“A Photographer’s Life – Part One” is showing at Juniper Hall, 250 Oxford St, Paddington, Sydney from May 6th till 4th June. The “Head On Photo Festival 2017” runs from May 5th to 28th May.)

Images © Brian Cassey

Photojournalism Now - Head On Photo Festival 2017 - Brian Cassey

NPPP … Vote for Carol …

April 27, 2017

Have received some nice comments about my work “The Skin I’m In – II” from visitors to the “National Photographic Portrait Prize” 2017 exhibition at the Canberra “National Portrait Gallery”. Very rewarding … and a real buzz to be part of such a brilliant collection of photographic portraiture.

Some have even told that they were moved to vote for the image of burns survivor Carol Mayer in the now main focus of the awards … the “People’s Choice Award”.

The good news is that all can still vote in the “People’s Choice Award” … AND stand a chance to win an award for themselves … until June the 1st. There are ten prizes up for grabs for those who take the time to vote for their favourite portrait of the NPPP exhibition … including a $2000 accomodation package.

Voting is simply conducted on line where all the finalist work is shown … to vote for my portrait of Carol … “The Skin I’m In – II” simply click on this link (or click on the image below) … https://nppp.portrait.gov.au/peoples-choice-2017/?pc=2327 … and enter your vote and details on the NPPP site. (please don’t forget to verify the NPPP return email 🙂

The NPPP exhibition runs at the “National Portrait Gallery” Canberra till June 18th.

Canberra, Carol and the NPPP …

April 3, 2017April 1, 2017

Despite the best efforts of devastating Cyclone Debbie, massive floods and Qantas I still managed to make it to Canberra on Friday eve for the official opening bit of the 2017 National Photographic Portrait Prize at the National Portrait Gallery … but with literally just seconds to spare.

Getting to Canberra at all was a massive drama. I spent a near week covering the Cyclone Debbie story in Bowen for Fairfax news. There was a tiny window late on Wednesday – after ‘Debbie’ battered the Whitsundays and before the ensuing massive storms – for myself and three AAP and Fairfax colleagues to attempt to get out of Bowen. Roads north had supposedly been blocked by flood waters in the cyclone aftermath – so when officers left a road block we made a move. In the little car convoy we forded flooded roads and into an almost apocalyptic thunder storm and insanely torrential rains. We eventually came out the other side with the highway surely now impassable behind us and arrived saturated and relieved back in Townsville late that night.

Then Qantas combined with the remnants of ‘Debbie’ to almost thwart the trip to Canberra. In quick succession not one but two of my flights Cairns to Canberra were cancelled. Frantic phone calls, rearranged flights and a car booked to whisk me from Canberra airport to the National Portrait Gallery … and I arrived just as the opening speeches ended.

It had been a badly kept secret … thanks to a great NPPP show preview special article in ‘The Australian Weekend Magazine’ a couple of weeks ago … that my work “The Skin I’m In – II” (below) of burns survivor Carol Mayer was in the mix as a Finalist and in the National Portrait Gallery exhibition. Once again I must sincerely thank the wonderful Carol for her patience and decision to let me make the portrait.

NPPP judge George Fetting had this to say about Carol’s image … “It’s such a terribly powerful and courageous story and for her to let the photo be taken, presenting such beauty and pain in the same image, moves everyone who looks at it.”

Whilst in Canberra it was great to spend time with photographer colleagues … afore mentioned former Courier Mail and SMH photographer George Fetting, co NPPP Finalist Jon Reid, ex Cairns mate Sean Davey and Nikon Walkley Press Photographer of the Year 2015 Gary Ramage.

Sean has created a great photo gallery in Canberra – The Photography Room – which is currently showing Gary’s excellent work – “Afghanistan” – made during his 2011 embed with Australian forces. Gary and Sean gave me a private showing before a lunch to chew over all the industry ‘goss’. Both the gallery and the exhibition are well worth a visit …

A massive, rewarding and eventful week …

(Below – “The Skin I’m In – II” at the NPPP © Brian Cassey)

The 2017 National Photographic Portrait Prize: - Canberra - "The Skin I'm In II) - Carol Meyer - by Brian Cassey

Fragility of Home … Sydney & Bowen …

March 27, 2017

I’m writing this from a (hopefully) well constructed ‘motel’ in Bowen north Queensland as the winds and rains from approaching category 4, possibly 5, Cyclone Debbie build to a crescendo. The full destructive power of ‘Debbie’ is still about a hundred and eighty kilometres and twelve hours away. It’s going to be a long night …

Come mid morning tomorrow Bowen will be facing a different landscape of shattered homes.

Seems strangely coincidental that only a couple of days ago I was in Sydney participating in an exhibition at the Contact Sheet Gallery entitled “Home” in which I had two sets of work … “My Place” (5 prints) and “Fragility of Home” (10 prints).

The photographs that made up “Fragility of Home” were selected to illustrate the transient nature of that which we call ‘home’ … and the set includes images of homes ravaged by fire, neglect … and cyclones … that I have collected over the years.

“Home” – a group exhibition – also include some great work by artists Daniel Grendon and Isabelle Baumann (who also co-curated), Godelieve Mols, Ivana Jovanovic, Lola Alexander, Michael Jalaru Torres, Nick Pont, Samantha Mackie and Zorica Purlija. The show runs till April 1st.

Tomorrow many residents of Bowen may well ponder the ‘fragility’ of their own homes and lives as Cyclone Debbie leaves a trail of destruction …

Below (top) is a pic of the opening night of “Home” at Contact Sheet Gallery with my “Fragility of Home” set on the far right and the “My Place” set far left. Following that below are two images from “Fragility …” including one from Cyclone Yasi coverage in 2011 … and one from “My Place”. Images © Brian Cassey

"Home" exhibition at Contact Sheet Gallery, St Leonards, Sydney - works by Brian Cassey

"Home" exhibition at Contact Street Gallery, St leonards, Sydney - works by Brian Cassey

10th International Color Awards …

March 14, 2017

Nice to receive some news from the 10th International Color Awards last week … and it appears that my work had some success. The awards are an annual event showcasing the best of the Planet’s color (sic) photography.

Abdullatif did it again … with the image I made of the Iraqi refugee battered in a Manus Island PNG police cell – “Beaten Asylum Seeker” – taking out ‘3rd Place – Honor of Distinction’ in the ‘Photojournalism’ category. Images by UK’s Filip Warwick (‘Over the Border’) and USA’s Sebastian Meyer (‘Newroz in Kurdistan’) were awarded first and second prize.

Also pleased to note a smattering of other acknowledgements in the list as well … one of my images of burns survivor Carol Mayer (‘The Skin I’m In’) was honoured with an ‘Honorable Mention’ in the ‘Portrait’ category … whilst an image I made of a large turtle landed at Lorengau, Manus Island (‘Turtle, Manus Island’) was selected as a nominated ‘Finalist’ in the ‘Photojournalism’ category AND the ‘Wildlife’ category.

The announcement of winners and nominees and their works was made in a three and a half hour live broadcast on the internet … but I missed that bit.

10th International Color Awards - Portraits - Honorable Mention - 'The Skin I'm In' by Brian Cassey

10th International Color Awards - Finalist - Photojournalism & Wildlife - 'Turtle Manus Island' by Brian Cassey

‘Earth’s Ceiling’ … Arty Stuff …

March 12, 2017

Very pleasant evening on Saturday attending a great little gallery in the township of Gordonvale, half an hour south of Cairns. The event was – not one but two – simultaneous exhibitions … and in a novel twist one was displayed on the ceiling, the other on the walls.

The Trolley Studio Gallery (and cafe) – run by Ian Tunbridge and Kylie Burke – is breathing new life into the quiet little town … and on Saturday what looked a vast chunk of the community, artists and friends packed the space for the opening(s) of “Living on the Ceiling (there’s no more room down there)” exhibition featuring the works of 20 amazing artists … and … the “Earth’s Ceiling” exhibition featuring 10 talented photographers (well … nine plus me).

The ceiling was adorned with paintings and works in a variety of media, whilst the walls were hung with photographs on the edgy and thought provoking theme of “Earth’s Ceiling”. (There were many a neck doing 360’s around and above the walls!)

My little piece of the exhibition action was an image which was constructed (questionably) just for the theme of “Earth’s Ceiling” which, following some weird personal logic, I decided to name “Apocalyptico – (Apocalypse by Politicians)” … below.

The artists and photographers presenting their work at the exhibition are (in no particular order) –
Jonas Ericson, Lynda Gregg, Maya Wright, Rick Beresford, Shay Rampal, Kylie Burke, Phil Johns, Justin Bishop, Jessica Roelofs, Ian Tunbridge, Fiona Price, Janelle Williams, Marc Daniel, Andrea Huelin, Malachi Aird, Robyn Baker, Ed Koumans, Mark Bennett, Mark Richards, Cameron Errey, KA Collins, Marc Steiner, Jen Frei, Adam Frew, Briony Frew, Graham Masterman, Rob Dupear … & me …

Thanks Ian & Kylie for the evening, all the work in hosting the exhibitions … and an opportunity to catch up with some great people.

'Earth Ceiling' Exhibition at Trolley Studio Gallery, Gordonvale - work by Brian Cassey

"Earth's Celing" - Trolley Studio Gallery - "Apocalyptico (Apocalypse by Politicians)" by Brian Cassey

Bi ’16, Hi ’17 …

July 10, 2023January 10, 2017

Thanks to Murray Young for pointing this out (I was across the other side of the planet so initially missed it) … great showing in the first publication of 2017 in the Sunday Mail, January 1.

The S Mail used my image of beaten asylum seeker Abdullatif Almoftaji across the entire front page cover of their photographic retrospective special … ‘2016 Pictures of the Year’ … which also included some mind blowing and soon to be, if not already, ‘iconic’ (for want of a better term) images … including Cameron Spencer’s Getty image of Usain Bolt, Burhan Ozbilici’s startling AP image of Mevlut Mert Altintas after murdering Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrei Karlov, Jonathan Bachman’s ‘Black Lives Matter’ Baton Rouge protest pic of leshia Evans … and Mahmoud Raslan’s haunting image of 5 year old Syrian child Omran Daqneesh in Aleppo. All images that will go down in history.

Real Chuffed to have my image part of such an amazing collection.

My pic of beaten 20 year old Iraqi asylum seeker Abdullatif was made at the Manus Island Papua New Guinea police watch house during a visit to document the island’s detainees. In December it was recognised as the winner of the Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize for 2016.

Below is a grab of the January 1st three page Sunday Mail special ‘In the Frame – Pictures of the Year’ (Abdullatif image © Brian Cassey)

Pictures of the Year 2016 - Abdulaftif Almoftaji - Manus Island by Brian Cassey

National Portrait Gallery … Yes …

January 16, 2017January 9, 2017

I’m not allowed to give you much in the way of details about this yet … sworn to secrecy … but may I say that I’m absolutely stoked to learn the news that an (unnamed at the moment) image of mine has been selected as a Finalist in the National Portrait Gallery’s ‘National Photographic Portrait Prize’ for 2017 … !

Apparently close to three thousand entries were received for this years awards … and it’s great to make the finalist cut.

Nice to add the NPPP to the other finalist awards over the last few months … the Moran Contemporary Photography Prize, the Bowness Photography Prize, the Contemporary Landscapes in Photography (CLIP) Awards … along with a second place in the Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA), two wins in the Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA) … and a much appreciated Win in the Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize.

I feel a very fortunate fellow right now … 🙂

All ‘National Photographic Portrait Prize’ finalist and winning works will be revealed at the opening of the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Canberra, ACT on the 31st March. (Note to self … must book flights …) There’s a prize of $25,000 at stake for the creator of the most outstanding photographic portrait. This year there will also be prizes for Highly Commended as well an Art Handlers’ Award and People’s Choice Award. The exhibition will run till the 18th June before touring to the Blue Mountains, Mornington Peninsula, Western Sydney, and Devonport, with also the possibility of a fifth venue being added.

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2017

Tokyo International … Result …

October 25, 2017January 8, 2017

A very welcome email arrived just a day or two before Christmas with the news that two of my works had been selected as winners in the inaugural edition of the Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA’s).

‘TIFA’ … a new event on the calendar … aims “to recognize, reward and expose talented photographers from around the world and introduce them to the creative community in Japan”.

My works selected were … Gold (First Place) in ‘Editorial Personality’ for the portrait ‘The Skin I’m In’ of burns survivor Carol Mayer … and Silver (First Place) in ‘Moving Image Essay’ for my short film ‘Eyes – the Soul of a Photograph’. Both works have featured previously in other awards.

They will be shown alongside other works during the winners exhibition at the Owada Gallery, Shibuya Cultural Center Owada, 23-21 Sakura-gaoka-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo … with the grand opening eve on February 25th. Sadly, I doubt I will be able to take up the invitation.

'The Skin I'm In' - portrait of Carol Mayer - Winner - 'Editorial - Personality', Tokyo International Foto Awards 2016 - image by Brian Cassey

Sensational Walkley’s …

December 19, 2016December 5, 2016

What a night … and a what a result … !

The 2016 Walkley Awards on Friday eve at the Brisbane Exhibition Centre heralded an historic ‘first’ … the mega talented and great guy photojournalist Andrew Quilty the first photographer to ever take out the biggest prize – the ‘Gold Walkley’.

Nobody deserves it more …

Andrew is totally dedicated to his craft and gave away a job at Fairfax to move to Afghanistan as a freelance. His work is extraordinary.

I was fortunate – by way of my Nikon-Walkley Portrait win – to be seated at the same table 55 as Andrew on Friday eve … along with the incredibly legendary war photojournalist Tim Page and partner Marianna Harris, Walkley advisory board member and photographer Michael Amendolia, prolific photography journalist Alison Steven-Taylor (‘Photojournalism Now’), my Cairns photographer mate Marc McCormack and Mrs Sandra, Tanie Harris Sansey … and Andrew’s delightful mum Ann.

Definitely the best table of the night !

Before the evenings events commenced Andrew had already bagged the Nikon-Walkley ‘Photo of the Year’ award … and soon added the ‘News Photo’ award … before thrilling the scores of media photographers – and everyone else in the room – with the final award of the night – the ‘Gold Walkley’. Magic …

A absolute pleasure to chat with Tim … and delighted that he suggested we swap prints … my Portrait Prize pic for one of his amazing historic combat images. Pretty stoked about that …

The rest of the Nikon-Walkley photography awards were also ‘spot on’ … with Alex Coppel taking out ‘Press Photographer of the Year’, Cameron Spencer the ‘Sports Photography’ award and David Maurice Smith the ‘Feature/Photographic Essay’ award … all against some amazing ‘Finalist’ opposition.

Well done Walkley’s and Nikon … truly memorable !

Below is top … Tim Page watching the announcement of my ‘Nikon-Walkley Portrait Prize’ win from our table … and below … the older PJ legend Tim chats with the newer legend Andrew Quilty after his ‘Gold Walkley’ win.

2016 Walkley Awards - Nikon-Walkley Awards - Gold Walkley, Andrew Quilty - Portraiture, Brian Cassey

Walkley Awards 2016 - Nikon-Walkley Awards - Winner Gold Walkley, Andrew Quilty - Portraiture, Brian Cassey