‘A Photographer’s Life – Part Two’ at The Court House Gallery …

Now just over two weeks since the doors opened on my latest exhibition … ‘A Photographer’s Life – Part Two’ … and one week since a brilliant official opening eve event at the beautiful venue, the heritage listed Court House Gallery.

Following on from ‘A Photographer’s Life – Part One’ … exhibited at the Head On Photo Festival in Sydney and The Tanks Arts Centre in Cairns in 2017 … there was always going to be a ‘Part Two’.

Essentially a ‘Retrospective’, the ‘Part One’ exhibition featured work selected from my archives … negatives from long forgotten boxes and numerous disk drives … that charted the progression from my first roll of film as a pre-teen, through my first paid media work in London town as a teen and onto my career across the decades producing press work that was published around the planet..

‘Part Two’ is a fundamentally different exhibition of work. It contains a few images that didn’t quite make the space cut for ‘Part One’ – but most of the work is new and made from 2016 up until today. Whilst ‘Part One’ was almost exclusively ‘assigned’ media work the ‘Part Two’ images are much less so. The decline in media work and the lack of media opportunity and funding has meant that much of the new work was made independently, often self funded and sometimes just purely personally observational. The photographs emanated from India, China, Sri Lanka, the United States, Papua New Guinea, the UK … and around Australia, 

An integral part of the new exhibition is the ‘story behind the images’. Each work is accompanied by text explaining how the image came about and why. Many of them are quite personal. Feedback from exhibition visitors so far is that the ‘stories’ added a depth and dimension to the images. Gratifying 🙂

The opening eve event on November 5th was a thoroughly enjoyable big success. An individual exhibition opening record crowd of over a hundred and twenty five crammed ‘standing room only’ in the ‘Court Room’ to witness ABC Radio’s Fiona Sewell ‘grill’ me nicely about eight of the thirty seven exhibition images for about forty five minutes. Many Thanks for hosting the event Fiona.  Great to see friends and colleagues past and present .. many I hadn’t seen in years … turn up for the occasion. Thanks all …

Also launched at the event was the large format high definition limited edition collectors book ‘A Photographer’s Life – Part One & Part Two’ … containing … yes … all the images (85 in all over 88 pages) from both ‘Part One’ and ‘Part Two’. All those who order a copy during the exhibition period (till 11th December) with have their names and an acknowledgment printed in the book … and my scrawled as best I can signature too 😉 . Order at the Court House Gallery office or phone either Dayle on 07 40326621 or the office on 07 40326620.

Greatest respect and massive thanks to Curator Chris Stannard , Dayle Jordon, Megan O’Rourke and the rest of the council team who did a brilliant job hanging and presenting the exhibition. 

The exhibition continues until the 11th December Tuesdays to Saturdays 10am to 4pm … another four weeks to take it in. (If anyone would like a ‘personalised’ tour of the work I will be happy to try and do just that … just contact me.)

Below are images … (impossible in small pics to do justice to the exhibition, the work and the gallery) … of the works on the wall, the opening eve event and the book.

Images © Brian Cassey (4), Brendan Radke (2) & Stacey Carrick (1) (Many Thanks Brendan and Stacey)

 

'A Photographer's Life - Part Two' Exhibition at The Court House Gallery Cairns - by Brian Cassey

'A Photographer's Life - Part Two' Exhibition at The Court House Gallery Cairns - by Brian Cassey

'A Photographer's Life - Part Two' Exhibition at The Court House Gallery Cairns - by Brian Cassey

'A Photographer's Life - Part Two' Exhibition at The Court House Gallery Cairns - by Brian Cassey

'A Photographer's Life - Part Two' Exhibition at The Court House Gallery Cairns - by Brian Cassey

'A Photographer's Life - Part Two' Exhibition at The Court House Gallery Cairns - by Brian Cassey

'A Photographer's Life - Part Two' Exhibition at The Court House Gallery Cairns - by Brian Cassey

 

 

 

 

 

 

ABC Radio Far North … “A Photographer’s Life – Part One” Interview

On the morning that my exhibition “A Photographer’s Life – Part One” opened in Cairns at The Tanks Arts Centre, I was interviewed by ABC Radio Far North breakfast presenter Kier Shorey. An affable geezer, the interview was a bit of fun and touched on the exhibition, my work and history with a camera etc. it runs for nearly thirteen minutes …

 

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

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

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

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

 

Tanks Exhibition … From 8th December …

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

L’Oiel … Head On Festival Top Five …

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”.

 

L'Oiel de la photographie - "A Photographer's Life - Part One" - top five exhibitions Head On 2017

 

 

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

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 … “

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