‘Paper Tigers’ … on ‘Google Arts & Culture’ …

Delighted to learn that ‘Paper Tigers’ … the compilation of the work of sixty Australian photojournalists curated by myself and Head On Photo Festival director Moshe Rosenvzeig OAM … now has another great published ‘airing’ on the distinguished ‘Google Arts & Culture’ platform (including, of course, my contribution ‘Abdullatif – Beaten Asylum Seeker’ – below – from one of the GA&C pages).

It was a (lengthy) and rewarding pleasure to work with Moshe to collate this project … and wonderful to see it now showing on a new platform amongst significant works from the Worlds leading museums and archives including (but far, far from ‘not only’) MoMa in New York, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence and the Tate Britain in London.

‘Paper Tigers – an Anthology of Australian Contemporary Photojournalism’ has already been exhibited to acclaim ‘on the walls’ at the ‘Twenty Twenty Six Gallery’ in Sydney (during last years Head On Photo Festival) and is also available in book form on the Head On website at … https://www.headon.com.au/product/paper-tigers-book … (if it hasn’t already sold out again).

The ‘Paper Tigers’ works can now be found on the ‘Google Arts & Culture’ platform at … https://artsandculture.google.com/search/exhibit…

Thanks to all the contributing PJ’s (some of which I nagged mercilessly) and the amazin’ Head On Photo Festival team.

#headonphotofestival #photojournalismaustralia

‘Abdullatif’ Image … ‘Nikon Walkley Portrait Prize’ Winner 2016 © Brian Cassey

'Paper Tigers' on the Google Arts and Culture site - curated by Brian Cassey and Moshe Rosenvzeig - image by Brian Cassey

“Paper Tigers” … Being There … and Not Being There …

Only TWO more days (Saturday and Sunday) to see the “Paper Tigers” exhibition … the work of sixty of Australia’s fine photojournalist contingent … on the walls of the ‘Twenty Twenty Six Gallery’ in Bondi, Sydney.

The Head On Photo Festival “Paper Tigers” featured exhibition was a year in the making … and made it’s debut strictly ‘online’ earlier in May this year. Covid postponed the physical exhibition of works … until now.

Each of the sixty contributors supplied images they seemed most appropriate … and Head On’s founder/director Moshe Rosenzveig OAM and myself curated the selections down to a single image from each. The result is a fascinating multi faceted collection of Australian photojournalism from across the decades.

To quote the Head On web site … “The exhibition celebrates photojournalism at a time when the need for truthful journalism has never been more critical and takes us back to critical moments through recent Australian and world history, and the images by which we remember them”.

These are the sixty so talented contributors that made it happen … Alex Coppel, Andrew Chapman, Angela Wylie, Ashley Crowther, Barbara McGrady, Ben Bohane, Brendan Beirne, Brian Cassey, Chris Hopkins, Craig Golding, Craig Greenhill, Darrian Traynor, Dave Tacon, David Dare Parker, David Gray, Dean Lewins, Dean Sewell, Delly Carr, Eddie Safarik, Edwina Pickles, Gerrit Fokkema, Glenn Campbell, Glenn Lockitch, Grant Wells, Helga Salwe, Ilana Rose, Jaime Murcia, Jake Nowakowski, Janie Barrett, Jessica Hromas, John Donegan, John French, Justin McManus, Louise Kennerley, Luis Ascui, Mark Crusty Baker, Martine Perret, Max Mason Hubers, Meredith O’Shea, Merv Bishop, Michael Amendolia, Michael Coyne, Moshe Rosenzveig, Nic Walker, Nick Moir, Nicola Bailey, Noel Butcher, Paul Blackmore, Penny Stephens, Peter Solness, Richard Wainwright, Rick Stevens, Rob Maccoll, Robert McFarlane, Simon O’Dwyer, Stephen Dupont, Sylvia Liber, Tim Page, Tobias Titz and Tracey Nearmy. Thank You All …

Thanks to Covid-19, many could not make it to the exhibition opening last Saturday in Bondi. However, ‘Paper Tigers’ contributor photojournalists Dean Sewell, Ben Bohane, Mark ‘Crusty’ Baker, Tracey Nearmy, Glen Lockitch, Michael Amendolia and, of course, Head On’s Moshe Rosenzveig were present to celebrate … lucky them ! The former curator of photography at The State Library of New South Wales, Alan Davies, was also on hand at the opening to cast his experienced eye over the works.

I was really gutted that I couldn’t make the journey to Bondi myself … and to visit Paddington Reservoir Gardens where my other exhibition “Me Too … Where The Boys Are … The Girls Are” was also ‘on the wall’ as part of the photo festival. Them’s the breaks … but more is in the pipeline for this significant and historic exhibition down the track.

Time is now running out … just two days to take in “Paper Tigers” at ‘Twenty Twenty Six Gallery’ in Bondi … go see it.

 

NB … For the many that couldn’t (or can’t) make it to the physical exhibition of works on the wall, the “Paper Tigers” book (see bottom image below) is available to order on the Head On Photo Festival web site at … https://www.headon.com.au/product/paper-tigers-book

Image © Brian Cassey … my work ‘Abdullatif’ with Alan Davies and Glen Lockitch – top © Michael Amendolia … gallery panorama © Michael Amendolia … bottom two (including “Paper Tigers” book) © Moshe and the Head On Photo Festival

'Paper Tigers' - Head On exhibition of Australian photojournalism - co-curated by Moshe Rosenzveig & Brian Cassey

'Paper Tigers' exhibition of Australian photojournalism - co-crated by Brian Cassey & Head On's Moshe Rosenzveig

'Paper Tigers' exhibition of Australian photojournalism - co-crated by Brian Cassey & Head On's Moshe Rosenzveig

'Paper Tigers' exhibition book - published by Head On Photo Festival - by Moshe Rosenzveig & Brian Cassey

 

 

Taking Up the B&W Challenge …

Never before have I seen collected photographers tackle anything with so much gusto and motivation.

The ‘5 Day Black and White Challenge’ based on Facebook seems to have galvanised Australia’s media photographers past and present. The quality of black and white images that have been gracing Facebook over the last few weeks have been sensational. The challenge has meant that many fine images taken over the decades are getting another well deserved airing instead of wallowing in the archives. Some real gems have appeared.

The list of Australian and Australian based photographers that have become involved is enormous. It’s a veritable ‘who’s who’ of Australian media photographers through the decades. Click on each of the photographers links below and it will take you to the great work in their particular B&W challenge.

So … in no particular order (and apologising for those I havn’t found) … David Dare Parker, Tim Page, Polani Mohan, Nick Moir, Dean LewisBrett Faulkner, Phil Hillyard, Tim Clayton, Mike Larder, Richard ‘Tommy’ Campion, Juno GemesCraig GreenhillRick Stevens, Graham Crouch, Megan LewisGlenn Campbell, Craig Golding, Tamara DeanGeorge Fetting, David May, Steve Holland, John French, Andy Zakeli, Mark ‘Crusty’ Baker, Steve Christo, Leigh Henningham, Martine Perret, Adam Hollingworth, Grant Turner, John Feder, Heather Faulkner, Verity ChambersJay Town, Gregg Porteous, Brett Costello, Nadia JanisJeff Darmanin, Chris Hyde, Jake Nowakowski, Richard Wainwright, Michael Amendolia, Hamish Blair, Jack Atley, David Maurice SmithRussell Shakespeare, James Brickwood, Craig Sillitoe, David Geraghty, Peter Bull, Dave Tacon, Matthew Goddard Jones, Sean Davey, Roger Garwood, Delly Carr, Cameron Spencer, Wolter Peeters, Natalie Grono, Sam HarrisVince Caligiuri, Ryan Pierse, Luke Marsden, Mark Dadswell, Asanka Brendon Ratnayake, Alan PrykeKelly BarnesDavid John Teas E, Conor Ashleigh, Adam Knott, Meredith O’Shea,  AJ Moran, Nathan Edwards, Lindsay MollerMorne Saffieboy de Klerk, James Elsby, David Mariuz, Quentin Jones, Alex Coppel, Craig Borrow, Peter Solness, Gary RamageAndrew Quilty … the list appears endless …

It doesn’t stop there either … around the World there are many thousands of photographers taking the opportunity to file some BW’s and ‘dob in’ another five colleagues. Photographers of the highest profile such as USA’s Ben Lowy have joined in.

My challenge was made by my Darwin mate Glenn Campbell. Over the five days I’ve nominated Dean Lewins, Craig Greenhill, Richard Wainwright, Sam Mooy and Tracey Nearmy.

The five B&W’s I selected for my challenge are below and if you click on the images it will take you to the relevant Facebook pages where you will see all the details, comments and ‘likes’. From top we have ‘Dire Straits’, ‘Polite Lawn Bowls’, ‘Race Fall’, ‘Fiji Coup’ and ‘Huli Woman’ and the images were made between the 80’s and 2000, all but number 4 on film (more than likely on Nikon FM2 or F4 bodies) whilst ‘Fuji Coup” was made on a Nikon D1 digital.

You can see many other photographers 5 Day B&W challenges by visiting #fivedayblackandwhitechallenge

Images © Brian Cassey

- ©pic by Brian Cassey

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Ex Cairns Australia  pic by Brian Cassey Pic by Brian Cassey

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NPPA “Best of Photojournalism” Win …

About this time last year – on a whim, a wing and a prayer – I sent a couple of images into the US based ‘National Press Photographers Association’ – “Best of Photojournalism” awards … and promptly forgot about it. As you do …

No ‘you’re a winner’ (or even ‘placegetter’) email arrived so you just get on with life …

Then … just last week I got a Facebook message from photojournalist colleague Ted Mcdonnell who had arrived back from a gig in Timor Leste and gone through his pile of mail where he found his new copy of the NPPA mag “News Photographer”. There gracing the inside cover (see below) he found my portrait of beautiful burns survivor Carol Mayer and the news (to me) that it had WON the “Portrait” category for ‘A single photograph that captures a unique aspect of a local figure’€™s character and personality. This should not be a public figure who is regularly covered in the news, but rather a local heroine, hero, or community member’.

Carol certainly falls easily into that category … !  (and the nicest part is she gets as excited as I do with the successes her portrait has achieved – Nikon WalkleyKellicutt International USInternational Photography Awards (IPA)Head On Portrait PrizeInternational Color Awards, International Loupe Awards, Queensland Multi Media Awards etc … )

Pretty stunned about the news .. despite the fact it was announced a few months ago … but, if I’m honest, a bit miffed that I wasn’t told at the announcements. I emailed NPPA and a reply from Thomas Kenniff reckons I should have got an email as all Winners did.

The moral is ? Try and remember to check awards and competition results … just in case!

Below is the inside cover page of the NPPA magazine “News Photographer” with the result – a click on that will take you to the NPPA site.

Carol Mayer image © Brian Cassey

 

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