Happenings in Perth, India … and the UK …

A lot of ‘goings on’ recently with exhibition openings in Perth, a rewarding ‘road trip’ in India, a bit of recognition from ‘Budapest’ … and an image on the walls at the Royal Photographic Society in England.

Travelled to Perth (and Fremantle) last month for two exhibition openings at two events … the ‘Fremantle International Portrait Prize’ (FIPP) one week and the ‘IRIS Portrait Awards’ at the Perth Centre for Photography the next.

Satisfyingly, both included personal works  … ‘Tomotaro on the Block’ and ‘Generations- Aurukun’ in the ‘FIPP’ … and just ‘Generations – Aurukun’ in the ‘IRIS’. Both great opening eves … first time for me in the ‘IRIS’ collection, but third time in the mix for the ‘FIPP’. Nice also to have a good opportunity to spend a little time in the West and catch up with photographer colleagues Richard Wainwright, Roger Garwood, Johannes Reinhart, Peter Ramshaw and Justin Ma… and also sparkling Nikon rep Julie Kimpton.

From Perth it was four flights to Mumbai (including a quick overnight stopover in Little India Singapore) where I met up with friend and former photo editor at the Indian Express, director of Solaris Images … and all round good bloke Srienivas Akella. ‘Srini’ had organised flights for the two of us to Raipur in the state of Chhattisgarh where I had identified one story in particular that I was keen to work on.

Srini has extensive knowledge of his home country and had also searched out a few other possible pic stories to fill any ‘blanks’ in covering my main objective. As it turned out we managed three stories over six days … my main story (which stretched over three days and involved twenty four hours of driving through Chhattisgarh – all will be revealed when the story and pics are placed and published) … pics of two (apparently of five) of the surviving full body tattooed ‘Ramnami’ – a low caste sect that once endured having the name of their god Rama etched over their entire bodies … and a continuation of my earlier ‘Typewriter Wallahs’ pic essay (this time in the city of Raipur) on the men (and woman) of India who persist in working with (and repairing) ancient manual typewriters.

The weeks work culminated back in Mumbai on a big Diwali celebration night of fireworks, colour and food with Srini, his family and his very pleasant community. Thanks Srini !

Also received great news … an email from ‘Portrait Salon’ stating … “Dear Brian, We are delighted to tell you that our judge, Peter Dench, has selected the attached image (‘Tomotaro on the Block’ … yeah that one again) to be included in this year’s Portrait Salon selection. This year, ‘Portrait Salon’ will be exhibited at the Royal Photographic Society in Bristol, from 21 – 28 November. It will then travel up to Harrogate to be part of the Photo North Festival, from 30 November – 2 December. The images will be presented both as a slideshow, and in print.”

Of course … I am stoked …

UK based ‘Portrait Salon’ is a sort of a ‘Salon des Refusés’ and solicits work that doesn’t make the winners cut of the monumental National Portrait Gallery (London) ‘Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize’ each year. Now in it’s 9th annual edition ‘Portrait Salon’ arguably shows more interesting work than the ‘Taylor Wessing’.

‘Tomotaro’ certainly has been good for me … as well as the ‘Portrait Salon’ and ‘FIPP’ mentioned above, it has also been recognised in the Tokyo International Foto Awards (TIFA), the Moscow International Foto Awards (MIFA), The Australian Photography Awards (APA) and the 12th International Color Awards.

Not far behind, ‘Generations – Aurukun’ has featured in the ‘IRIS’ and ‘FIPP’ mentioned and also the 2019 Portrait of Humanity and The Australian Photography Awards (APA).

Also at the end of October both of these images were announced ‘Winners’ in their respective categories (Editorial Sports and People) in the inaugural 2019 Budapest International Foto Awards (BIFA). Nice news to arrive home in Cairns to …

Images below © Brian Cassey … as follows from top … ‘Ramnami’ Maherttar Ram Tandon at his home in Churella Village, Chhattisgarh, India. Maherttar is covered all over his body with tattoos repeating the name of his God Rama … D. N. Verma amongst old manual typewriters that he is repairing at his Chhattisgarh Typewriter Works company in Raipur … my ‘Generations – Aurukun’ work at the ‘IRIS Awards‘, Perth Centre for Photography … ‘Tomotaro on the Block’ on the wall of the ‘Fremantle International Portrait Prize’, Moore’s Gallery, Fremantle (the same pic as selected for the ‘Portrait Salon’ in the UK’) … ‘Generations – Aurukun’ at the ‘Fremantle International Portrait Prize’, Moore’s Gallery, Fremantle.

 

'Ramnami' from Chhattisgarh, India - image © by Brian Cassey

D. N. Verma - typewriter technician and owner of Chhattisgarh Typewriter Works in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, India - image © Brian Cassey

Image 'Generations - Aurukun' - finalist IRIS Awards, Perth Centre for Photography - © by Brian Cassey

'Tomotaro on the Block' 0 Fremantle International Portrait Prize (FIPP) - Finalist © Brian Cassey

'Generations - Aurukun' - Fremantle International Portrait Prize (FIPP) - Finalist © Brian Cassey

 

Silas & Rebecca … Now at the IRIS Awards …

Last post I related that two of my images have recently been selected as Finalists in the Fremantle International Portrait Prize

Now I have just learnt that one of the two has also been selected as a Finalist in the Perth Centre for Photography “IRIS Award” for portraiture … and that is bloody satisfying as it’s a ‘first’ for me.

Here’s how the IRIS Award describes itself … “The Award is an international prize recognising new and outstanding portraiture in photographic art. The criteria for selection focuses on portraits that are unique, compelling and engaging whilst maintaining excellence in photography. Concept, meaning and depth are equally as important as well executed work. Originality is essential and the award encourages work that is evocative and provocative and in some ways may be relevant to the current global cultural landscape.”

This year the award was judged by the highly esteemed and Internationally distributed GUP Magazine (Guide to Unique Photography) based in the Netherlands.

It seems this pic (below) met their criteria … “Generations – Aurukun” of Silas and Rebecca Wolmby and their great grand children. That in itself is rewarding, as the pic … originally made in 2016 during a News Ltd job in the Cape York indigenous township … thereafter languished forgotten and unloved in my archive until I again chanced upon it a few months ago. Since then it’s been around. The pic was Shortlisted and book published in the Magnum and British Journal of Photography ‘Portrait of Humanity’ project … and selected as a Finalist in the FIPP.

Very sadly, the wonderful gent Silas has since passed on. However, I hope to be travelling to Aurukun again in the near future and will make sure that Rebecca and the Wolmby family receive a big copy of the image.

The exhibition opening and prize announcement of the IRIS Award is on Friday 18th October at the Perth Centre for Photography Gallery, 357 Murray Street, Perth … just one week after the opening and prize announcement of the FIPP in Fremantle. WA friends … you are warned … 🙂

Image © Brian Cassey

IRIS Awards - Perth Centre for Photography - Finalist - "Generations - Aurukun' by Brian Cassey

Finalists, Finalists, Semi-Finalists …

Seems it’s the time of year for very welcome emails regarding a variety of photographic awards … although the eventual outcome of each is still very much up in the air. Over the last few weeks I have received news of ‘short list’ inclusions in each of the Fremantle International Portrait Prize, the Queensland Multi Media Awards … and the Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize.

Two of my portraits have been selected as Finalists in the Fremantle International – one of Cape York indigenous legend Tommy George (“The Last of the Kuku Thaypan”) – and the other of young Cape York sisters (“Jillaroos”). The results will be announced and the exhibition of Finalists work opened at the Moores Building Contemporary Art Gallery in Fremantle on Saturday October 24th – and I will be making the cross country trek to catch up with exhibiting colleagues.

The Queensland Multi Media Awards reach an impressive milestone this year … with the presentation evening marking twenty years of rewarding the work of Queensland’s media professionals. This week the three Finalists for each category were announced for the twentieth anniversary event – and my work was selected as a contender in ‘Best News Photograph’ with an image made whilst covering the horrific Murray Street massacre “Mourning Our Dead Brothers and Sisters” … and in ‘Best Editorial Image/Photograph’ for the pic of PNG bar girl Julie entitled “Disko Meri” (the same image that was chosen as part of the Head On Portrait Prize exhibition). Looking forward to a big night on presentation eve at the Pullman Reef Hotel Casino on Saturday November 7th.

The image from the Murray Street massacre coverage of the surviving brother and sister mourning next to the murder scene has also been selected as a Semi-Finalist in the prestigious Moran Prize. The announcement of the selected thirty ‘Finalist’ images that will make up the Moran exhibition at Juniper Hall in Paddington Sydney and each receive a cheque from the $80,000 prize pool, will be made shortly. Fingers crossed on that one but realistically not holding my breath.

Below I’ve posted – top to bottom and © Brian Cassey – the images mentioned above – “The Last of the Kuku Thaypan”, “Jillaroos”, “Mourning Our Dead Brothers and Sisters” and “Disko Meri”.

 

"Tommy - Last of the Kuku Thaypan" Tommy George is the last of the Kuku Thaypan aboriginal tribe from Laura far north Queensland Australia. He is the last remaining speaker of his tribal language and the last full blood of his tribe. When he dies his language and 42000 years of history will die with him..

"The Aak Puul Ngantam Stockman" - Jillaroos Nina Willmann 5 - Junior Jillaroo - Shae-Anne Willmann - Jillaroo ... at the indigenous pastoral company APN Cape York

Murray Street Cairns massacre - the last remain siblings after the murder of 9 children - Norena Warria and Lewis Warria (with Norena's son Cassius) mourne at the Murray Street shrine next to the murder scene.

"DISKO MERI" - PNG Bar Girl Julie - in Port Moresby's 'Diamond Club''