‘The Genesis Project ‘ … in Great Company

… well that went orf well then !!  .M Contemporary Gallery, Sydney, was packed to the rafters last eve for the launch of “The Genesis Project” exhibition … my little project that has been a year in the making and a featured exhibition at the massive and currently rocking ‘Head On Photo Festival’ in Sydney.

Twelve of the nineteen photographers involved in the project – Ben Lowy, Murray Fredericks, Peter Solness, Fiona Wolf, Glenn Campbell, John Donegan, Sam Harris, Phil Hillyard, Craig Golding, Jon Lewis, Moshe Rosenzveig – (and me , of course) – turned up to see their work on the walls and talk ‘stuff’ … along with a score of other photographers and photographic personalities amongst a crowd of about a hundred. The crew at .M Contemporary were fabulous hosts and spoiled their guests with some top wines – Thank You’ hugely’ Louise,  Michelle and Candice.

The idea of the collected works is to explore at what point do photographers become photographers? What were the catalysts that transformed a child, teen or young adult into a potential devoted pro photographer. The moments when through creating an image they realised “this is what I want to do – to make photographs, become a photographer and … to capture life’s moments”.

The stories that the photographers have told about their lives, careers and images are fascinating, sometimes poignant and honest … and the words are as much a part of the success of the show as the great photographic works.

If you missed last nights goin’s on you can still catch the exhibition till the 8th of June at .M Contemporary Gallery, 37 Ocean Street, Woollahra. (if nothing else I have now worked out how to spell ‘Woollahra’!)

Below are a couple of quickies of the ‘Genesis’ photographers and other photographers and guests at the opening –

Top – left to right – Mike Bowers, Craig Golding, Ben Lowy, Fiona Wolf (with Phil Hillyard hiding over the rear right)

Centre – left to right – Murray Fredericks, John Donegan (kneeling), Craig Golding, Ben Lowy, Moshe Rosenzveig (kneeling), Glenn Campbell (rear), Jon Lewis (rear), Phil Hillyard (rear), Peter Solness (kneeling), Fiona Wolf,  Sam Harris  and myself.

Bottom – view of work and peoples heads … !

©images Brian Cassey

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Curating ‘The Genesis Project’ …

In just two weeks I will officially lose my ‘curatorial virginity’ when “The Genesis Project” – a feature and headlining exhibition event of the ‘2014 Head On Photo Festival’ – opens on May 20th at the ‘M Contemporary Gallery’ in Woollahra Sydney.

‘Genesis’ is the result of the germ of an idea, persistence and a lot of hard work … and the faith of ‘Head On’ director Moshe Rosenzveig.

The concept of the exhibit is to examine ‘at what point do photographers become photographers’ ?

What were the catalysts that transformed a child, teen, young adult into a potential devoted pro photographer. The moments when through creating an image they realised “this is what I want to do – become a photographer and make photographs – to capture life’s moments”.
I have asked renowned photographers from a range of photographic disciplines to delve back into their individual photography archives from childhood and onwards – and rediscover some of their first photographs taken on their first, sometimes primitive, cameras – images from their first rolls of colour – their first pics on an SLR – their first published photograph – and the moments that moved or excited them.
To tell the stories of those formative creative moments that helped mould them into the experienced passionate photographers that they have now become.

We have assembled fabulous unseen images and previously untold stories from our photographers who share their insights into their compelling work from their earlier days experimenting with or developing as a photographer and the pivotal moments in their careers.

Here is our impressive list of contributing photographers – Ben Lowy, Roger Ballen, Murray Fredericks, Chris Rainier, David Dare Parker, Fiona Wolf, Jackie Ranken, Katrin Koenning, Martine Perret, Sam Harris, Glenn Campbell, Jon Lewis, Peter Eastway, Craig Golding, John Donegan, Peter Solness, Phil Hillyard, Moshe Rosenzveig … and then there’s me too …

I thank them all.

All are more than welcome to attend the opening eve of a very different and engaging photographic exhibition, Tuesday May 20th from 6.30pm at ‘M Contemporary Gallery’, E37 Ocean Street, Woollahra, Sydney.

You may bag yourself a real photographic collectors item.

Below is one of my two personal ‘seminal’ images  – made many many  decades ago in Portugal on the first roll of colour transparency film I ever shot – that will be one of the works on sale at “The Genesis Project”. The image has been scanned directly from the original faded, mouldy and dusty Agfa slide. To see the full story behind behind it and the similar works of our contributing photographers please come to the exhibition that will run from opening night May 20th till June 8th.

Image © Brian Cassey

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Cairns to Sydney to Kuala Lumpur …

An event filled week ! Travelled back to Sydney to take in more of this years ‘Head On Photo Festival’, a bit of the ‘Reportage Photography Festival’, the first ‘Walkley Slide Night’ of 2013 … and … the opening at Global Gallery Paddington of my exhibition “The Aak Puul Ngantam Stockman”. 

Straight after exhibition opening eve it was off to Kuala Lumpur Malaysia for the exhibition and winners announcement at Galeri Petronas of the “2013 Kuala Lumpur International Portrait Awards”.

“The Aak Puul Ngantam Stockman” exhibition was obviously a highlight … and Global Gallery was chockers with media photographer colleagues, friends and many others enjoying the ‘hospitality’. Moshe Rosenzveig from Head On kindly arrived to give the opening address.

The exhibition comprised fourteen near metre high prints of the entire mustering crew of the indigenous operated APN Cape York operation … including stockmen young and old, helicopter pilot, cook, junior Jillaroos, teacher … even newcomer stockman journalist Michel McKenna (who made the trip from Brisbane for the opening to admire his ‘visage’ !)

The “2013 Kuala Lumpur International Portrait Awards” was also a fantastic exhibition … well worth the effort and some fantastic work adorning the walls of Galeri Petronas under the twin towers … including my selected finalist image “Roustabout” of APN’s versatile do-it-all guy Perry Ward.

Printed almost two metres high on beautiful canvas and displayed spotlighted on a massive black wall, “Roustabout” certainly had the ‘wow’ factor as you entered the gallery! (see image below). Unfortunately it wasn’t selected as a top three winner. The winning image of a street band certainly was a very special image. Not so sure about second and third selected images tho’!

Below is a pic of the “Roustabout” image as it was displayed in KL … and a couple of pics from the Global Gallery  APN exhibition opening eve in Paddington.

© images Brian Cassey

Ex Cairns Australia pic by Brian CasseyPic by Brian Cassey

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The Aak Puul Ngantam Stockman

This presentation – “The Aak Puul Ngantam Stockman” – was made for the ‘Nikon Walkley Photographers Slide Night’ in Sydney at the State Library of New South Wales on the 28th May 2013. The images were made on Cape York Peninsula northern Australia and show the work of the mustering operation by the indigenous company APN Cape York. The operation is attempting to provide meaningful employment and occupation for the indigenous population of the area around Aurukun – and break the cycle of welfare dependancy, violence, alcohol and drug abuse. The portraits represented in this presentation were exhibited at The Global Gallery, Paddington, Sydney as a featured exhibit of the 2013 “Head On Photo Festival”.
One of the portrait images was selected as a Winner of the “Head On Portrait Prize” – and another as a ‘Finalist’ in the “Kuala Lumpur International Portrait Awards”.
The music accompanying the presentation – “Fire Serpent” from the album “Shaman’s Dance” – is used by kind permission of the artist Dan Pound.

Words and Images © Brian Cassey

Sydney Exhibition – Head On

Only a few weeks till my collection of images – “The Aak Puul Ngantam Stockman” – opens at the Global Gallery in Paddington Sydney as a ‘featured’ exhibition in the massive ‘Head On Photo Festival’.

All are welcome to the opening function at the gallery on the eve of Wednesday 29th May from 6ish  (with a little drink or two offered – but no obligation!)

The exhibit consists of 14 large portraits – all made ‘in situ’ at the base camp of the mustering operations on a remote property out from the indigenous township of Aurukun, Cape York Peninsula. The cattle venture by indigenous APN Cape York is an attempt to provide sustainable employment and a sense of pride in the troubled township – and break the cycle of booze, drugs, violence and welfare dependency.

The subjects included in the exhibition are a mix of elder experienced former aboriginal stockman, young indigenous men from Aurukun keen to learn the ropes, a white family of head stockman, wife and cook and two daughter Jillaroos, a teacher for the kids and a ‘roustabout’ – all of whom are directly involved in the day to day hands on mustering operation.

The crew are mustering – by horseback, quad bike and helicopter – about 5000 head which are the remnants and descendants of a failed cattle venture in the 1990’s.

The work was originally made for  ’The Weekend Australian’ newspaper and accompanied by text from journalist Michael McKenna (who is also one of the subjects).

The exhibition runs at Global Gallery till the 9th June … looking forward to seeing you there.

Below is just one of fourteen portraits that make up the exhibition.

Image of Winston Marpoondin – © Brian Cassey

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Interview with Head On Photo Festival …

Following a win in the Head On Portrait Prize at the 2013 Head On Photo Festival Sydney with my image “Stockman” I was interviewed by the festivals Steve Marshall. The video interview covered my reaction to the win with the portrait of Aak Puul Ngantam stockman Dominic Ngakyunkwokka and my photography career to date. It runs for approximately two minutes.

Portraits on a Bus …

The ‘fotostrada’ photojournalist collective – of which I am one member of a total of eleven  – is showing a group exhibition entitled “Portraits on a Bus” as part of the “2012 Head On Photo Festival” .

The exhibition runs at the Global Gallery, Paddington, Sydney from Tuesday, 29th May to Sunday 3rd June with the grand opening eve on Wednesday 30th May from 6pm. All are welcome to attend.

Here’s the exhibit description from the Head On Festival program and web site …

“The bus is ubiquitous. Every country on the planet has some form of bus transportation.

From cramped roof top rides on dishevelled buses in India … to tiny ‘bemos’ in Indonesia, mundane mass transport in Hong Kong, luxury express buses in Australia … even a work bus in Antarctica – the ‘fotostrada’ collective team has captured all in images which convey the very essence of the travelling bus passenger and the machines that carry them.”

Several of my images made during visits to India, Hong Kong and Indonesia are featured in the exhibition alongside other great work by colleagues Dean Lewins, Tracey Nearmy, Graham Crouch, Sam Mooy, Renee Nowytarger, Mark ‘Crusty’ Baker and Melanie Russell.

I’ve put together my own personal extended version of “Portraits on a Bus” from all my images that made the short list for the exhibition collection … and this essay has been added to my personal web site at https://www.briancasseyphotographer.com/images.php?imagefolder=bus.

Posted below is a small selection of my “Portraits on a Bus” images.

Look forward to seeing you at the exhibition …

Images © Brian Cassey – from Hong Kong, Rajasthan India and Sukawati Bali Indonesia.