Paper Tigers, Strippers … & Head On Photo Festival

… it started with a germ of an idea and took nigh on a year to come to fruition … but “Paper Tigers – an Anthology of Contemporary Australian Photojournalism” is now very much a reality as an exhibition and a book.

My initial idea of a print swap of work between Australia’s talented photojournalists morphed into something much grander after a long chat with Head On Photo Festival director Moshe Rosenzveig OAM.

Moshe enthusiastically grasped the implications of the project … the like of which he confessed had been close to his heart for some years. Our combined plan grew into a featured exhibition of the work of Australia’s media photographers at Paddington Town Hall during this years Head On Photo Festival, a book of the exhibition and an exhibition ‘event’ for photographers to meet, admire their work and swap prints.

So began the task of ‘mustering’ Australia’s talented photojournalists … an ‘interesting’ exercise to invite, confirm participation and collate the collection of work … one image from each. In the end we had to draw a line at sixty.

The list is exceedingly impressive … in alphabetical order … 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 McColl, Robert McFarlane, Simon O’Dwyer, Stephen Dupont, Sylvia Liber, Tim Page, Tobias Titz, Tracey Nearmy.

When it comes to media photographers Australia is, indeed, a ‘Lucky Country’.

Then … along came Covid-19 …

It has long amazed me how the tiny Head On team (currently Moshe, partner Anita Schwartz, Stephen, Anna and Paula) manage to put together the far reaching and monumental photo festival that it has become. It enjoys and includes contributions and entries from the best around the planet … and a World wide reputation. For a moment Coronavirus threatened all that …

However, Moshe was not fazed … and the massive work of converting the entire festival to an ‘online’ event began. That online event has now been underway for two weeks … and has been revolutionary in it’s presentation of exhibitions, artist talks, panel talks, photo related workshops, award announcements and more.

Paper Tigers has played a significant part in this Head On festival. The exhibition is available … all sixty works by sixty photojournalists … online (a simple registration required), the book ‘Paper Tigers’ (see my book image ‘Abdullatif’ top below) is now available for purchase on the website … and Head On hosted a fascinating online panel talk around the work and Australian photojournalism. It is planned to still show the physical exhibition of the complete work on the walls and host the photographers ‘do’ and print swap at Paddington Town Hall early in November (hopefully post Covid).

Below are just two of the sixty wonderful images that make up the ‘Paper Tigers’ collection. Dean Sewell’s ‘Bruce’ from 1999 and Nic Walker’s ‘Rite of Passage’ from 2014. The other 58 are just as impressive.

Amongst the massive amount of brilliant photography on line in this years festival I was also pleased to present my own little ‘featured’ exhibition. “Me Too ! Where the Boys Are … the Girls Are” showcases my work covering the MenX burlesque group during their tour to Cairns whilst being filmed for a Vice TV show. It shows the interaction between the guys who are performing and doing a job (without much in the way of clothing) and the young female audience who willingly participate. The exhibition may be found online on the Head On website (again with a simple registration) … and I did mange to stumble through an online ‘artist talk’ on the subject for those brave enough or with time to waste 🙂 . (NB – link to recorded ‘artist talks’ will be down the track.) Two of my images from the exhibition (which also should be physically on the wall in November) are below.

Lastly … was also pleased to see one of my most successful images … ‘Generations – Aurukun’ (yes … you’ve probably seen it before but it’s (bottom) below anyway 🙂 ) … selected as a semi-finalist in this festivals Portrait Prize. It’s also included in the Portrait Prize video here at the 1:18 mark.

The Head On Photo Festival 2020 has just a few days left to run. If you havn’t visited yet and you have any interest in photography at all I strongly suggest you visit and enjoy. Moshe, Anita, Anna, Stephen and Paula have done a remarkable job.

Images © … Brian Cassey & Head On (top), Dean Sewell, Nic Walker and Brian Cassey (bottom three).

@headonphotofestival

 

Head On - Paper Tigers - Book - photojournalism - 'Abdullatif' by Brian Cassey

Head On - Paper Tigers Book - 'The Block' - image by Dean Sewell - Oculi

Head On - Paper Tigers - Book - image by Nic Walker

Head On - 'Me Too - Where the Boys Are ... the Girls Are' - image and exhibition by Brian Cassey

Head On - 'Me Too - Where the Boys Are ... the Girls Are' - image and exhibition by Brian Cassey

Head On Portrait Prize - Semi-Finalist - 'Generations - Aurukun' - by Brian Cassey

Sydney … Moran & Walkley …

A massive and memorable fifty hours in Sydney this week …

Arrived Sydney Tuesday to be met by former Cairns Post staffer from way way back … Terri Bradley … and we were soon joined by Margaret River WA based photographer colleague Martine Perret at the ‘Wine Library‘ in Paddington for an evening of  ‘work catch up’.

Wednesday was 2016 Moran Prize day at Juniper Hall, Paddington. The deserving winners – Johannes Rienhart in the ‘Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize’ and Megan Seres in the ‘Moran National Portrait Prize’ – were announced at a news event in the morning, whilst the evening saw more merriment and much partying at the Moran family stately home and gallery.

Excellent to catch up with a host of Moran photographic finalistsMartine Perret (again) of course, winner Johannes, Michael Amendolia, Matt Abbott, Raphaela Rosella, Damien Pleming, Cameron Neville, Brad Smith, Todd Kennedy, Paul McIver … (also but very briefly Zoe Mongey and Reza Ghasemi).  Also attending for the evenings (ahem) ‘networking’ were Head On Photo Festival director Moshe Rosenzveig and photographer Brendan Beirne (former Nikon-Walkley winner with the Packer/Gyngell ‘Bondi Biffo’ news pics).

(The ‘Moran National Portrait Prize’ winner Megan Seres received $150,000 for her portrait of her daughter ‘Scarlett as Colonial Girl’ … Johannes Reinhart coined $50,000 for his ‘Mermaid Show’ image in the ‘Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize’.)

Between the morning and evening Moran events I took in the 2016 ‘Nikon-Walkley Press Photography Exhibition’ at the State Library of New South Wales … and was very happy to see my Portrait Prize winning image ‘Beaten Refugee’ very prominently displayed (see image below). Great to share the exhibition (and lunch) with my old mate and former Fleet Street ‘Blunt’ Frank Thorne, as well as Terri and Martine.

Also just had time to fit in a quick coffee with AAP photographer and ‘fotostrada’ colleague Dean Lewins … !

A pretty hectic but rewarding trip to the ‘Big Smoke’ … and a big ‘Thank You’ to Terri for her time and care.

The ‘Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize Exhibition’ (including my finalist image ‘Number 55’) runs at Juniper Hall, Paddington till 5th February 2017 … and the ‘Nikon-Walkley Press Photography Exhibition’ (including my ‘Beaten Refugee’) runs at the State Library of NSW till November 27th. Both exhibitions are well worth some time …

Images below © Brian Cassey … top – my Portrait Prize winner  ‘Beaten Refugee’ at the ‘Nikon-Walkley Press Photography Exhibition‘, Sydney … middle and bottom – my ‘Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize’ finalist image ‘Number 55‘ displayed inside and outside Juniper Hall, Paddington.

 

2016 Nikon-Walkley Portrait Prize - Winner - 'Beaten Refugee' by Brian Cassey
2016 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize - 'Number 55' - Finalist by Brian Cassey

2016 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize - 'Number 55' - Finalist by Brian Cassey