Photography in the 1980s is a major touring exhibition from the National Gallery of Australia, celebrating a significant period in photographic history when photography emerged as a dominant form of contemporary art.
The 1980s saw a generation of artists transform the role of photography, expanding its creative possibilities and challenging how images represent the world. Featuring influential Australian, First Nations and international artists, the exhibition includes works by Cindy Sherman, Nan Goldin, Fiona Hall, Tracey Moffatt and Bill Henson.
Against a backdrop of significant social, political and technological change, artists used photography to explore identity, culture and the increasingly globalised world. As photographic technology became more accessible, artists experimented with scale, visual impact and new approaches to image-making.
Featuring works from the National Gallery of Australia’s collection, the exhibition highlights the innovative and conceptually adventurous contributions of Australian artists to international photographic practice.
The exhibition includes works such as Anne Zahalka’s The bathers (1989), Sebastião Salgado’s Untitled (Serra Pelada, Brasil) (1986) and Robyn Stacey’s Ice (1989).
Presented as part of the Bowness Family Foundation Photography Touring Program.
Image: Robyn Stacey, Ice, 1989, National Gallery of Australia, Kamberri/Canberra, purchased 2021
