Up Close brings together three significant photographic exhibitions by Juno Gemes, Michael Aird and Jo-Anne Dreissens.
Juno Gemes is one of Australia’s most renowned contemporary photographers. For over 40 years, she has advocated for justice, recognition and respect for Aboriginal Australians through her photographic documentation of historic moments from the 1970s to now and portraiture.
Two images from Mornington Island are photogravures – a copperplate etching and printing process from the nineteenth century – that Juno produced in collaboration with master photogravure printer Lothar Osterling in Brooklyn, New York.
Michael Aird is interested in the everyday lived experiences of people in Australia, with a focus on Aboriginal men and women. His photographic portrait series, Everybody is Important, demonstrates that everyone’s story is of equal value – and importantly seeks to counteract mainstream media’s negative depictions of Aboriginal people. Michael has worked in the area of Aboriginal arts and history for over 30 years through archival and curatorial work.
Jo-Anne Driessens’ studied photography including darkroom processes through a four-year cadetship. Jo-Anne was adopted into a non-Indigenous family, and through her photographic practice, she documents her search and connections with her Aboriginal family – with a focus on portraits of Aboriginal women. In her role as Senior Arts and Culture Project Officer, City of Gold Coast, the art of documentation is an important focus of her projects.
These three generations of photographers have produced imagery for Up Close that is intimate, powerful and poignant – and strikingly beautiful – capturing and communicating important moments, people and stories.
Exhibition Opening: Friday 4 December, 6 – 8pm
Image: Michael Aird, Vincent Brady leading anti Bi-Centenary Protest, 1987, Digital print on rag paper, 40x28cm.
