BRUCE POSTLE IMAGE MAKER Bruce Postle is one of Australia’s most celebrated photojournalists. He has assiduously documented Australian life and current affairs in over half a century of photojournalism. Postle began his career in 1957 working with the Courier-Mail in his hometown of Brisbane. He moved to Melbourne in 1969 and began to work for The Age, where over a 32 year period he captured some of the most iconic images of our time. This exhibition presents a selection photographs selected by the artist and MGA which cover Postle’s career. In its own way, each picture reveals Postle’s ability as a story teller. Before the days of citizen journalism and social media, we relied on people like Postle to put a picture to the events of the day. Across five decades, his photographs helped Victorians see the events of the world as they unfolded. In some of the pictures, we can see Postle working hard to find a story in a mundane setting; in others the monumental nature of the subject clearly spoke for itself. Each of the pictures is accompanied by an extended caption written by the photographer. As well as being a great picture maker, Postle is able to use words to great storytelling effect. The photographs included here include some of Postle’s bestknown images, such as his portrait of strapper Tommy Woodcock and the racehorse Reckless, and his shot of Bert Newton receiving a kiss from Mohammed Ali during the 1979 Logie Awards. The exhibition also includes pictures of events – such as 1983’s Ash Wednesday bushfires and Vietnam Moratorium marches – that have become historically significant moments in our history. But many of the most moving pictures are those engaging with the everyday or with little known subjects, which invariably reveal Postle’s humour, compassion and empathy.
Available in the MGA bookshop PUBLICATION BRUCE POSTLE: THE IMAGE MAKER ELM GROVE PRESS PTY LTD PO BOX 3, Armadale North, Victoria, 3143 elm@ozonline.com.au ISBN:9780646551838 (HBK)
IMAGE FRONT COVER Bert Newton and Muhammad Ali during the presentation of Logie Awards, Southern Cross Hotel, Melbourne, 17 March 1979 1979 gelatin silver print, printed 2003 29.0 x 39.5 cm Monash Gallery of Art, City of Monash Collection acquired 2003 MGA 2003.23
MONASH GALLERY OF ART 860 Ferntree Gully Rd Wheelers Hill Victoria 3150 T: +61 3 8544 0500 E: mga@monash.vic.gov.au W: www.mga.org.au Tues to Fri: 10am–5pm, Sat & Sun 12–5pm closed: Mondays and public holidays MGA: THE HOME OF AUSTRALIAN PHOTOGRAPHY
BRUCE POSTLE IMAGE MAKER 4 MAY–30 JUNE 2013
LIST OF WORKS
all works are from the collection of the artist unless noted otherwise all works are reproduced courtesy of the artist Losing a fight with bushfire, 19 March 1981 1981 chromogenic print, printed 2013 38.0 x 24.0 cm Ash Wednesday aftermath, 22 March 1983 1983 chromogenic print, printed 2013 20.0 x 38.0 cm Ash Wednesday, Victoria, 16 February 1983 1983 chromogenic print, printed 2013 32.6 x 25.4 cm Blaze at Mordialloc 1976 chromogenic print, printed 2013 31.8 x 25.4 cm Ferny Creek, 22 January 1997 1997 chromogenic print, printed 2013 25.4 x 36.6 cm Ferny Creek, 22 January 1997 1997 chromogenic print 29.5 x 39.5 cm Brisbane floods, January 1974 1974 chromogenic print, printed 2013 33.3 x 25.4 cm Police search, Omeo 1980 chromogenic print, printed 2013 25.4 x 30.9 cm Plane crash 1989 chromogenic print, printed 2013 16.0 x 38.0 cm
Last goldminer Dominic Guatta buried in Walhalla Cemetery, June 1970 1970 gelatin silver print 55.0 x 36.3 cm
Vietnam Moratoriam march for peace led by Dr Jim Cairns, Melbourne, 3 May 1970 1970 gelatin silver print 36.0 x 50.7 cm
Lunchtime at Borthwicks, Borthwicks Meatworks, Brooklyn, Melbourne, October 1971 1971 gelatin silver print, printed 2003 41.0 x 59.5 cm Monash Gallery of Art, City of Monash Collection acquired 2003 MGA 2003.25
The long blue line, 13 November 1992 1992 chromogenic print, printed 2013 21.8 x 38.0 cm
Tommy Woodcock and Reckless, Melbourne Cup Eve, November 1977 1977 gelatin silver print, printed 2003 39.5 x 50.0 cm Monash Gallery of Art, City of Monash Collection acquired 2003 MGA 2003.24
Dulcify breaks down, Melbourne Cup, 6 November 1979 1979 chromogenic print, printed 2013 35.4 x 25.4 cm Harness racing 1975 chromogenic print, printed 2013 25.4 x 31.4 cm Protest on Erimundra Plateau, 12 January 1984 1984 chromogenic print, printed 2013 24.5 x 33.0 cm Protest on Errinundra Plateau, 12 January 1984 1984 chromogenic print, printed 2013 25.4 x 33.5 cm
Rock fisherman rescue, 6 March 1991 1991 chromogenic print, printed 2013 16.7 x 25.3 cm
Protest on Errinundra Plateau, 12 January 1984 1984 chromogenic print, printed 2013 25.4 x 36.6 cm
Rock fisherman rescue, 6 March 1991 1991 chromogenic print, printed 2013 17.4 x 25.4 cm
Chinese student demonstration, June 1989 1989 gelatin silver print 29.5 x 39.5 cm
Rock fisherman rescue, 6 March 1991 1991 chromogenic print, printed 2013 25.4 x 19.9 cm
Save Australia rally, 4 January 1991 1991 gelatin silver print 29.5 x 39.5 cm
Cape Schanck rescue, July 1984 1984 chromogenic print, printed 2013 38.1 x 25.1 cm
Lying down for her rights, c1970s chromogenic print, printed 2013 33.2 x 25.4 cm
Valentine’s Day, 14 February 1987 1987 chromogenic print, printed 2013 33.7 x 25.4 cm
Sign of the times, 1 January 1967 1967 chromogenic print, printed 2013 25.4 x 36.8 cm
Family funeral, Melbourne Cemetery, July 1978 1978 gelatin silver print, printed 2003 29.5 x 39.5 cm Monash Gallery of Art, City of Monash Collection acquired 2003 MGA 2003.28
We are not amused, May 1975 1975 chromogenic print, printed 2013 25.0 x 37.5 cm
NGV Director Patrick McCaughey following the theft of Picasso’s ‘Weeping woman’ 1986 chromogenic print, printed 2013 25.4 x 37.3 cm Time to smell the roses, October 1989 1989 gelatin silver print 29.0 x 39.5 cm Former Prime Ministers Gough Whitlam and John Gorton, Lakeside Hotel, Canberra 1980 1980 gelatin silver print, printed 2003 29.5 x 39.5 cm Monash Gallery of Art, City of Monash Collection acquired 2003 MGA 2003.27 Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser wins 1980 election, 6.30am Windsor Hotel, Melbourne, 19 October 1980 1980 gelatin silver print, printed 2003 23.5 x 40.0 cm Monash Gallery of Art, City of Monash Collection acquired 2003 MGA 2003.26 Third Coalition victory, 19 October 1980 1980 chromogenic print, printed 2013 25.4 x 34.0 cm
The Family 1989 chromogenic print, printed 2013 25.3 x 36.7 cm The Pope at the MCG, 27 November 1986 1986 chromogenic print, printed 2013 33.7 x 25.4 cm American evangelist Billy Graham at the MCG 1969 chromogenic print, printed 2013 25.4 x 33.1 cm Shadow of a shaky existence, 2 July 1987 1987 gelatin silver print 28.5 x 39.5 cm Aftermath of Killarny (Qld) tornado, 26 January 1968 1968 chromogenic print, printed 2013 24.6 x 25.4 cm