ARTISTIC DIRECTOR’S REPORT

NICO KRIJNO GONDWANA BATHOLITH (1)* Composition with both geological and photographic time SILIN LIU I’m Everywhere KATHRYN MCCOOL* Jubilee Years (1986-2020)

HAYLEY MILLAR BAKER I Will Survive ZANELE MUHOLI Somnyama Ngonyama & Faces and Phases LILIAN O’NEIL* Everything Forever

TAIYO ONORATO & NICO KREBS* Continental Drift SARA OSCAR Most Wanted PORTRAIT OF HUMANITY PHOEBE POWELL & KATE DISHER QUILL* Surge SARA, PETER & TOBIAS* The Merge DANIEL SHEA Untitled

ANN SHELTON* an invitation to dance ALAN STEWART* our truth, our history MAIJA TAMMI One of Them Is a Human

JAMES TYLOR* Economics of Minerals PATRICK WATERHOUSE & THE WARLUKURLANGU ART CENTRE Restricted Images AMANDA WILLIAMS* The Alpine Moth

“Unbelievably expressive photographs brought the world closer, and opened my thoughts to so many issues.” Therese (45-59) PHOTO 2021 audience member

Fed Square became the site for a large scale activation. Initiated by French artist JR, the Inside Out Project is a global participatory art project that transforms messages of personal identity into works of art. Following an open invitation for the public to send in their photo and share their truth, hundreds of portraits covered the surface of Fed Square’s iconic courtyard for the launch of PHOTO 2021.

Other iconic locations became both the inspiration and backdrop for new artworks, including Fellowship commissions at State Library Victoria and Parliament of Victoria. “I really loved the use of space, having most of Melbourne as the gallery was really fun and interactive, it took me to places I never had been to before despite living here for years. It also made me see the spaces that I know very differently.” Angus (18-29) PHOTO 2021 audience member

Public parks provide a unique setting for photography and an opportunity to reach new audiences.

Argyle Square in Carlton was transformed by Photo Australia into an outdoor exhibition of contemporary portraiture, including Zanele Muholi’s politicised self portraits; Broomberg & Chanarin’s series Spirit is a bone, captured using facial recognition software developed in Moscow for public security and border control surveillance; and Maija Tammi’s portraits of human-like androids. The images were presented on free-standing structures that activated the park and created a backdrop to picnics, urban sports and performances.

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria presented a series of artist commissions throughout their Melbourne Gardens that reflected on the politicised nature of the landscape—see page 54.

PRIVATE PROPERTY PARTNERSHIPS

“My experience in the Festival exceeded my highest expectations and was one of my most successful and enjoyable projects to work on to date.” Laura Delaney, PHOTO 2021 artist

Photo Australia partners with private property owners to create dramatic art experiences. PHOTO 2021’s tallest artwork at over 4 stories was applied to the facade of 99 Spring Street, Melbourne. Providing artists the ability to present work at scale and in such a public setting is core to the artistic approach of Photo Australia. Melbourne is celebrated for its architecture, and Photo Australia is building on that reputation by temporarily transforming buildings into works of art. Melbourne is defined by its urban grid and network of laneways. In turn, the streetscape provides the perfect setting for artworks to be installed, presenting art work at street level and at an urban scale, often taking over sites of advertising through temporary artist interventions. At PHOTO 2021, the centre of Melbourne city became a trail of artworks that guided people to galleries and exhibitions.

Top: Patrick Waterhouse with the Warlukurlangu Art Centre, Restricted Images, Flinders Lane. Photo by Zan Wimberley.