The importance of being photgraphed

To paraphrase George Orwell, all photographs are created equal, but some are more equal than others. And this month, the National Gallery of Australia is rolling out the red carpet for a collection of those “more equal” photographs in VIP: very important photographs 1840s–1940s.
Drawn exclusively from the National Gallery’s collection, the exhibition showcases more than 200 photographs spanning work from the pioneers of mid-nineteenth century photography through to images from the years after the Second World War.

Among the collection are works from the early years of photography, represented by the likes of William Henry Talbot Fox and Julia Margaret Cameron. The exhibition then segues into works by key 20th century photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson, Man Ray, Olive Cotton and Walker Evans. Among the home-grown celebrities represented are Charles Bayliss, Harold Cazneaux, Olive Cotton and Max Dupain.

While some photographs have become national icons, such as Dupain’s 'Sunbaker', there are many hidden gems that are not as widely recognised. The collection demonstrates the power and history of photography and portrays significant developments in the art medium throughout its first century of existence.

For the technically-minded, the photographic processes represented in the exhibition range from early daguerreotypes of the 1840s to the first successful permanent colour prints of the 1930s and 40s. Those more interested in the aesthetics of photography will find an array of genres including family portraits, photojournalism and advertising.

VIP: very important photographs 1840s–1940s is curated by Gael Newton, Senior Curator, Photography, and Anne O’Hehir, Assistant Curator, Photography, at the National Gallery of Australia.

David Edwards

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VIP: very important photographs 1840s to 1940s

Venue: National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
Dates: 26 May - 19 August 2007
Cost: Free

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