Manly Art Gallery and Museum is delighted to present two new exhibitions, which feature the diverse works of two exciting Sydney photographic artists, Stu Spence and Louise Whelan.
Sydney photographer Stu Spence’s ambiguous and evocative images have been interpreted in songs, poems, soundscapes and stories, which are included in the exhibition itself.
Unclear becoming clearer presents a unique series of Spence’s photographs as well as the musical responses and other creative interpretations of the images by songwriters, filmmakers and writers.
Louise Whelan is a distinguished and prolific photographer who is known for her honest portrayal of outsider communities and cultures.
The exhibition A Portal in Transition, The Accidental Archive presents her powerful series of images documenting the Portside DIY Skate Space on the Northern Beaches through photographs, sound and bio art installations.
MAGAM senior curator Katherine Roberts said both artists use photography as a medium to stimulate thought and discussion of the human condition and of people on the fringes of mainstream society and culture.
“The Unclear, becoming clearer exhibition illustrates the narrative-generating possibilities of photography with original responses and interpretations from writers, poets and some of Australia’s most celebrated songwriters, all inspired by a Stu Spence image.”
Artists who have interpreted Stu’s images include: Rob Hirst (Midnight Oil), Kate Lucas (Coda Chroma), Christa Hughes, Mick Thomas (Wedding, Parties, Anything), Mark Seymour (Hunters & collectors), Dave Faulkner (Hoodoo Gurus), as well as filmmaker Wayne Chick and painter Michelle Dawson. The exhibition is curated by MAGAM’s Ross Heathcote.
“In A Portal in Transition, Louise’s intrigue with the continual transformation of the Portside site in Newport is sure to get people thinking about its inhabitants and the idea that place and identity are inextricably bound to one another,” Ms Roberts said.
Unclear, becoming clearer
Exhibition dates: 26 July – 20 Oct 2019
Exhibition opening: Sat 27 July, 3 - 5pm by Bernard Zuel - journalist, music and culture critic.
Artist performance and talk: Saturday 21 September. Join Stu Spence in conversation with musicians and writers who have responded to his images with original interpretive works.
A Portal in Transition, The Accidental Archive
Exhibition dates: 26 July – 1 September 2019
Exhibition opening: Fri 26 July, 6 -8pm by artist Sax Duke
Artist talk: Sunday 25 August, 3 - 4pm. Join Louise Whelan in a discussion about the evolution of this project and her work in the exhibition.
Media Enquiries: media@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au 9942 2678