Archive for August 2022
MGA POSTCARDS EXHIBITION – Our images
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WE RECENTLY RESPONDED TO A ‘CALL OUT’ FROM THE MONASH GALLERY OF ART to make and send in a POSTCARD representing ‘Our back yard’.
It is an interesting Mail Art Project so we selected images and sent them in. Recently we are in Melbourne and managed to go out to MCA to see their exhibitions and the post card show in the Atrium Gallery.
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If you are interested in participating – The details and link are at the end of this post.
VICTORIA’s CARD: Image from the book VISUAL FIELD NOTES
Victoria Cooper MGA POSTCARD
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ABOUT VICKY’S POST CARD IMAGE: DAY DREAMING
We arrived in Benalla during one of the long Covid 19 lockdowns of Victoria. We found ourselves under a state wide travel restriction of only 5kms from our home. So walking became my way of exploring my new locality.
On these walks, and later on longer journeys,
I was captivated by the remnants of natural environment at the edge of the suburban spaces, roadsides and bushland. Here in the North East the trees tower like epic monuments to a pre-colonial history …
DOUG’s CARD:
An image from the book WALKING URBAN GROUND
Doug Spowart’s MGA POSTCARD SHOW
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ABOUT DOUG’S POST CARD IMAGE:
This photo is about walking in the place where I live. While my walks with Vicky are for exercise, they are also an exploration of the streets, homes and spaces of my suburb.
During these walks I witness the seasons, varied architectural forms, garden features and the idiosyncratic things that homeowners create in their suburban environments.
In this work, from the book “Walking Urban Ground”, I explore through visual play, the creation of a joyful representation of the place where I live.
year I wandered as a free-ranging spirit on a bright sunny day through my local botanic garden. Spontaneously I responded to the subjects that emerged into my line of sight…
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A POSTCARD FROM GLEN O’MALLEY is also in the show…
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HERE’S THE SUBMISSION DETAILS
Postcards from our big backyard
“CLICK” URL HERE
3 August 2022 to 2 October 2022
MGA Atrium Gallery
Tuesday – Sunday
Postcards from our big backyard | Submissions now open
Viva Gibb took this photograph of the landscape she grew up on during a trip back to the area in the 1980s. The work is on display as part of MGA’s exhibition Return to nature, which journeys through the Australian landscape in photographs from the 1870s to today.
To coincide with this exhibition, we want you to send us a postcard of your big backyard!
Wherever you are in Australia, we want to see your landscape. So take a photograph of your corner of this great continent, print it at postcard size, write your name on the back, along with the title, date and a short note if you wish, then affix a stamp and send it by mail addressed to:
Monash Gallery of Art
860 Ferntree Gully Road
WHEELERS HILL
VIC 3150
We will then display your postcard in a growing exhibition in MGA’s Atrium gallery from 3 August to 2 October.
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.EULOGY: GRAHAM BURSTOW – A personal view
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Graham Burstow – Self Portrait – Viewer & the Viewed show at QCP 2006
Recently I have been working through my extensive archive, and Graham Burstow‘s name kept surfacing. I found a piece of correspondence from nearly 20 years ago when I was asked by the Australian Honours Secretariat to support a nomination for Graham for an Australia Day Honour. At the time I was the chair of the AIPP Education Sub-committee and had previously provided letters of support for photography related nominations.
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Even though 20 years has elapsed since being written, the words still hold true. We should recognise that Graham continued and expanded his connection with the great love of his life – photography.
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I am honoured to be able to present this commentary on our friend – Graham Burstow OAM
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LETTER DATED: August 3, 2003
Australian Honours Secretariat,
Government House,
Canberra ACT 2600
Subject: Graham Burstow
Dear Secretariat,
I have known Graham Burstow since the late 1960’s. He has been a significant inspiration due to his dedication to the art of image-making, but also his support of many structures that shape photography in this country. While I make mention of this man’s influence on my life, his works and work have touched and inspired thousands of Australian and international photographers for nearly 50 years.
Graham Burstow’s main sphere of interest is in the camera club movement. He has held numerous positions within the Australian Photographic Society including national President, Chairman of the Print Division, keynote speaker and mentor. Since 1959 he has held positions within the Toowoomba Photographic Society (one of the oldest such groups in Australia). Burstow has been Chairman of no fewer than 6 national and international exhibitions of salon photography.
In his hometown of Toowoomba he has each year coordinated several national art photography awards including the McGregor Prize for Photography at the University of Southern Queensland, and the Heritage Photographic Award at the Toowoomba Regional Art Gallery since 1977. In my opinion Graham Burstow has a hand in, and a hand to offer, for anything photographic from presenting lectures or judging awards for students at the Southern Queensland Institute of TAFE where I work, or assisting community groups including senior citizens groups and Lifeline.
Burstow’s work appears regularly in magazines and publications including his self-published book “Touch Me”. In 1984 I curated a substantial survey of his work at Imagery Gallery in Brisbane. His work has been shown in salon exhibitions world-wide and in major institutions like the Queensland Art Gallery.
Graham Burstow has received significant honours for his photographic work and his service to photography including the following: Associateship and EFIAP(service) of the International Federation of Photographic Art, Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society, Associateship of the Photographic Society of America and a Fellow and Honorary Fellow of the Australian Photographic Society.
In a review of his book “Touch Me” I commented that:
Burstow’s work is about sharing his vision with the world. It represents a lifetime of photographic exploration of the art. Burstow’s work is not just about camera club pictorialism but also aspects of the human condition and the humour of everyday situations. This book is not intended as a catalogue for purchase, it is rather a communique, the photographer reaching out with the world in his photographs inviting the viewer to touch the experience portrayed.
Diversity of style and subject is apparent in Burstow’s journey in photography. It seems as if he had walked alongside Max Dupain at the beach, been with Wolfgang Sievers at the building site, shared an impromptu moment with Henri Cartier-Bresson, a portrait session with Arnold Newman, some personal introspective moments with Nan Goldin, and an adventure with Frank Hurley.
Australian photography would be greatly diminished if it were not for the contribution of this generous and modest man – I have great pleasure in supporting his nomination for the Order of Australia.
Yours faithfully,
Doug Spowart M.Photog, FAIPP, Hon.FAIPP Chair of the AIPP Education Sub-committee
A SELECTED COLLAGE OF IMAGES FROM GRAHAM’S LIFE
Click on the image to enlarge the view and see the full caption
SOME WORDS FROM GRAHAM …
ACL presentation media at Cobb & Co Museum Toowoomba 2021 PHOTO Doug Spowart
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For an insight into how he felt about his life in photography, an event in 2021 at the Cobb & Co Museum recorded by the Chronicle Newspaper (paywall) might provide an answer. Graham was being awarded a Life Membership of the Australian Cultural Library (ACL) by the director Steve Towson. In a video interview he was to comment that he had been photographing for 73 years. He also added:
When you look at the things you can do to keep your mind occupied and increase the length of your life, photography is nearly always near the top of the list.
It keeps your mind busy and even when you are not photographing you are probably thinking about something you want to photograph.
I think it’s worked in my case … I enjoy it, met a lot of wonderful people, it’s been great to get to go to a lot of interesting places… *
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ONE FINAL STORY FROM GRAHAM …
In my collection I have a Graham Burstow photograph entitled No 2 The Day Ahead. For me, at this time it is a poignant image …
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FIND OUT MORE ABOUT GRAHAM BURSTOW …
http://www.grahamburstow.com.au/
*Tribute for Toowoomba photographer icon Graham Burstow Stephen Burstow John Elliott | The Chronicle (Paywall story)
Thanks to Bev Lacey for the ACL quote and photograph and Zigi for the gift of the Noosa 10×8 photograph
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wotwedid 