Posts Tagged ‘Australian Photobooks’
HOME: Our exhibition at GALLERY ON OVENS
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WE NOW LIVE IN BENALLA in north-eastern Victoria, and to celebrate we held an exhibition at GALLERY on OVENS in May 2022.
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A STATEMENT ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Great writers, artists and philosophers have considered the physical, psychological, emotional and political place we call HOME. We reflect and are inspired by their work as we consider our personal perceptions of home personal within the broader human condition.
We have been artists and collaborators for over three decades. Our HOME has been: a house in a suburb or town, our car, a friends place, an artists in residence, a studio, a library, a campsite, a motel room. Whether stable or temporary the places we have inhabited – their architecture, history, social condition or collected objects have evoked our creative and questioning thoughts about perceptions of existence.
For us all these places we call HOME are spaces where we can contemplate, re-invent, conceive, originate, initiate new ideas for the future. We use the broad palette of our arts practice including – Camera obscuras, Cyanotype printing, Pinhole photography, Projections, Light painting and Nocturne light and the resolved artworks are presented as wall-images, artists books and photobooks.
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COOPER+SPOWART – Home exhibition montage
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In this post we report on the exhibition and the works it contained relating to the concept of HOME …
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PREPARATION
Gallery on Ovens installation planning
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Selecting work and preparing work
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THE INSTALL
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THE EXHIBITION
Table view of artists’ books
Gallery on Ovens window
Exhibition duo
Cyanotype wall
Looking at books with Maggie
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THE DE MOUNT
The de Install
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DOWNLOAD A “HOME” CATALOGUE – “CLICK” HERE
Catalogue Book Cover
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Images and texts ©Cooper+Spowart 2022
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2019 PHOTOBOOK ROAD TRIP BEGINS – HOBART
The 2019 Photobook Road Trip
PHOTOBOOKS @ TOPSPACE STUDIO/GALLERY IN HOBART
Ilona Schneider and Doug Spowart
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The 2019 Photobook Road Trip began last night at the TopSpace StudioGallery in Hobart. The Australia & New Zealand Photobook Awards (ANZPA) exhibition was installed by Victoria Cooper and Doug Spowart. Visitors to the Gallery were welcomed by the gallery Director Ilona Schneider.
Vicky setting up the dispaly
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Winners 2018
- PHOTOBOOK WINNER: Second Sight by Sarah Walker & Perimeter Books (AU)
- PHOTOBOOK COMMENDED: Huon by Noah Thompson (AU)
- STUDENT WINNER: ROYGBIV by Kira Sampurno at Massey University, Wellington (NZ)
- STUDENT COMMENDED: Craigieburn, it’s not the same by Yask Desai at Photography Studies College, Melb (AU)
Finalists 2018 from 117 entries:
- Dream State by Stavros Messinis / M-Art Books (AU)
- I Want This Life and Another by Robyn Daly (NZ)
- Image Ecologies by James Farley & Jacob Raupach / Currency Editions (AU)
- Living with AIDS (1988) by Fiona Clark & Michael Lett (NZ)
- Permission To Belong by Tammy Law (AU)
- Six for Gold by Jake Mein & Bad News Books (NZ)
- The Tensile Strength of a Heartstring by Hannah Rose Arnold (NZ)
- The Winter Garden by Christine McFetridge, Bad News Books & M.33 (NZ)
Looking at the Cooper+Spowart books
Doug presenting his talk
THANK YOU!
D+V Coming to Canberra
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ANTIPODEAN Photobooks acquired by Tate
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We are delighted that this collection is entering Tate’s library collection as a rich resource for our public and for academics of photobooks in these regional areas.
.Sarah Allen
Assistant Curator, International Art, Tate
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Some ANZ Tate Photobooks
We’ve just completed a commissioned project where a collection of 52 Australian and New Zealand photobooks were acquired by the United Kingdom’s national collection in the Tate. Two years ago the project began as a result of our participation in the 2017 Vienna Photobook Festival and a connection with Martin Parr.
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THE BACK STORY
In 2017 we presented a cyanotype/photobook workshop on the Greek Island of Skopelos. At the end to the workshop we coordinated a visit to our friends Lachlan Blair and Anna Pritz who live near Vienna in Austria. Just after we booked our flights Lachlan excitedly advised us that we would be in Vienna at the time of the Vienna Photobook Festival.
I contacted co-ordinator of the Festival Regina Anzenberger and offered to make a presentation about my research on Australian and New Zealand (ANZ) photobooks. After some conversations between Lachlan and Regina she enthusiastically accepted my lecture offer. Through some further negotiations with Regina and Libby Jeffery from MomentoPro we were able to present the ANZ Photobook of the Year finalists on a table at the Fair.
The 2017 Vienna Photobook Festival exhibition
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The Vienna Photobook Festival was an event of an unimaginable scale – 100+ tables of photobooks new and old, a photobook award, key identities of the photobook community and attendees from western European countries far and wide.
40-50 people including photobook aficionado Martin Parr and photo historian Hans-Michael Koetzle attended my lecture. There was quite a bit of interest about my topic and many of the lecture attendees came by the ANZ Photobook Awards table to view the books and talk more with us about our local photobooks.
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Parr looking at ANZ photobooks at the Festival …PHOTO: Lachlan Blair
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Further to an earlier private meeting in the Anzenberger Gallery and his attendance at my lecture, Parr caught up with us again for a chat on the afternoon of the first day of the Festival. He mentioned that soon there would be a public announcement about his donation of over 12,000 photobooks from his collection to Tate.
Parr felt that although his collection had pretty well covered the world the one area that was under represented was the ANZ region. He had many of the big Australian names but acknowledged that there were gaps. After hearing my lecture he felt that I would be well positioned to fill that gap. He said that he would be recommending me to his Tate contacts to assist with this issue. At first I was a little daunted, but he insisted that I would be the right person for the project. I accepted the role as it would not only be an honour to work with him on the project but also a great opportunity for the ANZ photobook community.
Vicky and I came back to Brisbane in July and both began sessional work with the Queensland College of Art. A couple of months later an email came through from a Tate representative inviting my involvement in the project. I then prepared a list of ANZ books that I thought would be suitable additions to the collection. I also reviewed Parr’s collection to ensure that I had not duplicated books on his list.
Initially I suggested that I would source the books from bookshops, collectors and the photographers and that I would receive a fee for the list development and the management of the process. I mentioned that some books were quite rare and that they would be sourced from my own library as I could replace them as they became available in the future. My Tate contact came back saying that rather than what I suggested they preferred to purchase the books from a single collection and asked, ‘were my books available?’ After some consideration I agreed to take books from my library.
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Part of my ANZ photobook collection c2015
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THE PREMISE FOR THE COLLECTION
My curation premise for the 52 books was:
- That these books should resonate with the Australia/New Zealand social, political, environmental and cultural space of post-Second World War to early 21st century.
- Where possible, I have selected works that have been referenced or identified by curators and researchers for their prominence within the photographically illustrated and photobook publishing genres in ANZ.
In the storage shed opening boxes looking for books …PHOTO: Victoria Cooper
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At this time and still today, my photobook collection is boxed and in storage. So for over a year on my intermittent visits back to our storage sheds in Toowoomba we would seek out the missing books. As we began to assemble the proposed books I became concerned about particular issues that were arising. As my collection has been built up over 50 years some of the books were not necessarily the best condition – some exhibited signs of use including shelf-wear, bumped corners and occasionally missing covers.
I wanted to be able to offer Tate the best possible condition books. Additionally, I could not find some key books that I knew I had in my collection including Carol Jerrems’ book Story about Australian women. What followed was an 18-month process of curation and research to bring together the books.
I sought out and purchased better copies of the chosen books either by online booksellers or by visiting bookshops in Australia. I contacted some of the photographers that I knew to see if ‘as new’ condition copies of the books were available. If they were what would the cost be and if possible, would they consider a donation to extend the potential of the collection. The response was very supportive with many of the photographers prepared to provide pristine condition copies of their books free of charge.
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Meeting with Martin Parr at the SLV…PHOTO: Victoria Cooper
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MEETING WITH MARTIN PARR
In January 2018 Martin Parr came to Melbourne to photograph the Australian Open tennis tournament. We flew down from Brisbane and arranged to meet him at the State Library of Victoria where we had about 30 of the proposed books assembled for him to review. As only a couple of books did not fit into his collection approach for the Tate I felt buoyed by the progress. Over the next 6 months I prepared a detailed bibliographic submission and significantly documented the books. We finally found the Jerrems book in a box marked ‘Photobook library extras’ in January this year.
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Finding Carol … …PHOTO: Victoria Cooper
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Packing up the books …PHOTO: Victoria Cooper
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SHIPPING THE PACKAGE
The books were protectively packaged and we arranged their shipment and it took only a few days for the consignment to travel from Brisbane to the UK. After nearly 2 years in the making Tate received the books on April 12, 2019. Once catalogued they will form part of the Martin Parr Photobook Collection with the provenance being recorded that the books came from ‘The Doug Spowart and Victoria Cooper Photobook Research Library’. The books will be publicly accessible in London in Spring 2020.
Pack and Send – DHL Proof of delivery
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ON REFLECTION
What is important to us is that books from our region are now placed within the context of the worldwide history and practice of the photobook in a significant institution. Although not a complete history of the Photobook in Australia and New Zealand it is an embryonic beginning for a broader recognition of the unique voices and stories from our part of the world and those that make them.
Doug Spowart + Victoria Cooper
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are indebted to those who supported us during this process. In particular Sarah Allen (Tate) for her coordination of the project. Martin Parr for his interest and continued support in providing a place for Antipodean photobooks in his Tate collection. We also wish to thank Lachlan Blair and Anna Pritz for making the initial connection with Regina Anzenberger, Gael Newton for her support, Helen and Donald Cole for their advice and storage of the books and the coordination of the final shipment, Des Cowley at the State Library of Victoria for the preparation of books to show Martin, Pack and Send Milton (DHL) for their assistance and coordination of the shipment to the UK.
THE LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHERS
Where the photographer has more than one book in the collection the multiple is shown in (brackets).
It should be noted that a book is the culmination of a creative process that may include the contributions of writers, poets, designers, printers and binders. In this list only the photographers are listed.
The photographer’s names are:
AUSTRALIA
Michael Amendolia
Douglass Baglin
David Beal
Jeff Carter
Beverley Clifford
Paul Cox
Michael Coyne (2)
Max Dupain (2)
Sandy Edwards
Rennie Ellis (2)
Joyce Evans
Juno Gemes
Robert B. Goodman
Marion Hardman
Alan Hirons
Douglas Holleley
Frank Hurley
Carol Jerrems
Georg Lindström
Peter Lyssiotis
Olive McInerney nee Olive Cotton
David Mist
David Moore
Charles P. Mountford
Robert Rosen
Wesley Stacey
Mark Strizic (2)
Richard Tipping
William Yang
PARR’s Australian book donation already included:
Bill Henson
J. Hurley
Frank Hurley
Max Pam
Trent Parke
NEW ZEALAND
Laurence Aberhart
Peter Black
Brian Brake
Jocelyn Carlin
Les Cleveland
Bruce Connew
David Cook
Marti Friedlander
Lloyd Godman
Glenn Jowitt
Mary Macpherson
Robin Morrison (2)
Anne Noble
Haruhiko Sameshima
Grant Sheehan
Ann Shelton
John B. Turner
Ans Westra
PARR’s New Zealand book donation already included:
Gary Baigent
Harvey Benge (a significant collection)
Ans Westra
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BOOKS and other ANTIPODEAN PHOTOBOOK activities and events follow the BLOG HERE
The Antipodean Photobook BLOG
READ MORE ABOUT THE TATE DONATION
Tate Media post about Parr donation
A PDF download of the Tate post can be downloaded by ‘clicking’ this link Tate website post on Parr donation
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READ MORE IN THE INSIDE IMAGING STORY
https://www.insideimaging.com.au/2019/tate-commission-for-photo-book-keeper/
Inside Imaging story
A PDF download of the Inside Imaging post can be downloaded by ‘clicking’ this link. Inside Imaging story-R
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OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF A PHOTOBOOK COMPENDIUM FOR AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
Cover: A Compendium of Australian & New Zealand Photobooks v.PBNZ
To celebrate PHOTOBOOK NEW ZEALAND in Wellington over March 9-11 2018, I have published an updated version of my Photobook Compendium that was first issued in October 2017 at the VOLUME ART BOOK FAIR in Sydney.
Associate Professor Ann Shelton launches the Compendium @ Te Papa PHOTO: Libby Jeffery
Ann Shelton launches the Photobook Compendium PHOTO: Libby Jeffery
The Compendium is a soft cover 40 page A5 booklet that lists key contributors, both contemporary and historical, to the Australian and New Zealand photobook discipline. Apart from photographer’s names and many portraits I’ve included publishers, designers and book shops.
To extend the coverage of key aspects of the genre I have included visual coverage of significant photobook events and activities as well as portraits of many practitioners. Most of the photographs come from personal documents made in Australia, New Zealand and Vienna of these events.
The book is designed with two covers so both countries have prominence. The Compendium is printed by MomentPro and is a Numbered LIMITED EDITION of 40.
The book was launched at The Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington by artist and photobook maker Associate Professor Ann Shelton on Saturday 10 at 2.00pm. At the event books will be available through Remote Photobooks.
WHAT’s IN THE COMPENDIUM…?
- Over 400 listings relating to the photobook
- 26 portraits of photobook people
- 50 photobook covers – exemplars of the discipline
- 60 photographs of events
- Australian and New Zealand Photobook of the Year winners list
The book is now SOLD OUT! Although REMOTE PHOTOBOOKS may still have some copies
Some of the pages
The Compendium preface
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FOREWORD TO THE BOOK
This Compendium does not attempt a definition of the ‘photobook’ – therefore to reflect the breadth and depth of this evolving medium I have considered a range of photo-based products that may include photographically illustrated books, albums, catalogues, photobooks, zines, artists books, text-only references to photography and photo ephemera.
This data and images has been compiled over many years as a result of my interest in the photobook from the historical viewpoint as well as its contemporary phenomenon. I am particularly interested in books where the photograph acts as the principal narrative agent. Additionally I am also drawn to the haptic experience and design of the book and how it operates as a vehicle for presenting ideas and telling stories.
Listed here are names of people and organisations who have contributed (both historically and recently), to the development of photobook discipline. Although most of the listings are from New Zealand or Australian residents and establishments there are some inclusions relating to itinerant or short-lived connections with this region. Some publishing houses listed may be based offshore and have a presence in this region.
I wish to acknowledge the energy and support for Antipodean photobooks provided by Libby Jeffery and the MomentoPro company. Through their patronage and sponsorship they have played a pivotal role in the building of a strong and active photobook community.
This current Compendium is published in a limited edition of 40 on the occasion of the 2nd Photo Book New Zealand Festival in March 2018. Subsequent revised versions will contain new information arising from my ongoing research.
As much of this knowledge lies hidden in personal archives and libraries, I am most interested to receive information about New Zealand and Australian photobooks and the discipline’s community of practice.
Doug Spowart
Email: Greatdivide@a1.com.au
Mail: PO Box 3063, South Brisbane, Queensland 4101, AUSTRALIA
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TAKING AuNZ PHOTOBOOKS TO THE WORLD – The Vienna Photo Book Festival
The MomentoPro AuNZ Photobooks of the Year @ VPBF
In the Antipodes we think we are far away from the centre of activities in so many areas of human endeavour that we just get on with it – doing it our own way. The field of photobooks is one such area.
Recently I had an opportunity to take photobooks from our part of the world to Europe and present a ‘show ‘n’ tell’ at the Vienna Photo Book Festival in Austria. Before the event I was wondering how our books would be received – would they match the Euro photobook for production values, innovation and story-telling capability? I would soon have my answer…
I presented a lecture on Australian and New Zealand photobooks and spent two days with Victoria Cooper and Lachlan Blair on our book presentation table featuring the finalists and winners of the 2016 MomentoPro Australian and New Zealand Photobooks of the Year Awards (ANZPOTY).
The answer to the question I posed earlier would soon be answered.
In a series of 3 blog posts I will tell the story of three aspects of the Vienna Photo Book Festival (1) the lectures, book and print sales, (2) my lecture and (3) the Vienna Photo Book Reviews.
Read on: THERE ARE 3 BLOG POSTS WITH THE DETAILS … links below…
The LECTURE
The EVENT
https://wotwedid.com/2017/06/18/aunz-photobooks-the-vienna-photo-book-festival/
The REVIEW SESSIONS
https://wotwedid.com/2017/06/18/review-panels-at-the-vienna-photo-book-festival/
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ADVANCE NOTICE: COOPER+SPOWART @ AIPP Brisbane ‘Hair of the Dog’ Conference
Hair of the Dog header
On the 6th of February we will be presenting a breakout session at the annual AIPP Hair of the Dog Conference in Brisbane. Our presentation, entitled OPENING-UP THE PHOTOBOOK will provide a commentary on the contemporary photobook/artists book. Our spiel from the HOTD website states:
The photobook has emerged as a ubiquitous form of story telling. Now everyone makes these books to varying levels of expertise. Photobooks and albums have always been the domain of photographers. To maintain their leadership and innovation in this discipline, professional photographers need to be aware of the options available and emergent trends in the photobook. This Breakout session will present a contemporary view of the photobook in all its forms from simple photo-zines to print-on-demand productions and handmade artisan books.
We will be giving attendees a digital presentation to introduce the topic and a major show ‘n’ tell session will follow that will unpack the contemporary photobook/artists’ book. The books presented will come from our collection including some of our own works. A special part of this session will be inclusion of books from Australia’s best print on demand service providers ASUKABOOK, BLURB, MOMENTOPRO and PICPRESS who have given us examples of their most innovative books.
As a result of this session participants will be able to consider innovative and new commercial publishing products that will provide them with a point of difference from competitors and the general public.
Doug Spowart and Victoria Cooper at the State Library of Qld’s 2015 Art Book Fair
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Victoria Cooper and Doug Spowart are leaders in the fields of photobooks and artists’ books. Their books are held in major rare books and manuscript collections of the National Library of Australia, State Libraries and other significant public and private collections. In the last 10 years both have completed PhDs that related to the book and visual storytelling. They have both been awarded Research Fellowships at the State Library of Queensland. In the last 12 months Doug has presented lectures on photobooks at Photobook Melbourne, the Ballarat International Foto Biennale and the Auckland Festival of Photography.
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT:
http://www.hotd.aippblog.com/index.php/speakers-2016/doug-spowart-victoria-cooper/
PRICING INFORMATION:
Earlybird Rates (End January 15th, 2016)
AIPP Member 2 Days plus the Business Masterclass on Monday – Early Bird $420 After Early Bird $520
AIPP Member 2 Days Only (Sat & Sun) – Early Bird $290 After Early Bird $390
AIPP Member 1 Day (either the Sat or Sun) – Early Bird $200 After Early Bird $280
Student 2 Days plus the Business Masterclass Monday – $150
Student 2 Days (Sat & Sun) – $120
Student 1 Day (either the Sat or Sun) – $90
Non-Member 2 Days (Sat & Sun) – Early Bird $435 After Early Bird $585
Non-Member 1 Day (either the Sat or Sun) – Early Bird $300 After Early Bird $420
Hair of the Dog header
DOUG to speak @ Ballarat Foto Biennale Symposium
Photobook Anxiety graphic
On August 29 I’ll be speaking at the Symposium: Borderless Futures, Reimaging the Citizen which is taking place at the Ballarat International Foto Biennale. The speakers program is amazing with presentations relating to the topic of the symposium.
My presentation is entitled PHOTOBOOK ANXIETY: SOCIAL MEDIA AND INDIE PUBLISHING and the abstract is as follows:
The photobook is at the core of a self-publishing revolution. The structure of the old publishing and bookselling paradigm is now reshuffled and redesigned. Now every photographer wants to make their own books – they need the inspiration found in the latest photobooks and to be informed by the movers and shakers of the discipline.
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As a result there is an emerging heightened anxiety for personal connection with pulse of this worldwide phenomena. Social media is the communication vehicle of choice. Everyday participants in the photobook network frenetically seek updates, reviews, new releases, post about their books and the latest gossip through social media channels – this anxiety is palpable.
This paper will discuss the frisson of social media as a powerful tool for communication and community building in the indie publishing movement of photobooks.
HERE’S THE LINK TO THE PROGRAM AND TO BOOK – Check out the BIFB Program as well:
http://ballaratfoto.org/event/psc-symposium-borderless-futures-reimaging-the-citizen/
BIFB PSC Symposium logo
Hope to see you there….
PHOTOBOOK INDEPENDENT: Our books in Hollywood – thanks to QCP
Photo Independent poster
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As part of its international activities for Queensland and Australian photographers the Queensland Centre for Photography participated in the inaugural Photo Independent art fair at Raleigh Studios, Los Angeles 1–3 May, 2015. The main Australian contingent consists of the wall images of 12 photomedia artists. They are Anna Carey, Belinda Kochanowska, Chris Bowes, David La Roche, Henri van Noordenburg, Kim Demuth, Kelly Hussey-Smith & Alan Hill, Katelyn-Jane Dunn, Lynette Letic, Michael Cook and Marian Drew.
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An additional aspect of Photo Independent is one dedicated to the recognition of photographers who work in the book format. Called Photobook Independent the QCP curated a selection of 16 Australian photo publishers to present in the L.A. event.
In QCP media about these two events the following statement was made:
The QCP is excited to be part of this ground-breaking event as the world of photography will set its focus on Los Angeles 1–3 May, 2015 for a weekend celebrating international photography and the most talented image-makers across various genres of the medium. Numerous high profile art fairs including Paris Photo Los Angeles, Photo Contemporary, Photo Independent and PhotoBook Independent will launch their annual editions in Hollywood with additional special photography exhibitions throughout Los Angeles. The weekend promises to offer the enthusiastic art patron a plethora of opportunities to experience photography at its highest calibre.
The photobook publishers were: Ingvar Kenne, Dane Beesley, Anne Ferran, Lindsay Varvari, Rohan Hutchinson, Julie Shiels, Prudence Murphy, Christopher Young, Paul Batt, Ian Tippett, Doug Spowart, Victoria Cooper, Gemma Avery, Michelle Powell, Mathias Heng and Christopher Köller.
Interviews with the artists and photobook makers can be found on the LUCIDA Site: http://lucidamagazine.com/
Biogs on the photobook participants can be seen here: http://qcpinternational.com/portfolios/photo-book-independent-2015/
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Victoria Cooper’s PILLIGA
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About Victoria’s Book: PILLIGA
Pilliga is the culmination of 10 years work. It is informed by the many physical, psychological and metaphorical journeys through this enigmatic place during the decade of its creation.
This book is not a topographic depiction of the Pilliga Scrub, a remote location in the Australian Bush. Rather it is a human story of lurking deep anxiety manifested as a destructive invisible entity feeding on fears of the unknown and unknowable.
A PDF of the book can be seen here:PILLIGA-redsmr
The book can be purchased from BLURB here: http://blur.by/1Q9cGhh
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Doug Spowart’s I have inhabited a place …
About Doug’s Book: I HAVE INHABITED A PLACE FREQUENTED BY ARTISTS MAKING THEIR ART …
This book relates to the experience of being a documentary photographer within the world. The subject, a deserted artist’s studio, becomes an immersive landscape for investigation. This photobook expresses a personal narrative about loss, absence, place, and concepts around the relationship between the non-human and the working practices of artists.
A PDF of the book can be seen here: I have inhabited a place …red2
The book can be purchased from AMAZON here: http://blur.by/1K65dMu
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