free radical notes #98

  Cardinal sore feet [aka a bunch of stuff]           # 98 13/7/08

Haiku stuff

The only problem
with Haiku is that you just
get started and then

editorial stuff

Pornography and art.

Well if nothing else, Bill Henson's recent run-in with the law has stimulated a bit of debate, and we have had a few responses pro and con to print below.

From Dale Neil [fr#430] comes - The fact that Bill Henson is one of Australia's most famous photographers should not be used to defend his exhibition, some of which included nude images. He had both the permission of his subjects and their parents. He has done nothing wrong. From Michelangelo's depiction of David to the official Olympic poster of the 1912 Stockholm Olympics to the Johnston & Johnston ads for baby powder. the nude body has been graphically represented since Biblical times and before. I can't remember any moral campaign resulting in Michelangelo's David donning  a pair of boxer shorts.
Paedophilia paranoia in Australia is alive and well to the extent authorities have stopped some parents from photographing their own (clothed) children in public places. There are some misguided individuals who believe we should ban the use of all cameras in all places! But I'm not sure they what pictures they will show their children and grandchildren in 50 years time about life as it is today.
I suggest the moral activists who consider Henson's images offensive, simply don't go to the exhibition.  They would be better served by protesting the use of drugs and alcohol that fuel aggressive and violent behaviour resulting in physical injury and loss of life.  Henson's images are positive forces within our society – the same as Johnston & Johnston! Long live photography!

And in the opposing corner Angela Turnbull [fr#680] - Re Henson how can someone photograph something like that and be personally removed from it.  Very difficult I think.  Children need to come before art.  Preserving the sanctity of children should be over and above anything, not trying to fast forward them into the adult world.  If anyone should be charged it's her parents, then he wouldn't have been able to photograph her and Roslyn Oxley Gallery wouldn't have been able to hang it.    Photographing young girls with menstrual blood on their thighs I think the world can do without especially when it comes to someone having to pose for it. It's not the idea of art I'm against but the process of getting it in the first place.

and yet again, a totally different perspective from George Apostolidis [who doesn't yet have a number coz he hasn't sent his ten bucks yet] - As a young RMIT student I was a big David Hamilton fan. Bill Hensons's stuff is definitely not pornography........... however I would have him sued for being overrated. Then again I would give him a knighthood, (which I reckon he would love) for adding more monetory value to photography. Even more lawyers would buy his work if he was knighted.

And as a final word on the subject from me: Yes art can be pornographic, but pornography can never be art. Jeff Koon's  series 'Made in Heaven' featuring himself and then wife and former Italian politician and porn star Ilona Staller, are indeed sexually explicit, but they are made as art - not pornography. Andres Serrano, another photographer who pushes the boundaries of his art, when asked in regard to his series ' The History of Sex' was it pornographic? replied "Pornography is what you buy in the porn store - it has a totally different function from art. That's not to say that one is better than the other, I just think that what I do is meant to operate on a different level".
The pornographer probably wouldn't disagree. He has no such pretensions about what he produces being categorised as art. I don't defend the morals of artists who produce work that challenges. It is not my place to pass judgment on their characters – I'll leave that up to Kevin 07. They may well be not particularly well balanced individuals - or it just may be that they recognise the opportunities that come with controversy, and play it for what it is worth - but I do defend their right to make their art.
At the end of the day, if the work of an artist offends you, don't expose yourself to it. Don't expose your children to it. Don't buy the artist's pictures, or books.  Boycott the gallery that shows the work - but don't tell me what I can or cannot look at! I am quite capable of making my own value judgments thank you very much!

and in a similar vein

The following comes across the dutch from GRINZ and concerns an election campaign brochure showing what appears to be a typical happy Kiwi husband wife and baby :  Labour's Kiwi happy family photo, which this morning turned out to actually be American, can now be revealed to have already been used by the Australian government to portray fair dinkum Aussies.  Prime Minister Helen Clark earlier dismissed coverage of the American stock photo in a Labour party Budget pamphlet as a "storm in a tea cup"......... But this afternoon it emerged the photo is being used by the Kevin Rudd government to publicise its affordable housing policy.  This morning the American photographer who took the happy family picture said he was surprised to learn that the Labour party in New Zealand was using it.  Photographer Justin Horrocks told nzherald.co.nz that the house in the background of the photo used to supposedly depict a Kiwi family is his house in Lake Stevens, Washington state.  The family are friends of his who he photographs for stock images that are posted on the iStockphoto website and have been used across the US... Yadda yadda yadda.

Seems to me to be just like some people not being able to make the distinction between art and pornography. Image in question is advertising and since when has advertising been about truth? Can we not make the distinction between advertising and truth?  Same with the occasional adamant and indignant letter writer to the Green Guide "that episode last week should never have been shown. In real life that firey would never have gone into that blazing house without breathing apparatus!!" – it's fiction you idiot!

other stuff

Polaroid is in fresh talks over the survival of its professional instant sheet film following its failure to reach agreement with UK firm Ilford Photo. Polaroid bosses have confirmed that they are in discussions with a 'third party' over the continued production of 20x24in large format professional b&w sheet film. In a meeting with Amateur Photographer, Polaroid's European vice-president Paul Telford also revealed that there is a 'strong possibility' that production of 8x10in format sheet film will be taken up by an, as yet, unnamed manufacturer. Earlier this month we reported that Polaroid had failed to agree a manufacturing deal with Ilford Photo, which is based in Cheshire. At the time a spokesman for Harman Technology Ltd, which trades as Ilford Photo, said that the move would have been 'cost prohibitive', given declining demand. In February, Polaroid announced plans to axe film production, blaming competition from digital cameras, 61 years after it hailed the birth of 'instant photography'. Chris Cheesman – Polaroid Zinc

workshop  stuff

the latest lecture in a series of practical digtal imaging workshops with Les Walkling, to be run at Lab X is Retouching Digital Photographs. Wednesday the 16th July, 2008. For more info, or to book, either email at justine [at] labx.com.au   phone 9534 8838 or visit www.labx.com.au

new members stuff

Nothing happening since the last notes.  Don't forget 2008 is free radical 'sign up a friend' year, so get out there and get arm twisting. How about joining your dog? Dogs can be free radicals. What about the kids? – it's never too early to start them on road to untold fame and fortune that we all acknowledge is photography. Just like being a freemason, membership of the free radicals opens doors! [air hair lair!]

call for entry stuff

It's always a good idea to thoroughly read and understand terms of entry for any photographic prize or competition. If you don't like what they say, or feel terms and conditions are not clearly spelled out, or appear exploitative, don't enter!

Young photographers can put themselves in the frame to win a  prestigious national photographic competition for under 19s, which could see their work being showcased at an exclusive awards  ceremony in London. The RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2008 (YPA08) is now open to  budding photographers who can show off their animal shots to  thousands of people. Entries close Sept 1st 2008.  details from www.rspca.org.uk/ypa

Up Close and Spineless The Australian Museum is holding a photo competition in recognition of invertebrates (animals without a backbone). Entries close 29 August 2008. Details: http://www.austmus.gov.au/up_close/competition.htm

Student Competition – Ian Parry Scholarship 2008. Ian Parry was a photojournalist who died whilst on assignment for The Sunday Times during the Romanian revolution in 1989. He was just 24 years old. The scholarship was set up by his friends and family in order to build something positive from such a tragic death. Each year we hold a competition for photographers who are either attending a full-time photography course or are under the age of 24. Entrants must submit a portfolio of their work and a brief synopsis of a project they would undertake if they won the scholarship. The prize is £2,500 towards their assignment. Metro Imaging also offer £500 worth of vouchers to the winner and £250 to those awarded highly commended and commended. For more info go to the website - http://www.ianparry.org/main.php

The RovingEye 2008 Expose Your World Photo Competition is calling for entries This year the focus is travel You can enter as many of the following categories as you like as often as you like:
Photography, Photo Essay, Single Shot, Young Australian Photographer of the Year etc. etc. The RovingEye 2008 Expose Your World Photo Competition is open to international entrants with the exception of the Young Australian Photographer of the Year, and the Australian Adventurer of the Year categories, both of whom must be Australian citizens. The deadline for submissions is 25 July 2008, 23.59 (Eastern Standard Time). Go to www.exposeyourworld.com for full details on the competition, prizes and terms of entry or download the information pack at www.exposeyourworld.com/info/comp.

The Perth Centre for Photography (PCP) is calling for entries for the IRIS Award 2008. The IRIS Award is a national prize recognising unique and outstanding portraiture in a photo-based medium. Exhibition: Thursday 11 September -– Sunday 28 September. The closing date for entries is 5pm Sunday, July the 20 2008. More details and entry forms will be available in the near future. http://pcp.org.au

flickr stuff

Been a while since I visited the free radical flickr group, but clicked on the link from the free radical website and was surprised to see we have 23 members and have 118 images posted. Mind you, given that we are a group of photographers with substantial numbers, that's not a whole lot, and a fair proportion are from our webmeister Cam Stephens [as are most of the discussion topics which pretty much all have the same number of responses – nil]  But still, given that photographers in general are a fairly apathetic bunch, and given the proliferation of similar online networks, it's not too bad a set of numbers. – well actually it's pretty pathetic.
Perhaps we should rebadge the group to 'how to become outrageously wealthy without having to do anything - guaranteed!' A title like that would surely generate a bit of traffic! 

miscellaneous stuff

The Galeria Bezdomna/Homeless Gallery will have it's seventh Australian edition as part of Vivid in Canberra. Dates and venues have yet to be confirmed, but to get into the loop to find out exactly where and when, go to this link and fill in the e form to get on the database. GB/HG is a low tech no rules [well very few rules] exhibition without any review panel, style police, submission panel etc. etc. You turn up with your pictures and hanging tools, find a space and curate your own work. Simple as that! It's a great way to get a bit of exhibition history. It can be as low cost as you want – many participants simply blu tac unframed prints direct onto the walls [or floor, or ceiling] There are no restrictions as to quantity, quality, size or content of works. Installations and alternative methods of showing work are encouraged. Only proviso is you sign an indemnity form on hanging day before you can participate. And of course you have to also turn up on closing day to dismantle your stuff or it gets consigned to the rubbish skip. As we generally get a number of international works [a reciprocal arrangement] you may be asked to also hang pictures on behalf of someone from overseas.

Lots of stuff happening as part of VIVID, Canberra's First National Festival of Photography, which kicks off on July 11th and runs through to October 12th, including exhibitions, seminars, lectures, floortalks, projections and more. Check out all the details at www.nla.gov.au/vivid/index.html

Shortlisted entries for the $15,000 William and Winifred Bowness Photography Prize at the Monash Gallery of Art have been announced. Amongst them are free radicals Bronek Kozka [fr#38] (who seems to be shortlisted in just about everything going over the past six months) and Bronwyn Kidd [fr#657]

exhibition stuff  stuff

Happy to list your show be it in Melbourne, Darwin, Hobart or wherever, but if it's too much trouble to send me your exhibition details in a format that I can readily cut and paste, ie in the body of an email, then it's too much trouble for me to transcribe details from a pdf or go chasing websites for the information that's missing. Send the details to free radicaloz [at] gmail.com Include details of opening and closing dates, gallery address, opening hours, and if you like, a brief synopsis of the show.
Send information as text only, preferably pasted into the body of an email and not as an attachment. Sometimes it's 4 - 6 weeks between editions of the notes, so if you want to be sure of getting a listing, get your details in early.

Abstract Earth – The Photography of Richard Woldendorp – 20 June-3 August This unique perspective reveals diverse landscapes and ancient forms, and Woldendorp's images eloquently capture the vastness and solitude of the land from above. This exhibition acknowledges Woldendorp's important contribution to Australian landscape photography over the past 50 years and has been selected by eminent art critic John McDonald and photographer R. Ian Lloyd. National Trust S.H. Ervin Gallery, Watons Road, Observatory Hill, The Rocks, NSW

Photographers in the circle of Alfred Stieglitz at the National Gallery of Victoria. Show current to 28 September 2008. Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946) was a monumental figure in the history of twentieth century photography. In the opening decades of the century, Stieglitz championed the cause of artistic photography with the Photo-Secession group, and went on to become an important and influential modernist photographer. NGV Photography Gallery, Level 1 Admission free
http://www.ngv.vic.gov.au

Degree South
Ben Bohane, Michael Coyne [fr# 213], Stephen Dupont, Joyce Evans, [fr#529] Tim Page, David Dare Parker [fr#540], Jack Picone, 'honorary member' – Sean Flynn. An exhibition of documentary photography by Degree South, a new collective of eight award-winning Australian photographers based throughout the Asia Pacific region. ACT Legislative Assembly London Circuit, Canberra City - opening Tues 15th July. Show runs 11 July to 6 August 2008

A Moment in Time: Portraits of the 1990s by Francis Reiss [fr# 353] Drawn from the photographer's own collection, A Moment in Time focuses on a selection of photographic portraits by photojournalist Francis Reiss that have captured personalities from Australia's art scene in the 1990s.The exhibition consists of more than 40 portraits, including Albert Tucker, Bernard Smith, Deborah Halpern, Frances Lindsay, Jan Minchin, John McPhee, Leonard French, Mike Brown, Patrick McCaughey and Ric Amor, amongst many other individuals from the arts community who have contributed either through their own practice or as significant figures who have promoted and endorsed the arts. Show runs 16 August - 28 September with the Opening event 6-8pm Friday 22 August 2008.[RSVP essential by Wednesday 20 August T 03 5434 6088 or email c.mcmillan@bendigo.vic.gov.au ] Bendigo Art Gallery  42 View St  Bendigo VIC 3550

Liminal 2006 by Dacchi DANG - gum bichromate prints and water colour on paper, mounted on archival board. Nine exquisite, decorative, circular plates wrapped in rice paper, floating just above the floor, fuse imagery of street life in Paris with the architecture of French-colonized Vietnam. Sydney based Dacchi Dang left Saigon in 1982 as a teenager - one of the original boat refugees from Vietnam and his work explores issues of displacement, memories and diverse cultures. During an artist in residency at the Cite Internationale des Arts in 2004, the architecture, landscape and society of France reminded him of how much 18th century French culture and design had influenced life in Vietnam. Show current to September 2
plus
Paul Carracher: The Art Of News Paul Carracher is an award-winning Wimmera Mail Times photographer who has been covering the news in the Wimmera for over 20 years. These recent photographs document sports, community clubs and local events. Show current to 3 August , 2008 at the Horsham Regional Art Gallery Telephone:  03 5362 2880 80 Wilson Street, Horsham VIC 3400 www.horshamartgallery.com.au

Holding on, letting go – from the MGA Collection.  Show current to 24 August, 2008
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The Truth Of The Matter: a selection of works by Terry Wu. Show current to  03 August, 2008
At the Monash Gallery of Art Corner Jells & Ferntree Gully Roads, Wheelers Hill Victoria 3150 Tel: 03 9562 1569 mga (at) monash.vic.gov.au Web: www.mga.org.au Open: Tue-Fri: 10-5pm, Sat-Sun: 12-5pm, Mon & public holidays: closed. Gallery, gift shop, licensed cafe and sculpture park FREE ADMISSION

The Tuvaluan Project  by  Tim Silver. A group of nine low-lying coral atolls and islands, Tuvalu is situated in the remote Pacific. The highest point reaches just two metres above sea level, and as such, the island, its people and their culture are threatened by rising sea levels caused by global warming. In recent years, journalists have descended on Funifati, the capital, when the 'king tide' hits annually in late February, to report on the 'front line of climate change'. In The Tuvaluan Project Silver presents a collision between the site of Tuvalu and Italian Cannibal Cycle films. This genre of exploitation films from the mid-1970s to early 1980s often featured illogical narratives and clichéd representations of foreign cultures in a surreal mix of travelogue, found footage and gore. Working with a cast of non-actors, Silver's constructed scenarios, with little interference into the locations or wardrobe, consist of a loose and sometimes illogical photo-narrative. The sequence of images, appearing as film frames, with a black band at the top and bottom of each image—a device that mimics widescreen DVD format, as Italian Cannibal Cycle movies now most commonly appear—are randomly ordered, with the order changing upon each installation, thus further contributing to the confusion of any narrative thread. Offering multiple interpretations but no conclusion, the artist invites audiences to bring their own imagination into play. [sounds like a massive wank to me! ed.]
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Japan Portraits by Selina Ou. Japan is an overwhelming and intriguing country to focus on when you have a predilection for uniforms, architecture and bright packaging. With a new configuration of photographs, selected by curator Karra Rees—including previously unseen images—Japan Portraits revisits a suite of images Selina Ou made during an Australia Council Tokyo residency. The exhibition displays a range of individuals working in temples, shops, gardens and markets and reflects a society balancing ancient traditions with current global trends. Ou spends only a short time with each person, introducing herself and her practice and inviting them to pose for her camera. From this frozen moment within their daily routine, a glimpse of the individual is revealed beyond the societal rank of their occupation, as each one stares out or back at the viewer
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Silent Ruptures by Yoshiro Masuda, Mathieu Bernard-Reymond and Kristian Haggblom Featuring the work of three photographers from different points of the globe, Silent Ruptures is an exhibition that explores land as a compendium for the projection of human aspirations. Masuda works from the urban centre stripping the city bare of its symbols; Haggblom travels the spaces where the inner and outer terrains blur to chronicle its confused occupants and Bernard-Reymond skirts the edges of the metropolis seeking tourist visions. Together they uncover and make visually tangible the silent and invisible mysteries that unfold in an accelerated contemporary world.
All shows current to August 30th  at the CCP, 404 George St Fitzroy.  Gallery hours Weds to Sat 11 - 6. info at www.ccp.org.au

classified stuff

classifieds are free, but only run for one edition unless you email me to run in the following edition due to lack of enquiries, or you wish to delete, add, or change the price of items. Don't send an essay – just item, price and contact details. KISS

Inka Heavy Duty Studio Camera Stand - Finest Danish Engineering! Black 2.7metres high
900mm counter weighted geared cross arm
heavy duty tripod base with lockable castors
accessories tray, all in very good condition
free delivery within the Melbourne metropolitan area
$1000 - less than a quarter of new price
Rob Anderson [fr#043] 03 9824 2580 or 0417 824 258

Yervant Photography in Melbourne seeks Digital Artist
Prominent Melbourne wedding photographer Yervant Zanazanian seeks  a " home based"  Digital Artist who can do contract work for his  production department. Photoshop and retouching expertise is necessary, Page Gallery  knowledge a bonus. Yervant [fr#084] has been named one of the top ten wedding photographers in the world and this is a unique opportunity to work with one  of the best
To apply, please contact Anie  anie [at] yervant.com

Nikon 24 mm 2.8 AF/ D lens with Nikon lens hood and UV filter.
Purchased new by myself, in excellent condition 8 out of 10, works with digital camera's as a 35 mm lens ( metering etc ) or with film camera as 24 mm, manual or auto focus. $240.00
Tony Reddrop [fr#447] Melbourne 0419 58 2313   toneredd [at] hotmail.com

end stuff

Feeling neglected because of lack of information on events happening in your neck of the woods? I can't include it if i don't know about it!! Any editorial content, exhibition notices, classifieds etc. to free radicaloz [at] gmail.com

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