The Newcastle Art Gallery Youth Advisory Group acknowledges the Awabakal and Worimi people as the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and live, and pay our deepest respects to Elders past, present and future. The Youth Advisory Group is dedicated to honouring the culture and traditions of our local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities through the visual arts.
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Y2C
Photography
LIGHT, TIME, MATERIAL
The beauty of photography is that it is so versatile and adaptable as a medium. It is a largely democratic device that can be as personal or impersonal as you like.
Since 1888, we have used photography for cataloguing our surroundings, chronicling the lives of loved ones and illustrating what's important on a mass, democratic scale. It is a powerful tool that sheds light on counter narratives and shapes conversation.
We have emerging artists James Rhodes, Wednesday Sutherland and Liz O’Brien exploring NAG’s collection and their own practices.
Curated by Aiden Gageler
Videography by Wanjun Carpenter
Collection
Dean BELETICH Agave Photograph 2004 inkjet on Arches HP 300gsm 47.0 x 30.1cm Gil Docking Bequest 2018 Newcastle Art Gallery collection © Courtesy the artist
Michael COOK Mother (merry-Go-Round) 2016 Inkjet Print 80 x 120cm Donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program by Michael Cook 2021 Newcastle Art Gallery collection © Courtesy the artist and Andrew Baker Art Dealer, Brisbane
“THIS BRILLIANT WORK [MICHAEL COOK, MOTHER (MERRY-GO-ROUND)] IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW A DEADPAN APPROACH CAN CREATE A SURREAL ATMOSPHERE THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO QUESTION THE ROLE OF COLONIAL OBJECTS/THINGS IN AUSTRALIA. THE MINIMAL USE OF PASTEL COLOUR DRAWS ATTENTION TO THE JUXTAPOSITION OF THE PROTAGONIST IN THE NARRATIVE, ALLOWING THE VIEWER TO FOCUS ON WHAT IS ‘OUT OF PLACE’ IN THE SCENE. THIS INGENIOUS APPROACH IS BOTH AESTHETICALLY PLEASING AND CONCEPTUALLY RICH.” — J. RHODES.
Fiona MACDONALD Mob 29 (Emily Thinee) 1993 45 x 37.5cm Woven sepia toned photographs scource images courtesy Capricornia Collection, University of Central Queensland Gift of Ann Lewis AO 2010 Newcastle Art Gallery collection © Fiona Macdonald/Copyright Agency, 2021
“[THE WORK] HARKS BACK TO TIMELESS WEAVING AND COLLAGE TECHNIQUES, NEARLY DADAIST IN FORM, WORKING AND REWORKING CONTEMPORARY AND/OR FOUND IMAGES. I IMMEDIATELY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT MACDONALD’S PRACTICE AND HER ENTIRE BACK CATALOGUE, AND I CAN’T WAIT FOR NAG’S UPCOMING EXPANSION SO THAT MORE OF THEIR COLLECTION MAY BE VIEWED IN THE FLESH.” — W. SUTHERLAND.
Tamara DEAN Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) in Autumn 2017 153.5 x 200 cm Archival pigment print on cotton rag paper Les Renfrew Bequest 2018 Newcastle Art Gallery collection © Courtesy the artist and Martin Browne Contemporary
“DEAN EVOKES SUCH A UNIQUE SENSE OF TENSION, ROMANCE AND DRAMA BETWEEN HUMAN AND NATURE. THE BARE FLESH AGAINST THE LOTUS HAS AN INCREDIBLY INTENSE VISUAL PROMINENCE, YET IT IS SOFTENED SO CONSIDERATELY BY THE FIGURE’S GENTLY POISED MANNERISMS.” — L. O’BRIEN.