Source: Print Letter No.25 Jan/Feb. 1980 Vol 5 N0.1 page 8 and 9

Australia: Longing for a photographic identity

BY TONY PERRY


Australia was once described as a harsh and curious land where animals lay eggs and, even the trees behave badly by retaining their leaves and shedding their bark annually. Such is the nature of things indigenous and most adopted as well . . . photography, not the least of these. Like people everywhere, the early colonists took to photography with enormous enthusiasm, and produced pictures in great profusion until the advent of Pictorialism which, with its rigid aesthetic and blind adherence to dogma, put an end to most genuinely creative work.

Australians do not suffer fools lightly, which could be considered a virtue, were it not for the fact that they have an infinite capacity for relegating visionaries to this category. It is not surprising then, when examining the work of the first half of this century, to discover that most Australian photographs are little more than pale imitations of the foreign product. Innovation was shunned and the salons, acting as arbiters of photographic taste, maintained the Pictorial aesthetic well into the forties. The fact that Max Dupain was able to produce a strong body of work during this period is both a miracle and the exception which proves the rule.

Only in the last decade have we seen a genuine improvement and, it is interesting to note in this respect, that many of the changes in attitude were aided by an American, Bill Heimerman of the Photographers' Gallery, and a Frenchman, Jean Marc Le Pechoux, editor of the ill-fated magazine "Light Vision"... but more of that later.

At the end of the sixties a handful of independent thinkers eventually became the nucleus of a new creative movement. John Williams, Paul Cox and Rennie Ellis emerged in the seventies as the "fathers" of the new Australian Photography and their early influence can be seen on many levels. Both Williams and Cox are teachers and all three were instrumental in organising the first in dependant galleries devoted exclusively to photography. Being photographers of vastly different temperaments they laid an excellent foundation for the future. The early seventies also saw the establishment of a Department of Photographic Art at the National Gallery of Victoria, the first of its kind in Australia, and a little later, the Australian Centre for Photography in Sydney. More important perhaps, was the acceptance of Grant Mudford and, to a lesser extent, Max Pam by an International audience, for this meant that young Australian photographers now had a stake in the history of the medium

Much activity in Melbourne
Traditionally, Melbourne is the city which sees most activity in the visual arts and this has certainly been the case with photography. Speculation has it that the unpredictable climate forces the population to be reclusive, and much given to "art" as a recreational activity. This may also serve to explain why Melbourne photography is more introspective than that of other cities, though this is a relatively recent development. It follows that Melbourne was the logical choice for Rennie Ellis to open the first private photographic gallery. The Pentax Brummels Gallery first exhibited work in 1972 and has been responsible for giving many young Australians a start.

Melbourne also saw the opening, three years later, of the second private venue by Paul Cox and John Williams, though their tenure was short and the Photographers' Gallery changed hands later the same year. Now, with one other gallery, the Church Street Photographic Centre, and a variety of venues offering occasional exhibitions of photography, the city provides an average of five new shows each month. Photographic education also figures more predominantly in Melbourne than any other major city. Presently there are three institutes of technology offering full time courses in applied and non-applied areas to diploma or degree level, one private school devoted exclusively to the medium and numerous other colleges offering photography as an integral part of their curricula. The other capital cities are not so well endowed, offering few exhibitions and educational opportunities, with the exception of Sydney which, nevertheless, still has quite some distance to go before it is as active as Melbourne.

The Photographers' Gallery
The most significant time for contemporary Australian photography was the period from mid 1975 to 1977. Three singular events occurred which provided local artist/ photographers with more hope and encouragement than some thought they had any right to expect. In the latter half of 1975 Bill Heimerman and lan Lobb took over the Photographers' Gallery in South Yarra. With a new and dynamic policy they challenged the status quo and, in time, changed the course of the previous five years.

While actively seeking new, local work they were determined the gallery would never compromise itself, and only photographs of the highest quality would be exhibited in the hope that Australian standards would be lifted to an international level. After an initial, brief flirtation with local photography it became evident that the home-grown product was noticeably shabby, and the gallery embarked on the risky program of bringing the best contemporary, international work to Australia.

By doing this it was hoped that a better understanding of print quality would follow, that internationally acclaimed work would break down the public resistance to photography as an artistic medium and that buyers, both public and private, would respond to a venue which allowed them to view overseas work before purchasing. The gallery was to become a locus and the means whereby Australians, working at home, could gain credibility overseas. By 1977, with a series of first class exhibitions behind them, Heimerman and Lobb organised the first workshop to be conducted here by an American photographer, Ralph Gibson. In previous years we had seen lecture tours by Szarkowski and Friedlander but these were poorly publicised and attended. The gallery has also sponsored visits by William Clift and Harry Callahan who have both inspired and encouraged those lucky enough to meet them . Today the Photographers' Gallery is run solely by Bill Heimerman, lan Lobb having left to pursue his photography, and with an enviable record of exhibitions and workshops is seen as the premier gallery in Australia; a show there is a genuine honour.

The Philip Morris Arts Grant
To most Australians James Mollison is the man who spent $ 2 000 000. on Jackson Pollock's "Blue Poles". Those of artistic inclination know him to be the director of the Australian National Gallery, Canberra and the administrator of the Philip Morris Arts Grant. Mollison first gained public attention when, in 1971 the then Prime Minister, William McMahon, announced that his government was appointing him the first director of the National Gallery. Two years later he became sole selector for the Philip Morris Arts Grant; a fund established to purchase innovative works of art for exhibition throughout Australia which would, in time, be donated to public galleries.
While the grant was not designed to be used for any one medium, in Mollison's own words, "it was clear that some, indeed many of the most remarkable younger artists today were interested in photography" and the collection's holding of photographs grew considerably.
When the collection was first unveiled at the Adelaide Festival of the Arts, in 1976, it contained 83 pieces by 14 photographers. By 1979, when the collection was next shown at the Sydney Biennale, it had been expanded to 528 pieces by 88 photographers making it the most significant collection of contemporary Australian work anywhere.
To be sure, it has its weak spots, but it includes a good cross section of the best work from the most consistent artists. Furthermore, because it comprises photographs by living artists, it is itself a living entity which, in part, explains why audience response is so favourable. Some readers will be familiar with the collection through the recently published catalogue. As a true indication of Australian photography the Philip Morris catalogue is inadequate, though it is a step in the right direction. One picture per person publications invariably place artists at a disadvantage, and rarely reflect the true state of the art.

Photography publications
The photo books that sell are those which take the "scenic view" and suggest that, before photography there was nothing . . . then along came Eastman Kodak and created the world in glorious Kodachrome. They are the tomes to buy upon discovering that one leg of the coffee table is a few centimetres short. The more serious photographic books enjoying a measure of popularity, are those which also appeal to the nostalgia market. In recent years we have seen a number of these, the most notable being "The Story of the Camera in Australia" - a reprint of the 1955 history by Jack Cato, "Cazneaux" a monograph portfolio selected and introduced by Max Dupain, "Gundagai Album" the recently discovered work of Charles Louis Gabriel, Henri Mallard's "Building the Sydney Harbour Bridge" and "Antarctic Photographs" by Panting and Harley. These and similar titles all suffer from poor printing and design, the exception being "Gundagai Album" which is the best attempt of its kind so far.

Contemporary photography has suffered badly and, with the exception of "New Photography in Australia" and "Aspects of Australian Photography", two books published by the Australian Centre for Photography when Graham Howe was at the helm, good innovative work gets crammed into a visual vulgarity, edited by Laurence Le Guay, titled "Australian Photography - a Contemporary View" . . . nothing could be further from the truth. Considering this, and its inevitable fate, the launching of "Light Vision" magazine in September 1977 now seems demented but, despite its obvious faults, it made a more lasting impression on Australian photography than any other periodical before or since.

Jean-Marc Le Pechoux came to Australia from France in 1973 and decided to make Melbourne his home. Inspired by the growing interest in the medium here, and recognising the need for a high quality magazine, he set out to learn the trade of editor/publisher. Light Quest Publications the new venture's name, paid its staff, of which there were never more than four on a very casual basis, with coffee and bis suits and its contributors with thanks. For everyone concerned it was a first, and while this is no excuse for poor execution, under the circumstances some allowances could have been made.
Certainly, no one associated with Light Vision expected the tirade which followed Issue 3 or the refusal, by the bookshop of a major public gallery, to stock the magazine on the basis of a book review in the following number. That Light Vision had faults cannot be argued. It was after all, and "staff" notwithstanding, a one man operation which is surely true of all publications where the editor/publisher is also the major investor and as such, was quite biased. Nor is there any doubt that the written content was often quite amateurish, but at least a forum existed and this writer, for one is grateful for having been allowed the opportunity to debut in L.V.'s pages. . . allowed to, begged None but the foolhardy were willing.

A new "forum" has come into existence 1978 Working Papers on Photography (WOPOP). It is biased relying heavily on reprints of articles by John Berger and Art forum's Allan Sekula with a liberal dollop of Kozloff (or, if you prefer, a dollop of liberal Kozloff) thrown in for good measure. In retrospect Light Vision's contribution can be readily evaluated. Practically, it can no longer be argued that facilities for high quality reproduction do not exist in Australia, and at least two recent publications have profited from this example. More important, it is now perfectly clear, to the new generation of photographers, that the future lies in their hands and, to rely on an establishment which seemingly cannot operate without precedents is worse than useless.

Clearly what Heimerman, Mollison and Le Pechoux have done, by breaking with precedent, is to establish precedents of their own yet, at the same time, they offer consistent policies which are open to critical analysis. They have all put their credibility on the line and, in the case of Heimerman and Le Pechoux, all their financial resources as well. A practical example of the effectiveness of these changes can be seen in a recent publication from the Australian Centre for Photography, "CSR Pyremont Refinery Centenary 1 978-Photography Project". While there is no denying the exemplary role played by the Centre's current director, Christine Godden, as organiser and editor, it undoubtedly owes much of its success to these new prevailing attitudes.

Small collectors' market
At present the number of private patrons willing to support Australian photography is small and though it is steadily increasing, it will be a long time before artists will be able to make a living from the sale of photographs. Patronage from most other sources is sporadic and consequently, those who wish to make a career of photography are obliged to leave for Europe or America. The list of ex-patriots is long, and the work of Douglas Holleley, Fiona Hall, Graham Howe, Grant Mudford and Max Pam can no longer be called Australian, though it still has a quality which indicates an Australian background; and herein lies a problem.

There can be no doubt that eventually, even this last cultural vestige will disappear if these people continue to work overseas, and while not wanting to advocate an Australian aesthetic for its own sake, that which does exist can only be maintained by photographers who work here. Paradoxically, because so little is known about the Australia, to people overseas that work will be little understood. Metaphor and nuance of meaning will go unnoticed by a world which sees the continent as a vast unfriendly place, where a tiny population struggles to maintain a foothold on a narrow strip of coast. Back to the main article