I'm constantly impressed with the variety and depth of exhibitions offered from regional galleries and the current exhibition at the Bayside Gallery is no exception.
Max Dupain (Australia, 1911–1992) and Ansel Adams (USA, 1902–1984) shaped the visual imagination of their nations through the lens of modernist photography and this exhibition explores the parallels between these influential photographers.
Edited from Curators Notes:
Though working on opposite sides of the Pacific, they shared a profound commitment to formal clarity, tonal precision and the expressive potential of light.
Dupain established his career in 1930s developing a modernist language influenced by photographers from Europe and the US. Later his focused his attention on architectural photography and the pieces provide an exceptional incite into homes by Harry Seidler, the modernist architect.
Adams's photographs of the American West are among the most recognised images ever made, emblematic of a powerful but complicated story of pioneering ambition. He played an important role in the conservation movement and was recognised for his efforts to preserve wild and scenic areas.
Both sort to define national identity through image making, both committed to working in black and white and prioritising structure, balance and control.
Check out the exhibition at Bayside Gallery
Max Dupain and Ansel Adams: In search of perfection is a National Gallery Touring Exhibition presented as part of the Bowness Family Foundation Photography Touring Program.
Curator: Anne O'Hehir, Curator, Photography.
