The Hindu : New Delhi News : A lensman’s journey through Australia

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 09, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

New Delhi

New Delhi

A lensman’s journey through Australia

A MASTER’S ALBUM: A piece of work from Trent Parke’s collection “Minutes to Midnight” that will be put up for public viewing from July 12 to 27.

Capturing the mood of a still young and emerging Australia is a photo exhibition by a celebrated artist from Down Under, Trent Parke, opening in the Capital on Wednesday.

“Minutes to Midnight” — comprising a series of black-and-white pictures — will be inaugurated at 1/50 G. Shanti Path in New Delhi’s diplomatic enclave by the Australian High Commissioner to India, John McCarthy. It will t hen be on view at the All-India Fine Arts and Crafts Society gallery on Rafi Marg from July 12 to 27. Acknowledged as the first Australian to become a full member of the renowned photographers’ cooperative “Magnum Photo Agency”, Trent is considered one of the most innovative and challenging young photographers of his generation. Documenting his journey across Australia over a two-year period, Trent inspects the current and changing state of the Australian nation. He examines the disjuncture between general perception of the Australian way of life with its nostalgia and romanticism and the more complex reality. Through his photographs he has depicted various facets of Australia – a sports-loving country, life on the street, great outdoors and has also focused on the indigenous Aborigines community. In 2003, this Aussie was awarded the prestigious international W. Eugene Smith Grant in Humanistic Photography for “Minutes to Midnight”.

Exhibited for the first time at the Australian Centre for Photography as part of the Sydney Arts Festival in 2005, the series is being presented in the country by the Australian High Commission with the support of the Australia International Cultural Council. In Delhi, the exhibition is being co-hosted by the Centre for Media and Alternative Communication. The exhibition also coincides with National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee Week-2008, a week of commemoration of Australia’s indigenous communities.

Madhur Tanka

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi