HUW DAVIES GALLERY 25 February –14 March
 

 

Lannon Harley is an experienced photojournalist, but he has limited exhibition experience. He has not had a solo exhibition until now. Without the Huw Davies Gallery exhibition program it is unlikely he would have had a solo exhibition in Canberra, and we would have missed the very fine images he shares with us in Capital—Volume 1.

While he characterises himself as a photojournalist, in Capital—Volume 1 Harley has moved well away from the tradition of reportage that is the main meal of his profession. In his artist statement Harley suggests that this work documents the times in which his images were made. It is tempting to ignore the suggestion and simply consider the work against the formalist principles of colour, line, shape and texture. On that assessment Lannon Harley’s work is striking, beautifully composed and dramatic. Canberra is a dark place dominated by the strong linearity of modernist buildings, deep shadows and foreboding skies.

Is the global financial crisis really over? Lannon Harley thinks it is and tells us that the last images he made, in September 2009, contain the evidence. I’m not so sure the people in these images, minimal and enigmatic, shadowy characters emerging from even darker shadows, look any more light hearted than those in the others. Canberrans weighed down by their city and the burden of national government. Whatever interpretation you put on it there is a force at work in the images that speaks of Canberra as a serious place with big concerns on a large scale.

Intended or not, some of the places Harley photographed only a short while ago have changed radically—buildings going the way of mortals or perhaps, according to the precepts of contemporary commercial life, the way of buildings in investment driven, plot ratio obsessed urban Australia. What evidence will we have of the architecture of late 20th and 21st Century urban Australia 100 years from now?

Lannon Harley is a PhotoAccess artist in residence for the duration of his Capital project, and has joined our part time teaching staff this year. We are very pleased to present his first solo exhibition, Capital—Volume 1, in the Huw Davies Gallery at the Manuka Arts Centre and we look forward to seeing the work for the following two chapters in his photographic exploration of Canberra in 2011 and 2012.

David Chalker

Catalogue

This limited edition print portfolio is 16 images donated by artists associated with PhotoAccess as board members, board advisors, staff, course tutors and exhibiting members to commemorate the PhotoAccess 25th Anniversary in September 2009.

Macquarie Editions has printed the portfolio with UltraChrome HDR pigment inks on 310 gsm Canson Infinity BFK Rives 100% rag in a numbered edition of 25, with one artist’s proof. The first 10 sets are for sale as boxed sets. Images numbered 11 to 20/25 are for sale individually. Proceeds from the sale of the edition will help PhotoAccess continue its work providing community access to the photo based arts through exhibitions, courses and special projects.

The portfolio is:

Kerry Baylor, Breach (2007)
Stephen Best, Kosciusko I (c. 1980)
Tim Brook, Rijeka Crnojevića (2007)
Bob Burne, Still life with criminal (2008)
Joe Cali, The web (2008)
David Chalker, Surf club (2007)
Denise Ferris, Looking from the George Peterson Room (2009)
Lauren Hewitt, From the hill she could see (2009)
Kate Luke, Phoenix (2009)
Belinda Pratten, The Surfer (1994)
Barbie Robinson, February bird (2006)
Jocelyn Rosen, Abstract bust (2009)
Lorna Sim, Stormy afternoon (2007)
Tony Stewart, Sargasso Christ—What happened? (2008)
Sonia Turner, Portrait through the window (2008)
Ed Whalan, Gallus gallus domesticus (2009)

The portfolio would not have been possible without our supporters.

Macquarie Editions

Stephen Best is a PhotoAccess member, master digital printmaker and owner of Macquarie Editions. His first solo exhibition, Coast, was shown in the HUW DAVIES GALLERY in 2007. Stephen has printed a significant number of exhibition images for PhotoAccess members and other artists around Australia and is renowned for the quality of his work.

Abell’s Kopi Tiam Restaurant at Manuka

Lorna Sim is a partner in Abell’s Kopi Tiam restaurant and a long-standing member of PhotoAccess. She and Abell Ong have supported and shown photography in the restaurant for many years and are very pleased to be associated with PhotoAccess and the commemorative print portfolio.

Barbie Robinson

Barbie Robinson is a member and staff member of PhotoAccess. Her exhibition 256 Shades of Grey was shown in the HUW DAVIES GALLERY in 2005. She is supporting the edition in memory of her mother, Beb Bartholomew. Beb came to openings at PhotoAccess and sat happily in 'her' chair at the front desk sipping champagne and people-watching. She loved encouraging and supporting people she saw as 'having a go'. She had a special affection for PhotoAccess, observing a supportive environment for both its staff and its artists. Ed Whalan was her particular pin-up boy because of his role in introducing Barbie to the intricacies and boundless delights of photography.

Download Catalogue