Australia-China Council

Australian Photographers showcased in China throughout 2013

The Australian writer and curator, Alasdair Foster, has been commissioned to write 12 monthly features for the celebrated Chinese art-photo magazine PhotoWorld.  Spanning some 12-16 pages, each article and portfolio will focus on the work of a contemporary Australian photomedia artist, with a special emphasis on the diversity of approach and visual language at play in our country.

image of pages from Photoworld magazine featuring artists' work
Pages from the January and February issues of PhotoWorld featuring work by the Australia artists Polixeni Papapetrou (Victoria) and Sam Harris (Western Australia).

The series launched in January with the work of the respected Victorian artist Polixeni Papapetrou whose fantastical tableaux, created with her children Olympia and Solomon, have established a significant international reputation for the artist and her work. (Alasdair Foster will also present her work at the Fotográfica Bogotá biennale, Colombia, in May.)

image of Casey's photo 'The Embrace' showing a man slumped leaning against a tree
© Patricia Casey The Embrace 2013. Patricia Casey combines complex digital photomedia techniques and hand embroidery to create unique works that span new and traditional media. Her work will be featured in the April 2013 issue of PhotoWorld magazine.

In February the spotlight fell on Sam Harris, whose personal journey has taken him from the glamour of London Britpop to rural Western Australia where he has created a delicately poetic image-journal of family life. The other Australian photomedia artists to be feature during the year are Pat Brassington, Patricia Casey, Marian Drew, Murray Fredericks, Garth Knight, Murray McKeich, Glenn Sloggett, Robyn Stacey, David Stephenson and William Yang.

Image of Fredericks' photo 'Salt #21', showing a sunset on Lake Eyre basin
© Murray Fredericks Salt #21. Murray Fredericks spent extended periods alone on the vast expanse of Lake Eyre basin, capturing the shifting light and colour of this minimal landscape. His work will feature in the Decembers issue of PhotoWorld.

With over 50,000 subscribers, PhotoWorld represents a significant opportunity to showcase Australian talent in China and, more importantly, to animate an enriching cultural conversation between our two regions. The initiative was developed between Cultural Development Consulting, Australia (CDC) and PhotoWorld’s publisher, the Xinhua News Agency.

Cultural Development Consulting, Australia (CDC)