MIRROR: New views on photography

Opening hours

10am to 6pm, daily

Location

State Library Victoria

Bookings

Free entry, no bookings required

Opening hours

10am to 6pm, daily

Location

State Library Victoria

Bookings

Free entry, no bookings required

ABOUT

Great photography can hold up a mirror to the world and reflect our innermost thoughts and feelings. ​ MIRROR: New views on photography showcases over 140 photographs from the State Collection, alongside creative responses from emerging and established Victorian storytellers to tell fascinating tales of Victoria through a contemporary lens. 

ACCESSIBILITY

Displayed in stunning detail, photos of over 140 photographers including Rennie Ellis, Viva Gibb and Helmut Newton will combine with the words, performance and sounds of Alice Skye, Christos Tsiolkas, Jason Tamiru and Walter Kadiki and other storytellers to produce new narratives of Victorian people and places.

The exhibition is Auslan interpreted.

Watch this video for a welcome to the exhibition in Auslan.

Click the button below for exhibition accessibility details and resources.

IMAGE HIGHLIGHTS

For this exhibition 141 photographs were chosen to explore the theme of ‘mirror’, dating from 1950 to today. Mirrors can be physical objects (hanging on bathroom walls, the reflection of the sky on a body of water, an imitation or a copy), but they can also be symbolic – revealing other ways of seeing.

Ross Bird

Veronica Pereira Maia, Sydney, 1996

Photographic print (gelatin silver)

1996

Find in catalogue: H99.164/6

Rennie Ellis

Gordon, young man, punk, Greville St., Prahran

Digitised colour slide (35 mm transparency)

1985

Find in catalogue: H2012.140/1406

Sue Ford

Self Portrait With Bouffant

Photographic print (gelatin silver)

1961

Find in catalogue: H99.223/1

Viva Gibb

Moslem women at the end of Ramadan fasting – Eid al-Fitr

Photographic print (gelatin silver)

1994

Find in catalogue: H98.161/69

Norman Ikin

Ballet dancers

Photographic print (gelatin silver)

c. 1950–54

Find in catalogue: H2006.1/4

Wolfgang Sievers

Interior Guest room Menzies Hotel, 509 Bourke Street, Melbourne

Photographic print (Type C)

1965

Find in catalogue: H98.30/400

Ross Bird

Veronica Pereira Maia, Sydney, 1996

Photographic print (gelatin silver)

1996

Find in catalogue: H99.164/6

Rennie Ellis

Gordon, young man, punk, Greville St., Prahran

Digitised colour slide (35 mm transparency)

1985

Find in catalogue: H2012.140/1406

Sue Ford

Self Portrait With Bouffant

Photographic print (gelatin silver)

1961

Find in catalogue: H99.223/1

Viva Gibb

Moslem women at the end of Ramadan fasting – Eid al-Fitr

Photographic print (gelatin silver)

1994

Find in catalogue: H98.161/69

New views on photography
New views on photography

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MEET THE STORYTELLERS

Creative responses by Victorian novelists, essayists, spoken word artists, non-fiction writers, activists, songwriters and poets brings fresh perspectives to the photographs in the State Collection.

Alice Skye has arranged lyrics

Alice Skye is a Wergaia and Wemba Wemba award-winning artist living in Naarm, whose music takes its cue from the world within and around her. Her piece is about the geo-psychology of a place – being from and belonging to a land.

Leah Jing McIntosh has composed a short essay

Leah Jing McIntosh is a critic, photographer and the founding editor of Liminal magazine. In her response, she considers what occurs beyond the photographic frame.

Jason Tamiru has performed an audiovisual journey

Jason Tamiru is a proud Yorta Yorta man who has worked with many of Melbourne’s most iconic performing arts companies, museums and festivals as a producer. His piece explores the ceremony of language which connects us to our greater being.

Pasifika Storytellers Collective has made songs, films, short texts, spoken word and prints

The Pasifika Storytellers Collective is a group of diverse creative persons of Pasifka background who have come together to nurture and develop their craft as storytellers.

BECOME A MEMBER

Enrich your love of the arts and take your experience to the next level with a Cultural membership.

EVENTS

Join us at the Library to delve deeper into MIRROR through talks, tours and workshops.

MIRROR: New views on photography
 –  10am - 6pm

Free. no bookings required