The 'Head On Photo Festival' kicks off this weekend, featuring 22 days of public exhibitions, artist talks, and film screenings across Sydney. The works explore all kinds of issues, from hot-button political, to deeply personal, and the artists range from amateur to expert.
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00:00 You won't need a ticket to see these photos.
00:04 All of the works showcased as part of the Head-on Photo Festival are up in public spaces
00:09 for everyone to see.
00:11 The philosophy of the festival from the very beginning was to challenge the established
00:16 institutions, arts institutions.
00:19 We tried to do things that the other organisations didn't do.
00:23 This year the 22-day event features more than 700 artists.
00:28 Greetings from Waterloo, a series of portraits taken by first-time exhibitor Joel Pratley
00:34 documents the residence of an inner-city social housing development.
00:38 I found Waterloo had quite a tight community that I think a lot of people in our neighbourhoods
00:46 are missing.
00:47 So I think through that adversity and circumstance they've created a bond, a really strong bond.
00:54 The body of work also honours his own life experience.
00:58 Grew up in Wollongong, spent some time in social housing growing up with a single mum.
01:03 I was always interested as a journalist and an artist and as a human rights lecturer as
01:08 well in the issue of homelessness within the city of Melbourne but also Australia more
01:13 generally and I think it astounds quite a lot of people that you can walk around the
01:16 city and see people experiencing homelessness in quite a wealthy country.
01:20 Over the five years he spent on the project, Ali says he was touched by the enduring strength
01:26 of the relationship between the couple.
01:29 The fact that they'd experienced heroin addiction and homelessness for ten years on the streets
01:34 of Melbourne but remained married for more than 25 years throughout it all was an extraordinary
01:39 feat in and of itself and a very human story about love and friendship and relationship
01:44 that I think we can all relate to.
01:46 Ali's also created a book and an audio accompaniment, meaning the work can be experienced in different
01:52 ways.
01:53 Say for example if you have trouble with reading skills or you just want to listen to the audio
01:57 and the soundtrack you can do that while flipping through the photographs in the book as well.
02:01 As well as its focus on equal access, another factor that sets this festival apart is the
02:06 way the work is selected for inclusion.
02:09 As judges assess the entries, they aren't permitted to see the names of the photographers,
02:14 ensuring selection is on merit only.
02:18 Different pictures by different people chosen only on the basis of how good they are.
02:23 I think it gives everyone a fair chance in that sense whether they're a really established
02:26 artist or someone that's trying to have their first group exhibition.
02:31 And it's not only photos.
02:33 As well as the displays here on Bondi Beach and at Paddington Reservoir Gardens, over
02:37 the next week the Head On Photo Festival will host public talks, panel discussions and film
02:43 screenings across Sydney.
02:45 The festival runs until the 3rd of December.
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