Pieta_Courtney Love_David LaChapelle
This year marks the 12th
Ballarat International Foto Biennale and will showcase over 100 exhibitions from local and international artists over 30 days from 19 August – 17 September. It's the only photographic biennale in Australia and has attracted a huge range of elite and emerging photographers.
The Foto Biennale started in 2005 and this year it's debuting a public program, where photography will be publicly displayed around the streets of Ballarat.
Ballarat, located in regional Victoria is home to Australia's oldest and largest regional art gallery and notable heritage locations, with the
Core Program of the Biennale taking place at the beautiful
Art Gallery of Ballarat, The Mining Exchange, the Minerva Room, The Ballarat Observatory, Post Office Gallery and the Town Hall.
Now, for the first time in Australia,
David LaChapelle is headlining the exhibition at The Art Gallery of Ballarat. The Biennale's creative director, Fiona Sweet is very excited to get the exhibition! "
David La Chapelle is one of the rare photographers able to transcend the barriers between fine art and commercial photography, often with a profound social message".
American Jesus_David LaChapelle
The LaChapelle exhibition will include over 60 works from 2005 onwards, which have all been selected specifically by the man himself. His intention is to match current work with some more famous, slightly older pieces. Some of the pieces that will be on display are 2-3 metres long. He has photographed some of the most famous celebrities, from Michael Jackson to Hillary Clinton and Angelina Jolie and has a fascination with idols and 20th-century pop culture and consumerism.
As huge as it is, the David LaChapelle exhibition is only one of 8 shows at this year's Foto Biennale. Another highlight will be
"Tell", a show put together by Indigenous curator Jessica Clark. This exhibition at
The Mining Exchange will bring together works of 18 outstanding Indigenous photographers.
There is also a special focus on 2 female Iranian photographers Gohar Dashti and Shadi Ghadirian, where they shine a light on social and gender issues in Iran. Their work will be showcased as part of the
outdoor public program. Linking up with restaurants and bars around the town, and a
Fringe Festival program will run separately from, but complementary to, the main biennale schedule.
The Bodybuilders_Trudi Tremble
There are so many brilliant exhibitions to see and all are within walking distance. As Ballarat is a small town, you will have the opportunity to fully immerse in the local community through the photo biennale and walk through encountering the best of international and Australian photography!
The Ballarat International Foto Biennale will run from Saturday August 19 to Sunday September 17, 2017 at The Art Gallery of Ballarat and various other venues around the town.
Don't forget to book your accommodation early if you're planning to stay the night.
Gas Am Pm_David LaChapelle
All events are
FREE, except David LaChapelle which are timed sessions. My readers can buy tickets at a discounted rate of $15 (Usually $18) per ticket!
TO GET YOUR DISCOUNTED TICKET GO TO:
https://ballaratfoto.org/david-lachapelle/
Quote
BIFBWN2017 at checkout.
