Documentary
Baba Desi - The Belgrave Wizard
Baba Desi, born Desmond Bergen, 94 in his home “The Nook,” in the hills of Belgrave. Desi goes by many names, The Belgrave Wizard, Urban Dreamer, The Pirate and many more. Baba Desi is a healer, free spirit and protester of over 40 years. Desi is a staple of his community who is passionate about giving power back to the people. A man with a fighting spirit for justice, he is a true icon of Melbourne.
Pictured on his hand is his version of his proposed Australian Flag, replacing the Union Jack with the Aboriginal flag.
Baba Desi's portrait was shortlisted for The British Journal of Photography's 'Portrait of Humanity' award and featured on The Times.
Box Hill
Blink and you will miss it, the years will fly by and before you know it you will be stuck living with the regret that you didn’t fully appreciate the moment when you were living in it. 'I Wish We Knew These Were The Good Times When We Were In Them’ plays witness to the final moments of the Box Hill locals once knew. In a last ditch effort to immortalise my home suburb, I have walked the streets of Box Hill focused on documenting the area's unique character and personality that sadly is being lost one wrecking ball at a time, but from the rubble of cement, a beauty of art is born.
Since 2019 I have walked the streets of my area, photographing its identity. From Buddhist monks to violinists in the park, to chevaliers, archers and the everyday business worker, this series has pulled me deep within the culture of my own community showing me first hand its true diverse harmony and in turn, allowing me to show it to the world.
In this body of work, you will find scenes unwitnessed by the common eye. Through my determination to the community, I have been able to compile a visual record of moments and faces that without my camera, would be lost to us.
This series is an artefact of the greatest physical progression the suburb has seen in its long history, a radical moment in time that sees the first outer suburb in Melbourne transform into a city. A final goodbye to the place that we call home, as a community cautiously moves towards the future.
Dinosaur Dreaming
Unbeknownst to a majority of the general public, Australia is home to a thriving palaeontology scene. In fact the current record rate of discovery of new fossils and dinosaurs has the country in a “dinosaur boom.”
For Dr Thomas Rich & Patricia Vickers-Rich this “boom” started many decades ago. Since the 1970’s the couple have led a major effort to locate new fossil localities in Victoria, more specifically along the coast at the Dinosaur Cove site in Inverloch. Together, along with the help of their team of volunteers the couple found and described the Leaellynasaura and Timimus dinosaurs at Dinosaur Cove, named after their son and daughter.
Patricia has a decorated list of published books, curated international exhibitions and literary awards. In 2009 and 2010, he was involved in producing a documentary with David Attenborough titled Rise of Animals, based on her book of the same name. Tom still remains the Curator of Vertebrate Palaeontology at Museum Victoria, a title which he has held for over four decades.
Dinosaur Dreaming is a photo documentation of Thomas and Patricia’s continued efforts of leading the dig sites at and around the Inverloch area. The series also features Lesley Kool and Mike Cleeland, who are other prominent faces in the field. The series gives an insight into the work and efforts of the team and their dedicated volunteers who give their lives to the world of discovery. The work has been captured over a 4 year period, with Covid playing a factor in the timeline and availability to pursue the idea.
Forevermore
Forevermore is an exhibition and publication by Wilhelm Philipp and Matthew Peter Karak, released in conjunction with the Museum of Australian Photography.
The work captures quiet landscapes of the Wheelers Hill area, detailing its natural beauty throughout the years of 2019-2022. Forevermore acts as a love letter to Karak's lifelong home area of 26 years. These works capture a memory of his adolescence and earl adulthood and are a dedication to the Wheelers Hill community.
Forevermore exhibited at the MAPh Atrium from 18 November 2022 - 16 January 2023 and at the Monash Civic Centre from 23 January 2023 - 18 November 2023. It was the first physical exhibition to be held at the building and featured 16 framed images from the series.
Peter Schipperheyn
Wynne Prize award winning sculptor Peter Schipperheyn in his home studio in Donvale. Featured in the background of these images is Peter's 5 meter tall sculptor of Aboriginal artist and activist William Barak (1824-1903) who was the last traditional Ngurungaeta of the Wurundjeri-Willam clan, the pre-colonial inhabitants of present-day Melbourne, Australia.
The Dinosaur Dealer
Mark Jacobsen photographed with his 19 meter long, $58,000 life size replica Titanosaurus. Originally shot and written by Wilhelm Philipp. Featured in The Weekend Australian Magazine's - Heart Of The Nation, a weekly snapshot of modern Australian life showcasing the country's best photographers with stories by Ross Bilton. Also featured on ABC News - 'It's 4.5m tall and weighs a tonne, and for $58k this life-sized dinosaur can be yours.'
A Near Miss With The Abyss
A Near Miss With The Abyss is a photographic series documenting Dev's recovery from a serious skateboarding accident that left him with life-threatening injuries. This body of work captures Dev over a 5-month period from pre-surgery to post-surgery, highlighting the physical and mental transformations he experienced during this time, offering the audience an insight into his newfound appreciation for the world.
“What I do know is there’s this certain flavour of introspection and to an extent torment that has consumed me, a burning urgency to living now. It’s shown me I’m a hell of a lot stronger than I thought I was, I’m now fascinated by the juxtaposition of an unceremonious death and the beauty of life."
Dev's portrait won the 'Portrait' category for the Booooooom x Format 2023 Photo Awards from a pool over over 18,000 submissions worldwide and was also shortlisted for the British Journal of Photography's Portrait of Humanity prize in 2023.
Always Classic Cars
Hidden behind two roller doors of a normal looking home in Box Hill lies a fleet of 14 classic Rolls Royce cars belonging to family owned chauffeur business Always Classic Cars. With two generations of chauffeuring Always Classic Cars has a deep routed history in the Box Hill area and the world of weddings, a rare sight of cars that are few and far to come by. With some of the cars dating back to the 1930's they have driven some very iconic faces like the likes of Frank Sinatra and members of the royal family.
Box Hill City Archers
Blind archer David and his spotter Darcy, a magnificent display of sporting prowess.
Brendan Phillips
Brendan photographed in his garage in Box Hill North. Brendan regularly hosts garage sales selling his unique collection of objects and antiques.
Healthways
Mark is the owner of Healthways Recreation Centre, the building features pools, gyms and ten pin bowling. Established in 1961, Box Hill Tenpin at Healthways was the first bowling alley in Melbourne, and is now the longest running in Australia.
Mark's personal story is also quite inspiring having fully recovered from a double stroke and using the knowledge he learnt from his rehabilitation to help other stroke victims.
Saving Santa
For the last 18 years, Neale has served the community as a Santa Claus, spreading peace and goodwill to thousands of children, adults and families around Melbourne. Throughout his life, Neale has always been one to give back to the world and spread his magic as Santa. He is a true gentleman with a caring soul, a marvellous smile and a huge passion for life.
Neale and his wife Ingrid have fallen on hard times, the pandemic cut off any possibility for Neale to work as a Santa and Ingrid’s declining health circumstances worsened to a degree where Neale could no longer look after her on his own, which forced her to be in and out of hospital, where she has been now for the last 13 weeks. The couple were then hit with the news when they were told that the home they had been renting on Elgar Road for the last 17 years was going to be demolished to make way for townhouses and they would need to find a new residence. With Neale being out of work and Ingrid in hospital there is no current way for them to be able to find appropriate and safe accommodation to live in on their own.
“The common thread of humanity through all of this uncertainly overcomes any of the differences. Rich, poor, the successful or unsuccessful, the sick or the not sick. The pure magic of life itself is what keeps me going. It’s that simple."
This series tells the tale of Neale the Santa Claus and was released in assistance towards a GoFund Me set up to assist Neale and Ingrid with funds for a new rental home, which was successful.
The Avenue Of Honour
William Head was killed on the first morning of the Gallipoli landings on the 25th April 1915, the day on which would formally become the first ANZAC Day. On the 50th anniversary of William's death in 1965, Mont Albert residents planted 9 trees in honour of William and 8 other servicemen, 3 of which for his brothers, Fawcett, Rowland and Gordon.
To this day the trees still stand tall as living memorials on Churchill Street, however they may soon be forgotten, perhaps lost forever. It's estimated that around 550 trees along the Mont Albert and Surrey Hills train line (including the 9 planted on Churchill Street) are in the firing line to be cut down, it has been confirmed that the works will begin on the 25th October, 2021.
With a small window of time remaining to have the communities voice heard, this series acts as a final effort to express the sentiment and history attached to these trees and the importance in fighting for their survival.
The Garden Of Paradise
Adrian has been a handy man his entire life, using his mind and bare hands to build a world around him. He has always been a busy individual, working long days on job sites and donating his spare time to the church, now 13 years deep intro retirement nothing has changed. His days are still full of a variety of different tasks, these mainly include painting, cutting and gluing his different species of whirlybirds and tending to his garden. My father had told me of an old couple in the area he had met who had transformed their property into their own private sanctuary and that it was something that I had to witness in person.
A Man And His Shed
This series highlights the final years of the true suburban working class era. As the land attached to properties shrink and the available space is reimagined to make best use of what few metres remain, it may only be a few years before we see the end of the classic Australian shed. A place that is crucial to John’s identity and lifestyle.
Dom
Dom and his colourful hairstyle that he has been crafting for the last 40 years. Russell St, Melbourne (2024).
Don
“At my funeral take the bouquet off my coffin and throw it into the crowd to see who is next.”
I met Don while returning home from the city on a gloomy Sunday morning. He hopped on the same train I was travelling on, pulling up right in front of me with his poster in clear view. An easy conversation starter, we got to chatting and he told me that he had found the image online and thought it was hilarious, so he printed it out, stuck it to his scooter and now rolls around with it on full display to the world.
“People have a mix bag reaction when they see it, some laugh, others are shocked and don’t know what to say... When I pass I want to be put on my coffin.”
-
-
-
Share