New Light: Photography Now + Then

A mesmerising display of photography spanning 1890 to 2024.

With the power to freeze and preserve time, photography has captured imaginations for centuries. This August, step into New Light: Photography Now + Then, an exhibition where past and present converge in a mesmerising display of photography spanning 1890 to 2024.

Immerse yourself in the remarkable tale of amateur Brisbane photographer Alfred Henrie Elliott (1870-1954), whose extraordinary images lay dormant for decades until they were discovered in 1983, stored in cedar cigar boxes beneath a home in Red Hill.

Initially thought to comprise 300 glass-plate negatives and a trusty tailboard camera, the collection’s narrative took an unexpected turn in 2014 with the discovery of an additional cigar box brimming with over 400 film negatives and 92 prints.

Drawing on this treasure trove of an archive, seven contemporary Brisbane photographers will debut exciting new commissions responding to different parts of the Elliott Collection.  Brisbane’s photography community have also responded to the archive and a selection of images will be shown in a display titled Viewfinders. By layering their own perspectives, knowledge and experiences onto the collection, the artists will encourage new ways of looking at our past, our present and this place.

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February

Perth: Until 18 May 2025. Henry Roy – Impossible Island draws on 40-years of recollections and observations as it brings together 113 photos taken from 1983 to 2023.

Sydney: Until 31 Dec 2025. PIX, Australia’s first pictorial news weekly, is brought to life in this exhibition, showcasing its archived images and stories for the very first time.

Sydney: Until 30 June. The photographs in Max Dupain: Student Life were taken at the University of Sydney in the early 1950s, a period of rapid change marked by the politics of the Cold War.

Melbourne: Until 26 April 2025. The exhibition features 52 works from the National Portrait Gallery’s collection of dance legends and reflects the freedom and joy of dance and its power to connect.

Sydney: Until 27 April 2025. Ocean Photographer of the Year exhibition. Featuring 118 extraordinary images, this exhibition explores the awe-inspiring beauty and fragility of our oceans.

Canberra: 27 Feb until 20 July 2025. The National Library has invited renowned Australian photojournalist Mike Bowers to select some of his favourite images from the Fairfax Photo Archive.

March

Melbourne: 1 March – 25 May 2025. Featuring the work of approximately 60 artists, The Basement brings to light rare vintage prints from the 1960s – 1980s, from students and teachers of the College’s Diploma of Art & Design (Photography).

Perth: 15 Feb - 3 May 2025. de-centre re-centre highlights the strength and diversity of contemporary photography in Australia. The exhibition explores place and belonging in First Nations, diasporic and queer communities.

Melbourne: 28 March – 4 May 2025. Horan’s work thrives on contrast: the ordinary and extraordinary, rigid and fluid, playful and refined. Using materials like plastic, chrome, glass, and foodstuffs, she elevates the overlooked through precise composition and unexpected juxtapositions.

April

Sydney: 3-21 April. This exhibition celebrates our bird life of Sydney's Inner-west. A 10-year retrospective showcasing Angela Robertson-Buchanan's award-winning images as well as an insight into the tireless work wildlife carers do for our local birdlife.