Australians as art: A photography exhibition by Jon Frank

The picnic rug laid out to be filled with picnic food, the girls walking along the sidewalk after an afternoon of shopping, the laid back bodies of beachgoers laying out on the sand, baking in the hot sun. These are the souls of Australians captured by the renowned photographer Jon Frank in his latest photography show, aptly called Australians. The exhibition is the artists way of showing the world this incredible country through the lens of one of its inhabitants.

In the charming rooms of Juniper Hall lies the colourful photos of our countries ‘heroes’. Beautifully captured in their raw selves, Frank has depicted us the way we all see ourselves. He shows us the good, the bad and everything in between, showing our versatility as a country and represents our famous image of mate-ship.

The photography itself is rough around the edges but beautiful in its delivery. It’s not over-edited or made to look too perfect so that it takes away from what the image actually means. There is a mixture of black and white and colour photography that is flattering to each photo individually and they all work really well together.

The exhibition space provides a perfect contrast to the photographs. The old hall juxtaposes against the modern age pictures, bringing together the old and the new. Within each room there is a different layout and theme to each space. The curator has grouped the serious, meaningful photographers in one room and kept the lighthearted, warm photos in another place. Allows for each theme to be fully understood and appreciated without being overwhelmed.

The light that pours into the first room to the left when you walk into the Hall is a perfect backdrop for the sun filled, lively photos that greet you as you enter the room. The photos of families picnicking by the water, teens sitting by the beach after a swim in the hot sun and the famous ‘African-Australian Boy’ emerging from a refreshing dip in the beach evoke a sense of warmth and bliss that comes from the idea of summer. Families of all shapes, sizes and cultures litter the sun filled photos, giving a pleasant nod to Australians blossoming multicultural community. In the cold June days of winter, it warms the cockles of your heart.

With the light there is also dark, and Jon has combined this exhibition perfectly without taking away from the theme of Australians. Photos of a man smoking a bong, a women puffing on a cigarette with children nearby and a man drinking along highlight the darker side of our communities. It’s a reminder that while we have one of the best cultures in the world, we still have our dark side.

The feelings of nostalgia and a sense of pride are immediate how i felt while enjoying this exhibition. It shows off our beautiful country to it’s full potential and really proves how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful place. These photographs feel like they represent a moment that Jon has experienced and captured straight away so that we too can feel those emotions that he felt when he took the shot. The photos have an incredible integrity about them; no poses or distractions, just that one moment in time.

This exhibition is incredibly clever and beautiful and is a real thing of beauty and honesty. It really makes you proud to be an Australian.

The exhibition will be held at Juniper Hall until the 21st of June.

For more information, please head to the Juniper Hall website here.