Faces of Launceston Previous Exhibition Archives

We came here from Sydney in 1988 -our own Bicentennial project, with a familiar story - We wanted a change of lifestyle and the environment in which to raise a family. We found all of that and much much more.

reading the artist statements that I wrote ten years ago for the initial Faces of Launceston project, the words still ring true, and the ideas , motivations and joys that I have received from doing this project remain .

In 1995 I wrote:

“If I had decided to photograph 1000 people or I wanted to spend a life time doing so there would be plenty of scope , Launceston is full of people from diverse backgrounds and they all have a story to tell...........”

......If cities were just building materials, they would be the same the world over. The individual life, character and flavour of a city comes from its people.”

So when the call for ideas went out for the “Its about us “celebrations, it seemed natural to revisit the project and to immerse myself in the people of Launceston yet again.. The idea of adding another 100 people to the collection appealed to my sense of order -

Every town has it’s characters, celebrities, villains, and heroes, This Collection has representatives of all of these groups but it’s often the ‘ordinary’ people who turn out to be extraordinary.”

In return for photographing the fascinating people of Launceston I have been been afforded a rare insight into the mechanism that is the clock-work of a community. The city is full of wonderful, exciting generous people, and anyone that you talk to can give you the name of someone else who would be perfect for the project!

Faces have universal appeal, the medium of black & white give the images a timeless quality. Together, I hope that this collection provides a unique record to chronicle the personal history of this city and the time that we spend here.

Photographs cannot be taken, rather they must be given

I once again thank all those who have given so generously to this exhibition.