Image: Mervyn Bishop Cousins, Ralph and Jim, Brewarrina 1966, printed 2008, gelatin silver photograph. Art Gallery of New South Wales, purchased under the terms of the Florence Turner Blake Bequest 2008 © Mervyn Bishop.
Mervyn Bishop: celebrating one of Australia’s most prolific photographers
Opening event: Friday 28 April 2023
Exhibition: 27 April to 3 June 2023
The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre
Mervyn Bishop is arguably Aboriginal Australia’s most prolific photographer. Through capturing personal images of family and friends, intimate portraits of members of the Aboriginal community, and defining moments in Australia’s political and social history, he has helped shape our understanding of Australia today.
Blacktown Arts are thrilled to present Mervyn Bishop: celebrating one of Australia’s most prolific photographers; a celebration of Bishop’s life and work through photographs from the Art Gallery of NSW collection and material from the artists archive.
The exhibition includes many of Mervyn Bishop’s now iconic images, spontaneous shots that derive from his career as a press photographer and intimate moments with his family and friends, all drawn from the Gallery’s collection.
Running alongside the exhibition, Ngunnawal and Yuin photographer and artist, Darren Bell, will be presenting his portraits in Darren Bell Shoots from the Hip.
Artist Bio
Mervyn Bishop was born and raised in Brewarrina, New South Wales, and was encouraged by his mother to take his first photograph. After witnessing the ‘magic’ of the developing process, he became passionate about photography. In 1963 he successfully applied for a four-year cadetship at the Sydney Morning Herald, and completed a Photography Certificate Course at Sydney Technical College during these years. Bishop continued to work for the Sydney Morning Herald, and was Australia’s first Aboriginal press photographer.
Image: Portrait of Mervyn Bishop, AGNSW 28 June 2017. Photo: Christopher Snee
An Art Gallery of New South Wales touring exhibition presented by Blacktown Arts and Blacktown City Council.
Blacktown Arts is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.
