Photofields 2024, a photography event by Powerhouse, returns to Sydney this December 6–7, with an expanded program of workshops, talks, screenings and an exhibition. Held at Ace Hotel, Golden Age Cinema and Sydney Observatory, the program will bring together leading photographers, astronomers, and filmmakers to explore the powerful role of lens-based media in telling stories about the cosmos, the sky, and Country.
This year’s program is especially significant as it marks the 150th anniversary of the Sydney Observatory’s groundbreaking photographic capture of the Transit of Venus, an event that, in 1874, united astronomers and photographers in an extraordinary interdisciplinary collaboration. This spirit of collaboration between the applied arts and sciences will resonate throughout this year’s Photofields program.
In a special opening night event, two of Australia’s most celebrated artists, Trent Parke and Narelle Autio, will be in conversation at the Ace Hotel. Renowned for their groundbreaking practice spanning photography, film and books, the duo will share stories from their expansive careers, including their latest photographic projects that reveal hidden worlds.
Golden Age Cinema will host a screening of award-winning documentary All Light, Everywhere (2021) by Theo Anthony. The film examines the biases inherent in human perception, exploring these ideas through the lens of astronomy and referencing one of the world’s first motion pictures, which documented the Transit of Venus in 1874.
Before the feature documentary, audiences will get a preview screening of the new Powerhouse production, Human Computer (2024); a short film directed by New York Foundation of the Arts Fellowship Award recipient Liselle Mei. This film brings to life the story of Winsome Bellamy, a female scientific assistant at Sydney Observatory who worked for 20 years on one of the most ambitious photographic endeavours in history, the ‘Carte du Ciel’ (Mapping the Stars) project, a collaboration between 18 observatories around the world that was carried out from 1916 to 1958. During this period, Sydney Observatory mapped 740,000 stars on 1400 photographic plates.
The program offers a bookable series of industry-led, hands-on workshops for the public at Sydney Observatory. Participants will explore alternative photographic processes and learn practical skills while connecting with Sydney Observatory as a site of photographic experimentation and observation.
Artist and photographer Yvette Hamilton will deliver a ‘cameraless’ lumen printing workshop, multimedia artist Meng-Yu Yan will guide participants through a shadow photography workshop after dark, and First Nations photographer Peta Clancy will lead ‘Photographing with Country’, a workshop that invites participants to engage with the landscapes and cultural histories of Country through the lens of photography.
The tradition of photographic observation at Sydney Observatory continues with the 20th anniversary edition of the Southern Sky Astrophotography 2024 exhibition. This exhibition displays the top entries from the 2024 David Malin Awards, an Australian astrophotography competition presented annually by the Central West Astronomical Society for AstroFest and sponsored by CSIRO Space and Astronomy. The free exhibition will be open to the public from 5 December – 1 February.
Throughout the program, members of the public are invited to visit Sydney Observatory to participate in telescope demonstrations led by Western Sydney University astronomers as well as special tours offering a rare chance to explore the site through the lens of photography and to look at the skies through Australia’s oldest working telescope, 150 years after it was first used to capture the stars.
Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah said, ‘Photography can connect us to our past, present and future, inspiring new ways of seeing and thinking about the world around us. Powerhouse is thrilled to bring Photofields to Sydney Observatory, and we look forward to connecting the public with industry leaders in the fields of photography and astronomy.’
Photographers Trent Parke and Narelle Autio said, ‘Photography has always been a way of life for us. From the moment we met, it has been at the heart of our shared journey, guiding us through discoveries in both life and art. We’re excited to return to Sydney to share our work and our stories at Photofields. Sydney holds a special place in our hearts — it’s where we met, created our first major project, and began our family. It will always be a meaningful chapter in our story.’
Photofields is part of Powerhouse Photography, a series of programs, commissions, acquisitions, learning and research activities dedicated to the promotion and development of photography in Australia, made possible through funds generously donated by the Australian Centre for Photography.
