The Prahran Legacy Project
For the past four years I have been working for the Prahran Legacy Project, which aims to promote recognition of the significance of Prahran College in the development of contemporary Australian photography. Inspiring tutors there – particularly Athol Shmith, John Cato and Paul Cox – in the 1970s and 1980s instigated a progressive, creative training for photographers. Many Prahran alumni went on to have distinguished careers in Australia and internationally.
This year our Curatorial Team instigated 3 exhibitions: The Museum of Australian Photography (MAPh) curated The Basement : Photography from Prahran College (1968 – 1981) 1 March – 25 May 2025. This exhibition focussed on the 1970s. I then curated two further exhibitions for the Team – The Prahran Legacy: Beyond the Basement at Magnet Galleries, Docklands, 4 – 15 May 2025, then Long Exposure: The Legacy of Prahran, 23 August – 19 October, a core exhibition of Ballarat International Foto Biennale, 23 August – 19 October 2025. These two exhibitions included the 1980s students of Prahran College and focussed on their more recent work.
Long Exposure: The Legacy of Prahran College
A core exhibition of Ballarat International Foto Biennale (BIFB), Long Exposure exhibited almost 200 works by 50 of the Prahran College alumni in the heritage Miners Tavern, 23 August – 19 October 2025. Curated by Merle Hathaway, it featured contemporary work in all photographic media and techniques, along with video interviews by Peter Leiss of many of the alumni, and screened works from the 1970s. 5,320 visitors attended, many leaving glowing reviews in the visitor book.
Curatorial Team for BIFB: Colin Abbott, Mimmo Cozzolino, Merle Hathaway, James McArdle, Philip Quirk, Ilana Rose.
The Prahran Legacy: Beyond the Basement
Magnet Galleries Inc, at Docklands 4 – 25 May 2025
This exhibition for the first time was open to all artists who majored in photography at Prahran College in the 1970s and 80s and the focus was on their current or mature work. Magnet is a specialist, not-for-profit photography gallery.
Project 2
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