Exhibition launch | 2-4pm Saturday 20 June
As part of the opening celebrations, we welcome several dance groups from the Burmese and African communities in Maroondah. Guest speakers at the opening include Mariam Issa, a Somali-born community activist who is included in the exhibition, and Judy McDougall from the Migrant Information Centre. This will be a very welcoming and inclusive event for everyone in the community, and there will also be children’s activities as part of the celebrations.
About the Exhibition
Displaced Pastimes is a poignant collection of twenty-four images and video footage celebrating the migrants and refugees who have made Australia their home. The series depicts migrants and refugees undertaking their hobbies; from coconut carving to bonsai, from playing soccer to reading in a public park. The stark lighting that is a feature of the photographs suggests that there is a theatrical dimension to the everyday pursuits we often take for granted. Well-versed in the technical nuances of photography, Andy Drewitt demonstrates the profound freedoms of personal pursuits when set against the dark histories of war, persecution and torture.
The exhibition prompts us to consider the ways that we spend our own spare time – the great privilege, for example of being able to spend time with children at a park, or to grow our own vegetables. Upon viewing the exhibition, we might also think about the great value that lies in engaging with community as part of our leisure time.
The images in Displaced Pastimes are accompanied by personal stories told by participants about their pastimes, and a video projection of interviews with the participants.
Andy Drewitt is a well-respected photojournalist based in the City of Maroondah. He has worked as a photographer and journalist for publications including The Australian, The Age, Herald and Weekly Times, and Leader Community Newspapers. Andy recently started his own venture as a freelance photographer, writer and cinematographer. With nineteen years experience as a photographer and journalist, his work has been recognized with awards including a United Nations Peace Media Prize, two Walkley awards, two Quill awards and two Pacific Area Newspaper Publisher Awards.
Exhibition dates 20 Jun 2015 – 05 Sep 2015
Maroondah Art Gallery, 32 Greenwood Avenue, Ringwood
