Nancy Whittaker, Tarrangower Times
When I was about 14, I discovered mum’s Brownie Box camera and went out on my bike to take photos of sunsets in black and white. Imagine my disappointment when they came back from the chemist, perfect in every way, except for the 50 shades of grey.
Photography has moved on since then. Instant gratification via smartphones has made everyone a photographer. However, the photos we saw at the opening of the Maldon Photography Competition at the EDGE Galleries on Saturday 12 March were a far cry from ‘happy snaps’.
The Maldon Photography Competition (MPC) for 2021 was opened by Maree Edwards Bendigo West MP, who made the very salient point that photography is more important than ever for documenting history as it is happening in Ukraine. She emphasised the important work EDGE is doing in promoting photography as an art form, as it ensures that history is concrete and not lost.
MPC for 2021 is showing the finalist photographic images at EDGE Galleries in Maldon from Saturday 12 March to Sunday 20 March, both weekends only from 11-3. Last Saturday 12 March, a large, enthusiastic crowd attended the opening event and announcement of the winners.
This, the second iteration of the competition, is the brainchild of Pamela Jewson of MEDE Inc. and Simon Dow, photographer and Director at EDGE Galleries, both Maldon residents.
The theme of this competition is Tapestry of Towns, which invited photographers of all levels of experience to ask themselves the question ‘what does it mean to live in, belong to, journey through, come from or be a part of and feel connected to a particular town or community?’
The entries have shown that many seem to feel deeply connected to nature, landscape and surrounding beauty, in addition to people and community gatherings.
There were 18 finalist images coming from both within Victoria and from other states showing a wide range of ability, technique and artistic sensibility. The finalists and the prize winners have been chosen by Jessica Ledwich, a Melbourne based internationally exhibited photographic artist and lecturer in photography and Simon Dow. The judging process was ‘blind’ with no names associated with the entries to ensure a professional and bias-free process.
The Maldon and District Community Bank Prize of $2,000 was awarded to Kate Atkinson for her image titled Not just a Firey. Kate was unable to be there to receive her prize; however, ever resourceful Simon Dow congratulated her over speakerphone, so she heard the loud applause while stranded in flooded Lismore. Her photo highlighted the importance of volunteer rescue groups.
Warral Maldon Prize sponsored by Warral Maldon awarded $1,000 to Jane Austin for her image Heart of Town, which Barry Robinson presented on behalf of Lindsay Calloway, who was busy with his bees. In addition, there was a Friends of Photography Prize of $200, which was given to Mira Kim for her image Light at the end of the tunnel. Two honourable mentions went to Julie Nixon and Mark Polsen for their images titled Dirt Track after Rain and Isolated, but never alone respectively.
The junior component of the Maldon Photography Competition 2021 sponsored by Maree Edwards will be shown at EDGE later in the year.
Some of the finalist images are for sale, so please visit the exhibition, which closes at 3pm on Sunday 20 March.
Jessica Ledwich will open her latest exhibition at EDGE titled ‘STICKY BITS’ on Saturday 26 March, running through to 1 May, open on weekends. It will be very colourful, so you are encouraged to wear bright and outrageous colours to the opening.
For further information: contact 0400 337 301.
This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 18 March 2022.
