Three Greek-Australian photographers have seen their series supported by the Head On Photo Festival, which is continuing its tradition of highlighting the efforts of many artists in the world of photography.
The Head On Festival returns for its 14th year against the backdrop of Sydney’s Bondi Beach with a bigger than ever collection of photographs, including a record 702 emerging and professional photographers from Australia and across the globe.
The Festival, which is running until December 3, includes more than 100 exhibitions across the city and is delivering $70,000 in prizes.
Among the list of photographers involved are Greek-Australians Nick Bourdaniotis, Tony Maniaty and Emmanuel Angelicas.
Mr Bourdaniotis has his series titled “Grand Slam Stories” on display at the Yalagang room in Bondi Pavilion until December 3.
The exhibition features several photos he has taken of Greek tennis players as well as players of Greek descent playing at the Australian Open in the last three years.
“I was thrilled when the Head On Photo Festival team approached me to feature my work. It’s an exciting opportunity to bring my creations to a broader audience and go mainstream, considering that most of my work has been focused on the global Greek community,” Mr Bourdaniotis told Neos Kosmos.
The Festival has attracted a huge number of guests so far, a fact which has greatly enthused Mr Bourdaniotis.
It’s incredibly gratifying to learn that during the initial days of the festival, over 1400 individuals visited the galleries. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” he said.
Another series that is being supported by the Festival is Tony Maniaty’s “The Planet of Possibilities”, which is on display at the Kiribilli Centre Gallery in North Sydney from November 19 – December 9.
The collection is centred on his recent travels in Europe, including Greece, with the goal of opening our eyes to the beauty of the Earth.
“I think humanity will survive only if we open our eyes to the myriad forms of beauty that exist all around us, including our complex interactions with each other, and in the possibilities that come with heightened creativity,” Mr Maniaty told Neos Kosmos.
The third photographer linked with the Festival is Emmanuel Angelicas, who is showcasing his series titled “Marrickville Chroma” at the Stirrup Gallery in Marrickville until November 26, with the official opening taking place this Saturday at 6 p.m.
The series holds personal significance to Mr Angelicas, affectionately documenting the various communities that also call the suburb where he was raised and lives today home.
Head On Photo Festival creative director and founder Moshe Rosenzveig OAM, said they have accepted one of the highest numbers of works to date this year.
“What’s unique about this festival – and unseen in any other gallery in Australia – is that we aren’t selecting the artists, rather the artwork based on its composition and merit alone,” said Mr Rosenzveig.
The event’s creative director elaborated that they select works blindly to stop them from picking works based on the celebrity of the photographer or subject.
“We don’t care where they went to school, or where they have exhibited before. We’re trying to eliminate that bias,” he said.
“Through this process we have discovered a lot of new talent and launched photographers into hugely successful professional careers.”
The annual competition celebrates photographic excellence across four categories: Portrait, Landscape, Environmental and a special category dedicated to school students behind the lens, with a total prize pool of $70,000, as well as equipment.
More information on the Festival can be found at www.headon.org.au
