Meet the PHOTO 2021 team

Elias Redstone is the founder and Artistic Director of PHOTO 2021 International Festival of Photography. With over 15 years experience within the arts sector, Elias has a track record of initiating and delivering innovative cultural programs in collaboration with leading institutions such as Barbican Art Gallery, MoMA and Storefront for Art and Architecture. He was Curator of the Polish Pavilion at the 2010 Venice Biennale and Senior Curator at the Architecture Foundation, London. He has edited publications for Prestel, Sternberg Press and Bedford Press, and served as Contributing Editor for Arena Homme Plus and GQ Style. His book Shooting Space: Architecture in Contemporary Photography is published by Phaidon.

 

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH PHOTOGRAPHY?

I have always been fascinated with photography and how it both reflects and informs our sense of being. It helps us learn about ourselves and our place in the world. It allows people to explore their identity, their sexuality, their community, and so much more. It is personal and it is political. It documents our lives, and can make visible ideas and concerns that are not immediately apparent.

While I have worked as a curator for several years, the inspiration for launching this Festival came from wanting to celebrate the incredible network of photographers, artists, academics, curators and collectors that congregate in and around Melbourne; to create an opportunity for the sector across Australia to come together and connect with the global photographic community; and to create a time for people to pause and consider the role photography plays in their lives.

Clare McKenzie is the Executive Director of PHOTO 2021. She has a passion for bringing teams together to deliver large-scale arts projects and engaging with communities through the arts. Prior to joining PHOTO 2020, Clare was General Manager for Ausdance Victoria, where she led the team to deliver Big Dance Australia. She has developed extensive skills in management, producing and marketing over the last twelve years, with significant experience in touring circus and contemporary dance through her work with KAGE dance theatre and Circus Oz.

 

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH PHOTOGRAPHY?

My Grandfather started my relationship with photography. My grandparent’s spare room was converted into a dark room and while my grandpa didn’t make a career out of photography it was one of his biggest passions. I loved our family slide nights and looking through photo albums with him. His work is now on my walls and also on my bookshelf in a book celebrating 50 years of the Australian Ballet. Joining the PHOTO 2021 team has increased my love of the artform and I can’t wait for the world to see what PHOTO 2021 artists have created for the Festival.

Brendan McCleary is PHOTO 2021’s Producer, overseeing the festival’s outdoor program. He was born and lives on Wurundjeri country. Previously he worked as a Producer for MPavilion, stage managed events for White Night Melbourne, Dark Mofo, and Melbourne Music Week, and in 2017 worked for the Australia Pavilion at the Venice Biennale. In 2018-19, Brendan was the Program Director for the Monash MPavilion, commissioning artists and events on the Monash University Clayton campus. As an independent curator, Brendan has worked with a number of Australian and international artists including Zanele Muholi (South Africa), Allora & Calzadilla (USA/Cuba), and Carolee Schneemann (USA).

 

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH PHOTOGRAPHY?

I’ve always been drawn to art and that reveals something about its maker. I think photography, as a medium, does this beautifully. In its essence, photography allows you to look through the eyes of another. You get to see the way a person captures a moment, even how they manipulate the image they capture, and gives you a glimpse into their personal perspective.

Linsey Gosper is the Events Producer of Photo 2021. She brings with her 15 years of experience working in various roles in the Melbourne / Naarm photographic industry. Previous to joining the team Linsey was the Curator of Engagement at the Centre for Contemporary Photography, where she managed the events and education program. She was the director and co-founder of Strange Neighbour (2013 – 2019), a former gallery, community darkroom and artist studios based in Fitzroy. Linsey has an active art practice specialising in film photography and darkroom processes.

 

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH PHOTOGRAPHY?

For over 20 years I have been engaging with photography as a maker, curator and educator. Photography is a big part of how I see, interpret and appreciate the world. Through taking photos and making prints I have documented my life, staged a vision of a world I want to live in, and enjoyed a playful escape and creative outlet. I like nerding out about camera gear and analogue printing, and indulging other people’s stories about their love affair with photography. Sharing knowledge of the process of photography, creating community and inspiring others through experiencing the magic of the medium, is my passion.

Coming from a community-orientated family Dean’s approach to life has always been to contribute to community where he can and to endeavour to have a positive impact on the world. Dean loves that working in communications allows him to work with a range of artists and creatives to share diverse stories and reveal truths and perspectives from all walks of life. With over 10 years’ experience in the arts, culture and entertainment industry across Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and regional Victoria, Dean now runs his own communications and business development consultancy, George and Bill, which specialises in working with professional creatives and small businesses, including PHOTO 2021, SEVENTH Gallery, Snacky Bibs and clients in New York, Vancouver and New Zealand.

 

WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH PHOTOGRAPHY?

My grandmother was a huge photo album keeper, the mountains of images collected from all across the world, from family and friends near and far tracked a history of memories. People and places and moments in time are forever held at that moment, and while our memories are sometimes stretch to recollect where, or when or who that person is they are still from decoded into stories and messages of their own. While my personal habits of collecting personal photos are not as disciplined as hers, my consumption of photographs and images has provided me with a means to make sense of my world. My career and education has focused around the media and how it is used to communicate to the masses and I often think that without photography and more recently the moving image so many significant moments in our lives would either go untold, forgotten or falsified.