A new photography exhibition is set to open in SAM’s Community Gallery on 17 September 2022.

 500 Strong, the groundbreaking project from renowned Australian photographer Ponch Hawkes, is set to open in the Shepparton Art Museum’s (SAM) Community Gallery next month. A bold and playful work, the series of black and white photos celebrates the diversity and reality of the ageing female form, born out of Hawke’s desire to confront the conventions of female behaviour and representation in art and society. In 2018, Hawkes embarked on a mission to photograph 500 Victorian women over age 50. Following a callout across the state to women from all backgrounds, 432 Victorian women volunteered to be photographed in the nude to achieve Hawkes’ vision. Photoshoots were organised in Melbourne, at Hawkes’ studio, and at both Shepparton Art Museum (in its previous Welsford Street location) and Geelong Gallery. Participants could show their faces or consider anonymity and, if they wished, came prepared with a personalised face covering.

Originally presented as part of the exhibition Flesh after Fifty, curated by Jane Scott, and having previously been displayed at Geelong Gallery, 500 Strong now arrives at SAM in celebration and recognition of the contribution made to the project by numerous local women through their participation as subjects.

Artist Ponch Hawkes says of the exhibition:

“It’s an honour and a pleasure to be bringing 500 Strong to the marvellous new Shepparton Art Museum. It will of course include photos of dozens of brave Shepparton women, who joined hundreds more in ripping their clothes off and posing naked in the name of art and feminism.”

On Tuesday 6 September, an evening talk and Q & A session will be held by SAM CEO Melinda Martin and the exhibition's curator, Caroline Esbenshade, to discuss the upcoming exhibition prior to its opening. Members of the community who may wish to learn more about the story behind the exhibition and its relevance to the region, or have questions about the works, are invited to attend. Bookings are encouraged and can be made via the SAM website.

Caroline Esbenshade, SAM Curator – Community, says of the exhibition:

“It’s fantastic to have this opportunity to celebrate the women who took part in this project. Getting your kit off raises vulnerabilities personally, socially and professionally, and these women did it boldly. The portraits that make up the work are not only beautiful and full of personality, but also express a ‘joie de vivre’ that many will find inspiring.”

The official opening of 500 Strong will take place on 17 September at 1.00pm in the Community Gallery, with opening remarks from artist Ponch Hawkes. Ponch Hawkes will also join SAM at the close of the exhibition for a special SAM Talk, where she will appear in conversation with Dr Jacqueline Millner, Associate Professor of Visual Arts, La Trobe University.

500 Strong will be on display until 27 November 2022. The exhibition, and all others at SAM, are free and open to the public. More details can be found on the SAM website: https://sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/whats-on/upcoming/sam-presents-ponch-hawkes-500-strong/

ENDS

PROGRAMS & OFFICIAL OPENING

SAM Talks: 500 Strong

Tuesday 6 September, 5.30-6.30pm

SAM, Level 4

FREE

Join Melinda Martin, SAM CEO, and Caroline Esbenshade, SAM Curator – Community, for a conversation about upcoming exhibition 500 Strong. The pair will discuss the project’s connection and the significance behind its display in our Community Gallery, followed by a Q & A session. Book your spot here: https://www.trybooking.com/CCDTG

500 Strong: Official Opening

Saturday 17 September, 1.00pm

SAM Community Gallery, Level 2

FREE

Join artist Ponch Hawkes in our Community Gallery for the official opening of 500 Strong. Learn the story behind the creation of the work and its reception since its initial exhibition, and celebrate the local women who participated in this ground-breaking project. Bookings encouraged but not required – book your spot here: https://www.trybooking.com/CCDTM

SAM Talks: Ponch Hawkes and Dr Jacqueline Millner in Conversation

Sunday 27 November, 2.00-3.00pm

SAM, Level 4

FREE

To mark the closing of the show, join artist Ponch Hawkes for an in-depth conversation with Dr Jacqueline Millner (Associate Professor of Visual Arts, La Trobe University). Together, they will delve into the ideas and themes that drive the work and reflect on the erasure of ageing women from visual culture and the negative stereotypes that surround them. Book your spot here: https://www.trybooking.com/CCDTP

About the artist:

Ponch Hawkes is an Australian photographer whose work explores Australia’s cultural and social histories and present. Broad in scope, her work portrays Australians of all backgrounds in her interest in how individuals relate to one another. Her work is frequently bold and humorous,  and at other times sweet, capturing moments between individuals and those of self-reflection.

Hawkes' work has been included in numerous major Australian exhibitions such as Know My Name (2021-22) and Melbourne Now (2013) and is held in many significant collections across the country at institutions such as The National Gallery, The National Gallery of Victoria, the Jewish Museum of Australia, The Queensland Art Gallery and more.

About SAM:

Shepparton Art Museum (SAM), located on Yorta Yorta Country, is one of Australia's outstanding regional art museums, showcasing our exhibitions and collections in new and exciting ways and creating a welcoming, inclusive, and engaging space for all audiences. Artists are central to our work. Our programming is designed to be locally relevant and engage with global contemporary ideas. SAM is recognised for its significant Australian ceramics collection, and our nationally significant collection of Indigenous art. As the only public art museum in Greater Shepparton and north central Victoria, our mission is to present great art in Shepparton, and to contribute to the cultural enrichment, community engagement and economic prosperity of the region. 

Media enquiries, please contact: Louise Tremper, Marketing Coordinator, SAM

p: (03) 4804 5026 e: ltremper@sheppartonartmuseum.com.au