Legendary American photographer Ryan McGinley joins Shepparton Art Museum on 9 March for the official opening of YEARBOOK
4 March 2024
Legendary American photographer Ryan McGinley joins Shepparton Art Museum on 9 March for the official opening of YEARBOOK
In celebration of newly-opened major international exhibition YEARBOOK, American photographer Ryan McGinley will join the Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) for the exhibition’s opening celebration on Saturday 9 March from 5pm.
The opening event, which is part of the PHOTO 2024 International Photography Festival, will feature opening remarks from Victorian Pride Centre CEO Justine Dalla Riva, followed by an exclusive in-conversation between Ryan McGinley, SAM CEO Melinda Martin, and PHOTO Australia Founder/Artistic Director Elias Redstone. This appearance from McGinley marks the only free event that audiences can enjoy during his brief visit to Australia.
Internationally renowned for his snapshot-casual style of photography, McGinley’s work draws influence from his personal experiences and American street culture from his youth to present day, with a strong focus on queer identities.
Consisting of a single artwork featuring over seven hundred vinyl-printed studio portraits of creatives living and working in New York City, YEARBOOK floods the gallery space with bold colour and form. Despite the distinct individuality of each subject, the posters are unified by McGinley’s exceptional skill in capturing a fleeting moment. First presented in New York City in 2009, McGinley has shown this ever-evolving work at major public institutions in Tokyo, Denmark, Korea, and Spain. The wallpaper-style presentation of the work adapts to each gallery space it features in, making every new presentation unique and site-specific.
YEARBOOK will be showing at SAM from 1 March until 14 July 2024 with free entry. To register your attendance at the exhibition opening event on 9 March visit the SAM website: https://sheppartonartmuseum.com.au/event/exhibition-opening-celebration-ryan-mcginley-yearbook-photo-2024/
Ryan McGinley: YEARBOOK, installation view, Shepparton Art Museum, 2024. Photo: Shepparton Art Museum.
Event details:
YEARBOOK Exhibition Opening Celebration
Saturday 9 March, 5PM-8PM
Shepparton Art Museum, 530 Wyndham Street, Shepparton
Free – bookings essential: https://events.humanitix.com/exhibition-opening-celebration-ryan-mcginley-yearbook
Justine Dalla Riva (CEO, Victorian Pride Centre) will officially open the exhibition. This will be followed by in-person conversation with artist Ryan McGinley, Melinda Martin (CEO, SAM) and Elias Redstone (Founder/Artistic Director, PHOTO Australia)
About Ryan McGinley:
Ryan McGinley is a New York–based photographer. His early photos displayed the unseen intersection of skateboard and graffiti culture, with a strong queer focus. At age twenty-five, he became the youngest artist to have a solo show at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City (NYC). For over a decade, McGinley has road-tripped continuously throughout the United States to create work that incorporates the human body within the American landscape. Dubbed by GQ as “the most important photographer in America”, McGinley can often be found on the streets of NYC participating in queer activism, fighting for LGBTQIA+ rights. McGinley frequently presents international solo gallery and museum exhibitions and has an ongoing studio practice photographing members of NYC’s creative community.
Ryan McGinley. Image courtesy of the artist
About PHOTO Australia:
PHOTO Australia was founded in 2018 to launch a major new photography biennale in Melbourne and sites across Regional Victoria. Taking place every two years, the festival addresses the major issues of our time in a program of free exhibitions, outdoor displays and artist commissions across the city, as well as awards, talks, workshops, tours and experiences. Presenting ideas critical to contemporary photographic discourse, PHOTO encourages the public to engage with and think about photography and visual culture in new and inspiring ways.
The inaugural festival PHOTO 2021 ‘The Truth’ presented 105 exhibitions by 160 artists. PHOTO 2022 ‘Being Human’ saw presentations of 130 artists across Melbourne including icons Cindy Sherman and Helmut Newton, with British Journal of Photography claiming the biennale is “Australia’s most prestigious photography festival.” Both festivals have attracted a total of more than 250,000 participants. PHOTO 2024 01–24 March ‘The Future Is Shaped by Those Who Can See It’ will be the third edition.
About SAM:
Shepparton Art Museum (SAM) is located on Yorta Yorta Country, Shepparton, Victoria.
As a leading Australian regional art museum, SAM showcases its exhibitions and collections in new and exciting ways, creating a welcoming, inclusive, and engaging space for all visitors.
Recognised for its significant Australian ceramics collection and nationally significant collection of Indigenous art, SAM’s programming is designed to be locally relevant and engages with global contemporary ideas. Through its exhibitions, collection, programs and events, SAM creates a place where art helps us to better understand the ancient cultures of this country and contemporary multicultural Australia.
Featured image: Ryan McGinley, YEARBOOK, installation view, Shepparton Art Museum, 2024. Photo: Cam Matheson