Organisers say the fifth BIFB Festival will be bigger and more diverse than any before it.
The Ballarat International
Foto Biennale [BIFB] fifth Festival of Photography, featuring
international shooters such as South Korean Young Ho Kang and American
Francisco Diaz, as well as Australian legend John Cato, will run from August 17
to September 15. BIFB has two major exhibition programs: its curated Core
Program, and an open-entry Fringe Program. The festival will stage over 80
shows in galleries, project spaces, commercial businesses and public sites
around the historic western Victorian regional city.
Famous as the location of
the Eureka Stockade battle in 1854, Ballarat has a city centre with many
historic buildings, and a major art gallery, many of which are used as core
exhibition sites. The BIFB Core Program is a series of invited exhibitions by
20 Australian and International artists, representing some of the best and most
innovative contemporary photographic practice staged in eight heritage
buildings.
Shows in the Core Program focus on new work with a diverse
curatorial approach, presenting images encompassing all the genres of
photography, from reportage to fine art. "Once again the Core Program at
BIFB'13 will bring an eclectic mix of photography from all over the
world," said Festival Director Jeff Moorfoot. "With the exception of
our tribute show, which features the work of the late John Cato, none of the
exhibitions has been previously shown in Australia. It has always been our
aim to keep the festival fresh and somewhat unpredictable for our audience, and
we take great pride in exposing the works of exciting new artists to festival
goers."
The Fringe Program provides a stage for photographers of all levels
to present their talents to a broad audience. BIFB'13 will also have lots of
support events offering photographic insights, education, participation and
inspiration, including a projections program; a public art program; workshops,
seminars and master-classes; artist floor-talks; portfolio reviews; a schools
program; and a photographic book prize.
The BIFB is supported by the City of Ballarat and Ballarat
Regional Tourism, which recognise the role the festival plays, the
opportunities it provides for community involvement in the arts, and its
economic impact. The last festival had 206 events at 73 venues, and an audience
of 63,400 came through seven major venues. Highlights of the 2013 Core Program
will include work from international photographers like Young Ho Kang (from South Korea); Francisco Diaz, (US); and Doc Ross
(from New Zealand).
There will be a tribute show to Australian press and commercial photographer,
the late John Cato, and work from Sonia Macak, much of which is based on her
background as an immigrant.
All Core Program exhibitions are free to attend and
open seven days a week for the biennale's month-long duration. For more
information go to http://www.ballaratfoto.org
US photographer Francisco Diaz - Two Crows.
Young Ho Kang - A Modest King Walks Across The River.
'Phillip.' Photo by Doc Ross.