What happens to photographers when they get old? A new exhibition at MAGNET Galleries, Beyond the Basement, is a tribute to the enduring photographic artistry of students of Prahran College’s renowned photography program.
The exhibition delves into the lives and works of photographers who studied under celebrated mentors; portraitist Athol Shmith, landscape artist John Cato, and filmmaker Paul Cox during the transformative decades of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s.
Beyond the Basement showcases photographic images by artists now in their 60s to 80s but still innovating. Their work reflects their lifelong devotion to a medium that has evolved dramatically – from a specialised art-form to an everyday activity accessible to all.
This exhibition runs concurrently with The Basement at the Museum of Australian Photography – an exposé of the Prahran students and tutors of the 1970s, complemented by a book documenting Prahran College’s education in photography as art, up to 1991.
The Magnet Galleries exhibition also marks eleven years since directors Susanne and Michael Silver and alumnus Colin Abbott, curated a 40-year anniversary show for Prahran College’s 1974-1976 cohort. Their ongoing efforts contribute to a unique history of Australian photography.
Accompanying the photographs are brief profiles of the exhibitors, offering insights into how their time at Prahran College shaped their careers and artistic lives, and the meaning of photography for them now, in older age.
Beyond the Basement
MAGNET Galleries Melbourne, 19 Wharf Street, Docklands
Exhibition continues to 25 May 2025
Free entry
For more information, visit: www.magnet.org.au for details.
Image: Chris Beck, Poppy King, 1990s (for ‘On the Couch’ series in The Age)