Head On Photo Festival 2024

Head On Photo Festival is an international annual photography festival based in Sydney, Australia, showing emerging and established photo artists. The Festival is held across multiple venues, including commercial galleries and public outdoor spaces.

Overview

Every year Head On Photo Festival is an opportunity to see the work of emerging and established photographers from Australia and worldwide. Head On Photo Festival 2024 is a 22-day event featuring over 110 exhibitions, 700 artists, and a variety of talks and events reflecting the biggest global issues that have had our attention over the last 12 months. 

This year’s highlights at the Head On Photo Festival include touching works marking the 30th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide, with a multimedia exhibition curated by Dr. Helen Vatsikopoulos and Moshe Rosenzveig OAM. The exhibition features the influential photography of Stephen Dupont and Martina Reyes Guilmant, along with archival footage from SBS Dateline's 1994 coverage, capturing the largely contested legacy of the Tutsi massacre. Another standout is Simon Harsent’s innovative project, "The Locals," which blends AI-generated imagery with traditional photographic techniques, exploring a fictional London pub and the characters within it. Also featured is ZAHALKAWORLD – An Artist’s Archive," a comprehensive showcase of Anne Zahalka's celebrated career, featuring over 100 pieces that delve into themes of identity and place. Finally, Jan von Holleben’s Dreams Of Flying rekindles childhood fantasies through whimsical, reimagined photographs, bridging past and present in a newly updated series.

Malaysian artist Diana Lui will present her three-decade-long project navigating a longitudinal study of visual anthropology. This extensive body of work documents her exploration of identity through ritual dance and performance art in Malaysia and beyond, blending visual anthropology with portraiture. Lui’s journey began in the 1990s, photographing the cross-cultural choreography of dance companies in Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak, and Sabah, and later expanded to female communities in Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, and other regions. The exhibition reflects Lui’s personal quest to reconcile her multicultural identity through the lens of Malaysia’s rich artistic traditions.

The festival also features a series of engaging events, including Bridging The Gap – First Nations Photographers, which focuses on cultural narratives, and the Get Noticed workshop, designed to help photographers develop their portfolios. There will also be a special Saturday Social for networking with artists and enthusiasts. Additionally, Open House – Week 1 will provide an opportunity to meet the festival team and engage in discussions every Wednesday during the festival. More details can be found on the Head On Photo Festival website.