00:00 You won't need a ticket to see these photos.
00:04 All of the works showcased as part of the Head-on Photo Festival are up in public spaces
00:09 for everyone to see.
00:11 The philosophy of the festival from the very beginning was to challenge the established
00:16 institutions, arts institutions.
00:19 We tried to do things that the other organisations didn't do.
00:23 This year the 22-day event features more than 700 artists.
00:28 Greetings from Waterloo, a series of portraits taken by first-time exhibitor Joel Pratley
00:34 documents the residence of an inner-city social housing development.
00:38 I found Waterloo had quite a tight community that I think a lot of people in our neighbourhoods
00:46 are missing.
00:47 So I think through that adversity and circumstance they've created a bond, a really strong bond.
00:54 The body of work also honours his own life experience.
00:58 Grew up in Wollongong, spent some time in social housing growing up with a single mum.
01:03 I was always interested as a journalist and an artist and as a human rights lecturer as
01:08 well in the issue of homelessness within the city of Melbourne but also Australia more
01:13 generally and I think it astounds quite a lot of people that you can walk around the
01:16 city and see people experiencing homelessness in quite a wealthy country.
01:20 Over the five years he spent on the project, Ali says he was touched by the enduring strength
01:26 of the relationship between the couple.
01:29 The fact that they'd experienced heroin addiction and homelessness for ten years on the streets
01:34 of Melbourne but remained married for more than 25 years throughout it all was an extraordinary
01:39 feat in and of itself and a very human story about love and friendship and relationship
01:44 that I think we can all relate to.
01:46 Ali's also created a book and an audio accompaniment, meaning the work can be experienced in different
01:52 ways.
01:53 Say for example if you have trouble with reading skills or you just want to listen to the audio
01:57 and the soundtrack you can do that while flipping through the photographs in the book as well.
02:01 As well as its focus on equal access, another factor that sets this festival apart is the
02:06 way the work is selected for inclusion.
02:09 As judges assess the entries, they aren't permitted to see the names of the photographers,
02:14 ensuring selection is on merit only.
02:18 Different pictures by different people chosen only on the basis of how good they are.
02:23 I think it gives everyone a fair chance in that sense whether they're a really established
02:26 artist or someone that's trying to have their first group exhibition.
02:31 And it's not only photos.
02:33 As well as the displays here on Bondi Beach and at Paddington Reservoir Gardens, over
02:37 the next week the Head On Photo Festival will host public talks, panel discussions and film
02:43 screenings across Sydney.
02:45 The festival runs until the 3rd of December.
02:47 [BLANK_AUDIO]
