Photograph of Greg Irvine by Bruno Benini
Object No. 2009/43/1-3/8
Australian fashion photographer Bruno Benini took many portraits of artists, including performing artists (dancers, singers, musicians), In this stylish portrait of artist Greg Irvine, bruno has captured Irvine gazing out towards the lens of the camera as he poses in front of objects displayed in his own home. He is dressed artistically in a fashionable ethnic kaftan accessorized with bangle, beads and rings. The shot was taken in 1974. At the time, fashion photographers would often feature recent photographs in the reception areas of their studios. If Bruno particularly liked a shot, he too would make a 'blow-up' and pin it up in his studio. The print was developed and displayed in Bruno Benini's McKillop Street studio in the Melbourne CBD. The walls of this studio were covered in 20 x 24 inch prints. Over the years, some became damaged and were thrown out, however many remain, including this print with pin holes still visible in each corner. Sculptor and a painter, Greg Irvine was a friend of Bruno and Hazel Benini. He was also an avid collector of antique furniture, Victorian ceramics and tableware, glassware, enamelware, tortoiseshell and bakelite objects, vintage fabrics, suitcases, decorative boxes, jewellery and antique purses which often found their way into his paintings. 'A visit to the home of Melbourne artist Greg Irvine is a "down the rabbit hole" experience. This is a truly magical space that feels a little like stumbling absent-mindedly into a sort of alternate world.' (1) This portrait of the artist seems to capture some of that magic, possibly through the complex layering of texture and design. Reference: 1. Lucy Feagins, 'Inside the eclectic home of discerning collector Greg Irvine', The Design Files, Domain, November, 2014. https://www.domain.com.au/living/the-design-files-inside-the-eclectic-home-of-discerning-collector-greg-irvine-20170330-guxdwn/ (Accessed 21/2/2018) General: Benini, Hazel and Anne-Marie Van de Ven, Crearting the Look: Benini and fashion photography, Powerhouse Publishing, 2010
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Summary
Object Statement
Photographic print, black and white, portrait of Greg Irvine, photograph by Bruno Benini, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1974
Physical Description
Photographic print, black and white, portrait of Greg Irvine, wearing embroidered kaftan and beaded crucifix necklaces, seated in front of ornate birdcage and wall hangings.
DIMENSIONS
Height
489 mm
Width
393 mm
PRODUCTION
Notes
Bruno Benini (1925-2001) was an Italian-born Melbourne-based Australian fashion photographer. He initially studied science (industrial chemistry) at Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) but from the 1950s, went on to become a leading Australian fashion photographer. Benini established a lasting creative partnership with New Zealand-born fashion stylist Hazel Benini (nee Craig) after they married in 1962. ogether they generated an enormous number of publicity shots promoting local fashion houses and retailers on the fashion pages of all leading Australian newspapers. Bruno Benini also undertook portraiture as part of his personal and commercial portfolio. His flower photography was purely experimental.
HISTORY
Notes
This object is part of the Bruno Benini photography archive which was acquired by the Powerhouse Museum with the assistance of the Australian Government's National Cultural Heritage Account in 2009. If Bruno Benini particularly liked a shot he'd taken, he would make a print or as Hazel Benini recalled, 'create a blow-up and then put it up on his studio wall'. This is one of those prints. The Benini archive contains photographic documentation showing prints displayed in the foyer of the studio.
SOURCE
Acquisition Date
19 June 2009
Copyright for the above image is held by the Powerhouse and may be subject to third-party copyright restrictions. Please submit an Image Licensing Enquiry for information regarding reproduction, copyright and fees. Text is released under Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivative licence.
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