Photograph of Greg Irvine by Bruno Benini
Object No. 2009/43/1-2/72
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 down towards the lens of the camera as he poses in front of one of his Greek paintings dressed artistically in fashionable ethnic-style attire. The shot was taken at Irvine's exhibition of Greek paintings held at South Yarra Gallery in 1971. 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, portrait of artist Greg Irvine, black and white silver gelatin print, mounted on card, photograph by Bruno Benini, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 1971
Physical Description
Photograph of artist Greg Irvine posing in front of one of his paintings. The artist wears a patterned embroidered shirt with large collar and cuffs, under a dark tank top vest. A stud belt with large circular metal buckle is worn around his waist. Several [silver] rings can be seen on the fingers of his left hand. The print has pin holes in each corner.
DIMENSIONS
Height
596 mm
Width
493 mm
Depth
3 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. Together 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. The archive contains a series of vintage prints that have been used as blow-ups for the stduio walls. It also contains photographic documentation of these displays.
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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