At Your Door: The Doormen of New York City by Alina Gozin’a

AT YOUR DOOR: The Doormen of New York City captures a quintessential aspect of New York and in particular, the world-famous doorman culture. It also reflects photographer Alina Gozin’a’s lifelong interest in telling the stories of people without a voice. The city’s doormen are the gatekeepers to Manhattan’s elite. Doormen typically know the most personal details and well-guarded secrets of their tenants. Yet rarely are they really seen or their own stories shared.

© Alina Gozin’a
© Alina Gozin’a

The exhibition features 13 large-scale El-Greco-inspired portraits of 13 doormen – all immigrants from Eastern Europe, looking poised and regal. The artist has added a 19th-century cravat to each of the doormen’s uniforms. The cravat is a nod to the men’s European heritage and also portrays them as men of nobility – not just servicemen to New York’s elite.

© Alina Gozin’a
© Alina Gozin’a

Gozin’a has captured the men first in their doormen uniform, and then wearing their civilian clothes. This juxtaposition creates an intricate reveal to prompt the viewer to ask which one reflects their ‘truer’ self. The intent of the image is to peel off the facade of these anonymous men in uniform, and reveal them as who they really are. Real men with real stories and personalities. The series also raises questions around the necessity of this role. Is it an old-world profession steeped in charm and tradition or the outdated whims of the powerful and privileged?

© Alina Gozin’a
© Alina Gozin’a
© Alina Gozin’a
© Alina Gozin’a

The artist has long been interested in capturing the extremes of society; those either bathing in the sunlight of success or the invisible people in the shadows. This documentary project captures these everyday men with the same painterly style and studio lighting she usually reserves for film stars and politicians. In this regard, her work can be compared with iconic photographers of our time such as Richard Avedon whose famed documentary work also captured both extremes of society.

© Alina Gozin’a
© Alina Gozin’a
© Alina Gozin’a
© Alina Gozin’a

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April

Canberra: 27 Feb until 20 July 2025. The National Library has invited renowned Australian photojournalist Mike Bowers to select some of his favourite images from the Fairfax Photo Archive.

Brisbane: Until 13 July 2025. Amateur Brisbane photographer Alfred Henrie Elliott (1870-1954) extraordinary images lay dormant for decades until they were discovered only recently. This exhibition is curated by seven Brisbane photographers.

Sydney: Until 31 Dec 2025. PIX, Australia’s first pictorial news weekly, is brought to life in this exhibition, showcasing its archived images and stories for the very first time.

May

Sydney: 15 May – 19 October. Showcasing 100 incredible images, this remarkable exhibition offers a window into the astonishing variety of life on our planet – and the critical importance of preserving it.

Perth: From 31 May – 28 Sept 2025. Featuring 85 works from three major series – Deep Springs, Overpass, and Cross Country – the exhibition spans twelve years of Contis’s evolving photographic practice.

June

Sydney: Until 6 July. Presenting the results of the 2025 World Press Photo Contest, the annual exhibition showcases the best and most important photojournalism and documentary photography of the last year.

Melbourne: June 5 - 16 August 2025. The explore the history of Alan Adler's photobooths and their cultural significance, alongside visual stories told by the community.

Adelaide: 7 June – 16 August. Drawn from the National Portrait Gallery collection, this photographic exhibition captures the experience of lives lived through dance.

Melbourne: 7 June – 31 August. Protest is a Creative Act seeks to address issues around the body, sexuality, race, national identity and the environment.

Canberra; June 19 - July 12 2025. The River Report is a five-day map of when a normal Yitilal (wet season) turned into a major disaster and the local inhabitants were once again displaced.