Frank Ockenfels 3

Frank Ockenfels

That rules do not have a place in photography is part of Frank Ockenfels’ working philosophy. Decades spent harnessing his feverish imagination as a photographer and director have resulted in a wealth of fantastic imagery that, by his own intention, defies any one style. Recognised as one of the world’s leading portrait photographers, Ockenfels’ work is regularly seen in magazines such as Time, New York Magazine and Rolling Stone. His work has crossed over into every category; he has photographed countless TV advertising campaigns, and has shot for shows such as Mad Men, The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Sons of Anarchy and House of Cards. Ockenfels has also shot major movie posters for the likes of Harry Potter, Thor, 50 Shades of Grey and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Ockenfels’ unorthodox philosophy permeates his entire process, from his tactile experimentation in his journals, to his eclectic collection of lenses – often embracing their defects as points of difference in his work -- to the range of personalities he captures, including actors, musicians, politicians and athletes. Ockenfels unsettles the typical notion of the iconic portrait photographer whose style is instantly recognisable. His work exists on a spectrum that is entirely his own making, often bouncing from the eerie depths of surrealism to the hazy glow of Hollywood glamour in one sitting.

Frank Ockenfels
While Ockenfels’ oeuvre is diverse, his portraits are united by their creator’s audacity. Among his list of high profile subjects (Barack Obama, David Bowie, Hilary Clinton and George Clooney), Ockenfels’ style is both unexpected and provoking, he approaches each subject with the same respect, along with the intent to create images that are well crafted, sometimes beautiful, sometimes bizarre, but never boring. Combined with his belief in collaborating and his skills in adapting to difficult situations (something he takes relish in), Ockenfels’ exhibition transforms our perspective on faces and places we’ve all seen before.
Frank Ockenfels
  • Organised by: Black Eye Gallery
  • Contact name: Katherine Bennett

Upcoming Events Submit an Event

November

Sydney: The exhibition delves into the State Library of NSW's vast collection of two million images, showcasing 400 photos – many displayed for the first time.

February

Melbourne: Jill Orr’s The Promised Land Refigured is an exhibition that reworks the original project created in 2012 with new insights that have emerged in the past eleven years.

March

Melbourne: Environmental Futures features five artists whose work addresses how the natural world is affected by climate change and encompasses photography, sculpture and installation both within the gallery spaces and around the museum grounds.

Ballarat: Nan Goldin is an American artist whose work explores subcultures, moments of intimacy, the impacts of the HIV/AIDS and opioid epidemics on her communities, and photography as a tool for social activism.

Sydney: The Ocean Photographer of the Year Award, run by London based Oceanographic Magazine is in its 4th year and has quickly achieved recognition amongst photographers around the world.

Albury: The National Photography Prize offers a $30,000 acquisitive prize, the $5000 John and Margaret Baker Fellowship for an emerging practitioner, and further supports a number of artists through focused acquisitions.

April

Sydney: Photographers Harold David, Lyndal Irons, Ladstreet, Selina Ou, David Porter, Greg Semu, and Craig Walsh exhibit a diverse and varied snapshot of Penrith and western Sydney as it has changed and grown over the last sixty years.

The City Surveyor’s ‘Condemnation and Demolition Books’ is a key photographic collection held in the City Archives comprising almost 5000 photographs and associated glass plate negatives.

May

Ballarat: Art Gallery of Ballarat presents Lost in Palm Springs, a multidisciplinary exhibition that brings together fourteen creative minds who respond to, capture, or re-imagine the magical qualities of the landscape and the celebrated mid-century modern architecture of Palm Springs, California and across Australia.