Olympia by Polixeni Papapetrou

This exhibition comprises photographs by Australian photographer Polixeni Papapetrou (1960–2018) of her daughter Olympia, covering the period from Olympia’s birth (1997) until the artist’s death (2018). Throughout this time, Olympia played a particularly important role in the artist’s image making, assuming the complex roles of model and muse, collaborator, and champion. Following the birth of her daughter, Papapetrou’s work underwent a significant change. Her earlier work had focused on the carefully constructed and stage-managed worlds of people who lived, worked and played in disguise, including drag queens, wrestlers, and avid Elvis fans. However, after Olympia’s birth, Papapetrou began photographing her children, Olympia and Solomon, and later their friends. Rather than making Papapetrou’s world smaller, this apparently inward turn opened up a limitless world of play acting, imagination and storytelling.

Polixeni Papapetrou. The debutants 2009, from the Between Worlds series 2009. Inkjet print, 105.0 x 105.0 cm
Private collection. © the estate of Polixeni Papapetrou, Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney and Jarvis Dooney, Berlin.
Polixeni Papapetrou. The debutants 2009, from the Between Worlds series 2009. Inkjet print, 105.0 x 105.0 cm.
Private collection. © the estate of Polixeni Papapetrou, Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney and Jarvis Dooney, Berlin.

This exhibition surveys twenty years of Papapetrou’s practice and includes works from her best-known series, as well as lesser-known images. Olympia: Photographs by Polixeni Papapetrou was curated in collaboration with the artist’s family. It draws from the NGV Collection and the artist’s estate, and is the first major museum retrospective of Papapetrou’s work.

The NGV is publishing a monograph to coincide with the exhibition. It covers twenty years of Papapetrou’s practice and features contributions from Susan van Wyk, NGV Senior Curator of Photography; Robert Nelson, art critic and widower of Papapetrou; and Papapetrou’s children, Olympia and Solomon Nelson.

Polixeni Papapetrou. Blinded 2016, from the series, Eden 2016. 
Private collection. © the estate of Polixeni Papapetrou, Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney and Jarvis Dooney, Berlin.
Polixeni Papapetrou. Blinded 2016, from the series, Eden 2016. Private collection.
© the estate of Polixeni Papapetrou, Michael Reid Gallery, Sydney and Jarvis Dooney, Berlin.

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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.