The Presidents: from JFK to Obama by David Burnett

Venue: Gasworks
Location: 21 Graham Street, Albert Park, VIC 3206
7 Jun - 26 Jun, 2016
Web: http://www.gasworks.org.au/whats-on/the-presidents-exhibition/

© David Burnett. President Barack Obama and wife Michelle take a brief break for ice cream after speaking at a campaign rally in Davenport, Iowa, 2013.

Leading American photojournalist, David Burnett is one of the very few photographers to have photographed all US Presidents since John F. Kennedy. In 1963, Burnett’s final year of high school, his mother took him to see Kennedy speak in downtown Salt Lake City. A chance moment and a borrowed camera led to a lifelong career. He began working as a freelancer for Time Magazine, and later for Life, in the 1960s.

He co-founded Contact Press Images in 1976 with Robert Pledge and has worked in over 70 countries. His many awards in a long career include the Robert Capa Gold Medal, multiple World Press Photo Awards and World Press Photo of the Year. This work was originally presented at the Australian Centre for Photography in partnership with Reportage Festival.

© David Burnett. Ronald Reagan and Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev, with their interpreters, during their first summit, Geneva, 1985.

© David Burnett. Jimmy Carter addresses a small crowd in the kitchen of a volunteer before the New Hampshire primary, 1976

© David Burnett. Bill Clinton, during his re-election campaign, at an event in Springfield, MA, 1996.

Upcoming Events Submit an Event

July

Sam Contis: Moving Landscape

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.

Perth Cultural Centre, WA 6000 The Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA) | 1 Jul - 28 Sep, 2025

PIX – The magazine that changed everything (1938-1972)

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.

1 Shakespeare Place, Sydney State Library of NSW | 1 Jul - 31 Dec, 2025

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

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.

2 Murray St Darling Harbour, Sydney Australian National Maritime Museum | 1 Jul - 19 Oct, 2025

August

In Conversation: A Photographic Dialogue Between Steve McCurry and Jessie Brinkman Evans

Leica Store Gallery in both Sydney & Melbourne present a unique photographic dialogue between Steve McCurry and Jessie Brinkman Evans. Until late October.

Leica Flagship Stores in Melbourne & Sydney Leica Flagship Stores in Melbourne & Sydney | 2 Aug - 31 Oct, 2025

Ballarat International Foto Biennale

Ballarat: 23 August – 19 October 2025. This year’s theme is Lifeforce, and it ties into an eight-week program of exhibitions, public art, talks, and workshops across more than 100 venues throughout Ballarat.

Ballarat, Victoria – various Main Venue – 12 Lydiard St North, Ballarat 3350 | 23 Aug - 19 Oct, 2025

September

Man Ray and Max Dupain

Melbourne: until 9 November. Man Ray and Max Dupain is the first major Australian exhibition to consider these two influential 20th century photographers side by side.

7 Templestowe Road, Bulleen VIC Heide Museum | 11 Sep - 9 Nov, 2025

William & Winifred Bowness Photography Prize 2025

Melbourne: 13 September – 9 November 2025. Featuring selected finalists for the 2025 William & Winifred Bowness Photography Prize.

860 Ferntree Gully Road Wheelers Hill Victoria 3150 Museum of Australian Photography | 13 Sep - 9 Nov, 2025

October

Chimera – examining beauty ideas and digital manipulation

Melbourne: Oct 31 – Nov 6. Chimera is a photographic investigation into the shifting landscape of beauty in the age of artificial intelligence and social media.

565 Chapel Street, South Yara Hawker Spaces | 30 Oct - 6 Nov, 2025