Australian Modern by Max Dupain

With a career spanning more than 50 years, Max Dupain is regarded as one of Australia’s most respected and influential black-and-white photographers. 

Max Dupain, Morning rush hour, Sydney Harbour Bridge 1938, black and white silver gelatin photograph. Printed by Jill White.
Max Dupain, Morning rush hour, Sydney Harbour Bridge 1938, black and white silver gelatin photograph.
Printed by Jill White.

Dupain pioneered a Modernist approach of high contrast, sharp focus, dramatic angles, and creative compositions, departing sharply from the sentimentality of soft focused and nostalgic post-colonialism.

This collection of over 60 original photographs hand printed by Jill White, records a bygone era of Australian society from the 1930s to 1980s. Amongst them are some of Australia’s most iconic images of beach culture, landscape, fashion, and the grand vistas and quiet moments of city life including the construction of the Sydney Opera House and powerful images of the new Sydney Harbour Bridge. Dupain’s work is an inspiration to any aspiring photographer or voyeur of culture.

Max Dupain, Sydney Opera House under construction (man with wire) 1962, black and white silver gelatin photograph. Printed by Jill White.
Max Dupain, Sydney Opera House under construction (man with wire) 1962,
black and white silver gelatin photograph. Printed by Jill White.

This project has been assisted by Jill White.

Jill White began her career as a photographer in the 1970s when she worked as a studio photographer, and manager, of the Max Dupain studio. This role continued until around the time of Dupain’s death in 1992 and  the Dupain Exhibition Negative Archive was bequeathed to Jill White with instructions to print, exhibit, publish, and sell his images.

Max Dupain, Bondi Beach Symmetry c1940s, black and white silver gelatin photograph. Printed by Jill White.
Max Dupain, Bondi Beach Symmetry c1940s, black and white silver gelatin photograph. Printed by Jill White.

Upcoming Events Submit an Event

July

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.

September

Canberra: 11 – 23 November. Step into the heart of Canberra through the eyes of local photographers. Essence of Canberra marks 80 years of creativity, community, and the unique perspectives of Canberra Photographic Society (CPS) members.

November

Canberra: Until 6 Sept 2026. Trent Parke’s photographic series The Christmas tree bucket 2006–09 is a tender and darkly humorous portrayal of his extended family coming together to celebrate Christmas.

Sydney: 7–30 November. The festival transforms Sydney into a photography haven with major exhibitions at Bondi Pavilion Gallery and outdoor displays throughout Paddington Reservoir Gardens and along Bondi Beach.

Sydney: Until 30 Nov 2025. Infranatura reveals the hidden beauty of Australia’s flora, exposing both its resilience and vulnerability, and exploring how light and perception shape our connection to nature today.

Sydney: 13 Nov – 20 Nov. Mushroom Ocean is an exhibition of culinary mushroom photos by Kate Ireland running as part of the Head On Photo Festival Open Program.

Sydney: Until 27 Nov. As part of the 2025 Head On Photo Festival, Sydney-based photographer Tony Maniaty is showing his latest monochrome work from recent trips to Japan, in an exhibition curated by Japan arts expert Kathryn Hunyor.

Sydney: 17 Nov – 23 Nov 2025. This collection of photographs offers a glimpse into the lives of the community of Varanasi, capturing the spirit of its people and the beauty often found in ordinary moments.

Melbourne: 28 Nov 2025 – 26 May 2026. The exhibition celebrates the wide-ranging photographic practices of more than eighty women artists working between 1900 and 1975.

December

Sydney: 4 Dec – 19 Dec 2025. The project brings together around 70 images over 50 metres of wall space, profiling a wide spectrum of practical action on climate