On the street where I live: Viva Gibb's portrait of North and West Melbourne

Between the mid-1970s and early 1990s, artist and social documentary photographer Viva Gibb (1945-2017) documented the suburbs of North and West Melbourne, where she lived.

Jewel-like portraits predominate. Grounded in her strong social and political convictions, Gibb created a sympathetic portrait of the community during a transformative period in Melbourne’s history.

Colin Cheng (ex-sailor from Canton), 26 Capel Street, West Melbournec. 1980. Image: Viva Gibb
Colin Cheng (ex-sailor from Canton), 26 Capel Street, West Melbournec. 1980. Image: Viva Gibb

The exhibition is comprised of over 250 photographs, half of which are the artist’s original silver gelatin prints. It draws on a generous donation of more than 200 of Gibb’s photographs to Melbourne Art Trust in 2025.

'On the street where I live' examines this significant body of work and re-introduces the sophisticated practice of an artist whose photographs have largely lain dormant for 30 years.

Curator Talk

City Gallery will be open on Sat 14 March 10am–4pm, with a curator talk at 11am.

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February

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.

March

Sydney: Until 7 Feb 2027. From his archive of more than 200,000 images, Close Up celebrates the historic moments and pivotal people he famously captured.

May

Sydney: Until 16 August 2026. 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.

Coffs Harbour: 28 May – 29 June 2026. West Of Somewhere East is a photographic series tracing a cinematic journey through the interior of New South Wales, shaped by long drives, fleeting encounters, and the reflective rhythm of return.