Mirror: New views on Victoria's social history

A new exhibition at the State Library of Victoria showcases images from the library's extensive photography collection, alongside new commissions, to provide a unique perspective on Victoria's social history.

MIRROR: New views on photography, which is open now, features 141 photos by some of Victoria’s most renowned photographers including Destiny Deacon, Maggie Diaz, Rennie Ellis, The Huxleys, Alan Jordan, Viva Gibb, Julie Millowick, Wolfgang Sievers and Mark Strizic. 

The photographs span 80 years, and according to the Library, offer moments of reflection on Victoria’s social history through compelling images of people and place.

Connected by the theme of ‘Mirror’, the images have been handpicked by State Library Victoria Curators, Jade Hadfield, Kate Rhodes and Linda Short. 

In addition, new commissions by five individual respondents and two collectives of well-known and emerging poets, playwrights, storytellers and authors including Alice Skye, Jason Tamiru and Prithvi Varatharajan, further tap into that theme, with new perspectives on the photographs presented through text, poetry, song and performance. 

These commissions have been woven into three impressive large-scale projections. Additionally, two small ‘cinemas’ within the galleries display the full set of 141 photographs in a digital take on the traditional Library catalogue. 

“Mirror not only offers an insight into Victorian life through the lenses of some brilliant photographers,” said State Library Victoria CEO Paul Duldig, “but it also provides fresh perspectives of the library’s rich holdings of photography through the talents of some brilliant novelists, poets, performers and activists.”

Mirror: New views on photography is on at the State Library Victoria until January 28, 2024. You can find out more about the exhibition here.