Exhibition: Protest is creative act

‘By facilitating a conversation between women and nonbinary artists across the decades, Protest is a creative act confirms that many of the issues addressed by women photographers in the 1970s – around the body, sexuality, race, national identity and the environment – have not been resolved.

These concerns are shared today by a younger generation of artists who build upon inheritances of the past, demonstrating their objection and defiance through new creative strategies. Collectively, the historical and contemporary works in the exhibition show the importance of friendship and community, and the good that can come from working together to advocate and agitate for change.’ MAPh website.

Participating artists: Jesse Boylan, Sophie Cassar, Miriam Charlie, Virginia Coventry, Mary Cox, Brenda L Croft, Destiny Deacon, eX de Medici, Sandy Edwards, Bonita Ely, Liss Fenwick, Sue Ford, Juno Gemes, Viva Gibb, Helen Grace, Janina Green, Ponch Hawkes, Siri Hayes, Amrita Hepi, Naomi Hobson, Alana Hunt, Carol Jerrems, Ellen José, Laresa Kosloff, Rosemary Laing, Honey Long and Prue Stent, Angela Lynkushka, Ruth Maddison, Alex Martinis-Roe, Viv Méhes, Eden Menta and Janelle Low, Jill Orr, Daisy Noyes, Ruth O’Leary, Wendy Rew, Elvis Richardson and Virginia Fraser, Therese Ritchie, Jess Schwientek, Tara Shield, Tina Stefanou, Salote Tawale, Kawita Vatanjyankur, Jemima Wyman.

Protest is a creative act is curated by Guest Curator Kelly Gellatly and Angela Connor, Senior Curator at MAPh.

Photograph above: Feminist filmworkers conference Minto 1979. Silver gelatin print. Sandy Edwards.

Museum of Australian Photography, Wheelers Hill 7 June – 31 August 2025