10 March to 24 June 2007

American born photographer Maggie Diaz arrived in Melbourne in 1961, on a one way ticket, and soon established herself has one of the city’s leading commercial photographers. An award-winning photographer in Chicago and resident photographer of the famous Tavern Club, Diaz used her flair for night photography and use of available light to capture the essence of Melbourne’s arts and wider community over four decades.

Diaz’s photographic oeuvre dates back to 1950s Chicago, and includes haunting images of the housing project known as Lower North Center. She depicted Melbourne ‘battlers’ in a yearbook for The Brotherhood of St Laurence, and was commissioned to produce night shots of the city for promotional purposes. Her work has always been marked by the contrast between the glamorous commercial world and those outside of society, with whom she felt a connection.

Diaz has the knack for capturing the soul of the artist – for getting the person to reveal themselves to her. This saw her portraiture of actors becoming a major interest. She photographed scores of plays at La Mama, The Courthouse and Playbox theatres in the 1990s and recently celebrated her 80th birthday with a slideshow at the Carlton Courthouse. It was a sell-out event, which generated long-overdue interest in Diaz’s life and career, and prompted a mention in State Parliament:

Maggie is technically expert in her astonishing use of light and shade and she has an extraordinary genius for capturing character and situation. Sheloves outsiders, those who often go unappreciated. Her life has been hard and this has been a rich treasure house of insight and inspiration for a great art.
Johan Scheffer, Member for Monash

A documentary on Diaz’s life and work is currently in development with the assistance of the Australian Film Commission.

This significant retrospective exhibition has been made possible by The City of Melbourne Arts Grants Program and the Embassy of the United States of America.

Guest curator: Gwendolen De Lacy
Venue: Seasonal Exhibition Gallery

To read more click here.
To tour the exhibition photo gallery click here.