Sydney Town street portraits, March 2014-August 2015 / photographs by Jon Lewis

fonds

March 2014-August 2015

Graphic Materials, Photographs

1006117

50 photographs - digital, TIFFs black & white

Jon Lewis was born in Maryland, USA, and came to Australia in 1951. He has been exhibiting both nationally and internationally since 1974.

Regarding his street portraits Lewis writes "...Each day I walk the streets of inner Sydney making portraits of people that represent the city’s human geography: a demographic of nationalities and backgrounds. Like the street photographers of Sydney in the 30-50s, I work to show the beauty found in difference and, when placed together, show a new beauty in “togetherness”.

I aim to illuminate the humanity of Sydney Town, the enigma of the Town through it’s people. This body of photographic portraiture engages with (perfect) strangers on mutual terms. The less we know by title, interview or small talk, the more the photograph has to do it’s job, and indeed so does the photographer. I aim to emphasise the emotional humanity as a stranger, whose journey crosses that of the photographers’, knitting us together for a moment, with a “recognition” that lasts an eternity.

A photographer has to be a good walker or pedestrian to make great images. I enjoy the movement, the restlessness and awkwardness. I walk and watch. How will people respond? Can I close the gap between them and me? Will I get the image within 3 frames or 5? Have I got the nerve to step into their space? To engage!

I think of these things as I trundle along. I walk from the inner west of Sydney to the Quay, depending on the season and light. I take other routes as well and return by train, rough editing in camera as I go.

Sometimes I don’t want to photograph. I make every excuse, however once started I become absorbed and committed. It is enjoyable, not knowing what will happen. Have I the nerve? Mostly. People need the assurance of what I’m doing, and I tell them I’m doing a project on people! Sydney Town people! That seems to suffice, I make the photograph, and we go on our separate ways. What you see here is what remains, an encounter that will challenge time. Photography is a blessing. I am blessed.

As in those early decades where street photography clients returned to the photographer's stand to find their portraits, the idea would be for those photographed by me to view their results at an exhibition in the Library. This would make the exhibition interactive and historically authentic."

References:
Jon Lewis - Artist Statement, Library correspondence file.
National Portrait Gallery. http://http://www.portrait.gov.au/ (accessed April 12, 2017).
Jon Lewis Photographer. http://www.jonnylewis.org/ (accessed April 12, 2017).

1. Street Portrait 1, "Text Me", Queen Victoria's Statue, Sydney, New South Wales, 27 March 2014
2. Street Portrait 2, Town Hall, George St, Sydney, New South Wales, 26 May 2014
3. Street Portrait 3, City Road, Chippendale, New South Wales, 27 May 2014
4. Street Portrait 4, City Road, Chippendale, New South Wales, 27 May 2014
5. Street Portrait 5, Circular Quay, Sydney, New South Wales, 20 July 2014
6. Street Portrait 6, Botanic Gardens, Sydney, New South Wales, 01 June 2014
7. Street Portrait 7, Circular Quay Sydney, New South Wales, 01 June 2014
8. Street Portrait 8, Circular Quay, Sydney, New South Wales, 20 July 2014
9. Street Portrait 9, Central Railway Station, Sydney, New South Wales, 05 June 2014
10. Street Portrait 10, George St, Sydney New South Wales, 05 June 2014
11. Street Portrait 11, St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney, New South Wales, 15 June 2014
12. Street Portrait 12, Hyde Park, Sydney, New South Wales, 21 June 2014
13. Street Portrait 13, Museum of Contemporary Art, Circular Quay, Sydney, New South Wales, 24 June 2014
14. Street Portrait 14, Manly Ferry, Sydney Harbour, New South Wales, 02 July 2014
15. Street Portrait 15, The Sydney Opera House, Sydney, New South Wales, 08 July 2014
16. Street Portrait 16, Darling Harbour, Sydney, New South Wales, 11 July 2014
17. Street Portrait 17, Darling Harbour, Sydney, New South Wales, 10 July 2014
18. Street Portrait 18, Darling Harbour, Sydney, New South Wales, 13 July 2014
19. Street Portrait 19, Martin Place, Sydney, New South Wales, 14 July 2014
20. Street Portrait 20, Martin Place, Sydney, New South Wales, 23 July 2014
21. Street Portrait 21, Central Railway Station, Sydney, New South Wales, 26 July 2014
22. Street Portrait 22, The Sydney Harbour Bridge (stairs), Sydney, New South Wales, 28 July 2014
23. Street Portrait 23, Art & About, Hyde Park, Sydney, New South Wales, 19 September 2014
24. Street Portrait 24, City Road, Chippendale, New South Wales, 30 September 2014
25. Street Portrait 25, Sydney Opera House, Sydney, New South Wales, 10 October 2014
26. Street Portrait 26, Sydney Opera House, Sydney, New South Wales, 10 October 2014
27. Street Portrait 27, City Road, Chippendale, New South Wales, 25 November 2014
28. Street Portrait 28, Martin Place, Sydney, New South Wales, 18 December 2014 [photograph taken two days after the Sydney siege of the Lindt Cafe in Martin Place, Sydney, on 15-16 December 2014].
29. Street Portrait 29, Circular Quay, Sydney, New South Wales, 31 March 2014
30. Street Portrait 30, Policewomen, Maquarie St, Sydney, New South Wales, 31 December 2014
31. Street Portrait 31, Macquarie Street, Sydney, New South Wales, 31 December 2014
32. Street Portrait 32, Broadway opposite the University of Technology, Sydney, New South Wales, 01 February 2015
33. Street Portrait 33, King St, Newtown, New South Wales, 3 February 2015
34. Street Portrait 34, Moree fellas at Central Station, Sydney, New South Wales, 19 February 2015
35. Street Portrait 35, George Street, Sydney, New South Wales, 05 March 2015
36. Street Portrait 36, Circular Quay, Sydney, New South Wales, 08 March 2015
37. Street Portrait 37, Circular Quay, Sydney, New South Wales, 08 March 2015
38. Street Portrait 38, Sydney, New South Wales, 07 March 2015
39. Street Portrait 39, Circular Quay, Sydney, New South Wales, 31 March 2015
40. Street Portrait 40, The Sydney Opera House, Sydney, New South Wales, 14 April 2015
41. Street Portrait 41, The Block, Redfern, New South Wales, 01 May 2015
42. Street Portrait 42, Sista Girl Davina, Redfern, New South Wales, 01 May 2015
43. Street Portrait 43, George Street, Sydney, New South Wales, 03 May 2015
44. Street Portrait 44, Hyde Park, Sydney, New South Wales, 05 June 2015
45. Street Portrait 45, Sydney, New South Wales, 28 June 2015
46. Street Portrait 46, Danny Lim, Stop the Forced Closure of Aboriginal Communities protest, Redfern, New South Wales, 28 June 2015
47. Street Portrait 47, Aunty Barbara, Eveleigh Lane, Redfern, New South Wales, 28 June 2015
48. Street Portrait 48, Corner City Rd and Broadway, Sydney, New South Wales, 29 June 2015
49. Street Portrait 49, Martin Place, Sydney, New South Wales, 23 July 2015
50. Street Portrait 50, Railway Square, Sydney, New South Wales, 07 August 2015

Copyright status:: In copyright - Life of photographer plus 70 years
Copyright holder:: Jon Lewis
Research & study copies allowed:
Approval for reproduction required:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales, and Courtesy Jon Lewis

Contents list and titles supplied by photographer.

Acquired in digital format. Access copy available online
This collection of photographs was selected by the Library from images taken by Lewis throughout 2014 and 2015 for a street photography project Lewis entitled “Sydney Town Portraits”.
Street Portrait nos. 1, 3, 4, 8, 11, 14, 21, 22, 25-29, 32, 34, 37, 39, 47-49 exhibited in 'Beauty in difference: the street photography of Jon Lewis', Level 1, Macquarie Street building, State Library of New South Wales, 4 March to 27 August 2017.

Beauty in difference: the street photography of Jon Lewis - State Library of New South Wales (4 March - 27 August, 2017)