Olive Cotton and Max Dupain

Olive Cotton

Olive Edith Cotton (1911-2003) is regarded as one of the pioneers of Australian modernist photography. However, her work is distinct from the boldness and dramatic compositions of other modernists, because it is characterised by a gentleness and tranquility.

Cotton's career spanned more than six decades, but was punctuated by a forty-year absence from the art scene. Despite this, she never stopped taking photos.

Cotton, Olive (1911-2003), Teacup ballet , 1935, photograph, 37.3 x 29.6cm. Image courtesy of Art Gallery of NSW. Gift of the artist: 1980. 218.1980.

The common threads of Cotton's work are her use of light and form, keen observation skills and equal treatment of subject matter. Her 1935 photograph, Tea cup ballet, is a case in point. This is arguably her most famous work.

The natural world provided a lifelong inspiration for Cotton. Carefully and patiently, she photographed Australia's landscapes, trees, flowers and clouds. Her dual interests in art and science are revealed in the homage that her images pay to the beauty and structure of nature.

Cotton's work was included in various exhibitions during the 1930s but her first solo exhibition was not until 1985.

Max Dupain

Maxwell Spencer Dupain (1911-1992) is regarded as one of Australia's greatest photographers. He stressed simplicity and directness in his work, creating images of sharp focus, boldness and graphic composition. He was one of the earliest and most outstanding champions of modernism in Australia.

Dupain's working life spans decades of commercial and artistic success, and photographic genres. His repertoire includes landscapes, beaches, nudes, still life and architecture. His particular love of the latter, coupled with his carefully set up symmetries made him the pre-eminent photographer of Australian architecture for more than 50 years.

However, Dupain is best known for his photographs of Australians, particularly their beach culture. A dedicated patriot, he believed in clearly and simply showing Australia's way of life. His 1937 photograph Sunbaker is arguably his most famous work. For many, it is an iconic image of what it means to be Australian.

Dupain, Max (1911-1992),Sunbaker, 1937, photograph, 37.7 x 43.2cm. Image courtesy National Gallery of Australia. Gift of the Philip Morris Arts Grant 1982. NGA 83.2209.

Dupain tirelessly photographed his beloved homeland, and in particular, Sydney, leaving a legacy of more than one million photographs. His work has been collected by most major Australian galleries, and private collectors worldwide.