Iconic Surf Photo Exhibition

In the mid 1960s, John Witzig started documenting Australian surfing from the inside. With a cheap SLR camera and telephoto lens, Witzig photographed his friends, the waves they surfed, beaches they visited, and houses they lived in, both across Australia and abroad. From 1963 until the early 1980s, John Witzig also edited and contributed to surfing magazines in Australia and the United States.

In Lineup: Surfing and Subculture, John Witzig’s diversity of photographic practice and his place in Australian photography is celebrated and honoured. The people, landscapes, and lives he captured offer a close portrait of alternative ways of living and moments that shaped surfing culture that have become synonymous with Australian life.

Dr Jane Kreis, Grafton Regional Gallery Director, said that both Clarence Valley locals and visitors alike are sure to love this exhibition, “John Witzig’s work not only documents surfing, it preserves a pivotal cultural moment, revealing the people, places and spirit that transformed a pastime into a lifestyle. Lineup uniquely captures the energy, freedom and creativity that sit at the core of Australia’s surf culture, as well as showcasing John’s exceptional photographic talent.”

Lineup is open now at the Grafton Regional Gallery until Sunday the 27th of September alongside Sharing the National Collection, The Country Cries for Truth: Dr Bronwyn Bancroft, Moving Through: Katrina Austen, and Ghosts of Fired Earth – Abandoned Brickworks: Peter Ingenillem.

• Artist Talk with John Witzig: Sat 19 September, 11am

Bookings via GRG Humanitix: events.humanitix.com/host/grafton-regional-gallery

For more info: www.graftongallery.nsw.gov.au/Whats-on/Exhibitions/COMING-SOON-Upcoming-Exhibitions

Photo by John Witzig