A lot to love about Campbell at BIFB

RENOWNED British-Ghanaian fashion photographer and artist Campbell Addy is in town to headline the eleventh Ballarat International Foto Biennale.

In an Australian exclusive, Addy’s major solo exhibition, I Love Campbell, will be at the forefront of the festival, featuring a newly conceived set of photographs, original paintings and a short film shot on location in Ghana.

Each work reflects a personal meditation on the artist’s roots and inspiration, which can be seen across his dramatic photographic portfolio of magazine covers, iconic portraits and creative practice.

His first solo exhibition, I Love Campbell premiered in London in 2023, blending photography, painting, and film within an immersive space designed by British-Cameroonian designer Ibby Njoya who has also arrived in Ballarat for the biennale.

Reimagined specifically for BIFB, this iteration presents many of the photographer’s most compelling works, including a self-portrait John Baptist, fashion images, and the film Decolonise My Tongue with Love.

Addy said the show includes multiple new works created in response to the exhibition being held in Australia, and its unique Ballarat Mining Exchange venue, which he visited last December.

“Every exhibition I do references where it is,” Addy said as large-scale works were being installed in the Mining Exchange earlier this week.

They include innovative interactive pieces which invite the viewer to get up close and personal and, to a degree, to become part of the work itself.

Remaining in Ballarat until Monday, after which he leaves for Sydney to shoot images for Vogue Australia, Addy said he plans to enjoy catching as much of the Biennale as he can and soaking up plenty of photographic inspiration during his time here.

Saturday offers the chance to catch his keynote presentation as he and Njoya attend the film screening of Addy’s Feeling Seen at the Palace Regent Cinema.

“I am honored to present my work in Australia, where my practice converges as an intimate love letter to the world,” Addy said.

“I’m intrigued to see how the people of Australia will connect with and interpret my work.

“I believe in the significance of forging meaningful connections with new communities, and I hope that through I Love Campbell, I can foster those bonds and inspire dialogue.”

The exhibition is exclusive to Ballarat from 23 August to 19 October.

Addy draws inspiration from his culturally diverse upbringing. His work follows unique narratives and authentic emotions in nature.

Faces such as Kendall Jenner, Tim Cook, FKA Twigs, Dr Naomi Campbell, Tyler the Creator and more have appeared in front of Addy’s lens, to be seen on magazine covers around the world.

Since graduating from Central Saint Martins in 2016, his imagery has garnered him international success and awards, including the 2021 Forbes 30 under 30 list, British Fashion Awards in both 2018 and 2019, and the Isabella Blow award from Fashion Creator from the British Fashion Council in 2023.

In November 2024, the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain awarded Addy with the RPS Award for Fashion, Advertising and Commercial Photography.