Headliners a coup for foto fest

INTERNATIONALLY acclaimed photographic artists Yvonne Todd and Erik Johansson are set to headline the 2023 Ballarat International Foto Biennale.

New Zealand’s Todd will present an Australian premiere of her show The Stephanie Collection, while Sweden’s Johansson will offer an exclusive world first when he opens How to Fly, an exhibition of landscapes and optical illusions inspired by the Swedish countryside of his childhood.

BIFB CEO Vanessa Gerrans said securing the pair is a coup, and she expects their work to attract visitors from across Australia.

“What an honour to have two of today’s leading contemporary photographers here in Ballarat for our 10th biennale,” she said.

“As the nation’s capital of photography, we look forward to welcoming Yvonne and Erik to Ballarat and seeing audiences respond to their extraordinary work.”

Todd’s showcase will be shown at the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Johansson’s pieces will be up in The Mining Exchange, and both will be free.

A statement from BIFB said Todd is famous for her “unique and unconventional approach” to capturing portraits, while Johansson is known for more limited production.

“Yvonne’s work challenges photographic cliches by manipulating traditional photographic styles to create unexpected and provocative relationships,” the statement said.

“Yvonne’s unsettling images often feature characters in striking costumes in unnatural poses… highly styled and manipulated.

“Johansson’s process is a complex, time-consuming combination of his own photographs, and the photographer creates just six-to-eight new works per year.”

BIFB opens on Friday 25 August and will run for nearly two months.