Stills Gallery to close June 2017

Sad news out yesterday that Stills Gallery, a leading Australian gallery with a focus on contemporary photography and new media artists, is set to close in June this year.

Stills Gallery has been a major contributor to the Australian art scene, fostering new mediums, and supporting the practices of both emerging  and established artists since 1991. Their stable of represented artists is a role call of huge names in Australian photo media art, including Robyn Stacey, Pat Brassington, William Yang, Polixeni Papapetrou, Narelle Autio, Brenda L Croft and Mark Kimberly, among many other stellar names.

The statement released yesterday by Directors Kathy Freedman and Bronwyn Rennex is published below. May this be the start of something new and exciting, rather than just another kick in the pants for photography, eh?

Dear Friends and Colleagues

We have some important news to share about Stills.

After more than 25 years, the gallery will cease operation in its current form at the end of June this year. 

We have thought long and hard about this decision. It hasn’t been an easy one, but it feels like the right time to make this change.

From small beginnings in Elizabeth St Paddington in 1991, the gallery has shifted and evolved to keep up with changes in the way we produce, enjoy and understand photography. 

We are really proud of the artists we have worked with and the exhibitions we have mounted over the years. It has been a privilege to work with such a diverse range of talented artists and great people. And we’ve enjoyed sharing their works with the world – whether in Paddington or Paris… William St or Waterloo.

We’ve also enjoyed the artworks themselves – looking at them (in the flesh), thinking about them, writing and talking about them… and of course selling them. We have relished their power to challenge and move us.

Over 25 years there has also been a wonderful group of people who have worked at the gallery and helped to make it special. So here’s a shout out to Stills staff past and present and a thank you for your contribution.

Don’t leave us yet though!

Our final solo exhibitions, 8 March to 8 April (official opening on Wed 15 March 6-8pm) will be:

Glenn Sloggett – Down in the dumps

and

Jane Brown – Sporting Country

We are working on a final group exhibition to take place from May to June. We’ll send out dates and details as soon as they are confirmed. There is a wealth of material to draw on from over 25 years, so it will definitely be worth a trip to the gallery. We’d love to see you.

The Stills Gallery website will continue to be active until the end of 2017, so there’s still time to get that work you were thinking of for so long…… After that the website will be retained as an exhibition archive.

Post-Stills, the gallery space will remain and we are in discussions regarding the shape and scope of a new entity that will occupy it. More news about that will follow later in the year.

So from all of us at Stills, to all of you – Thank you and we hope to see you again soon.

Kathy Freedman and Bronwyn Rennex
Co-Directors Stills Gallery