Head On Photo Festival talk, Bridging the Gap - Women in Photography

Free event - donations appreciated

A vibrant thread connecting many of the photographs on display in this year's Head On Photo Festival is the exploration of womanhood, femininity, family and community. We explore these powerful notions in our second 'Women in Photography' Panel. Featuring international and local photographers.

While women are no strangers to being the subject of art, what changes when women create their own images and narratives? As women deconstruct male-oriented ways of seeing and representing the world, they open vast new possibilities for creating images and telling stories. This unlocks powerful new ideas, dynamic forms, and experimentation which shifts the art of photography as a whole.

The panel addresses these ideas and more. They explore the diverse narratives of what it means to be a woman and how several women artists have delved into their gendered existence through their unique photographic styles. The speakers seamlessly blend art, sociology, and feminism as they provide a life-giving discussion sure to delight creatives, academics, and art lovers alike.

Once the event is over, you'll have the chance to network with the attendees and speakers at our Saturday Social.

Share your ideas, meet like-minded people, and have a drink to unwind by the beach.

There will be alcohol and refreshments available for you to purchase. We ask that you only make a booking if you will be attending the event. This helps us plan a smooth event and ensure that everyone who can attend is able to.

Facilitator

Christina Force (NZ)

Christina is the founder and chairperson of CA+ Asia and of the NZ Agents and Producers Association. She's an AIPA member and speaker, a columnist for The Photographers Mail, and judge of many photographic competitions, including the highly esteemed IPA Lucie Awards since 2011. She has been a guest speaker/ lecturer for many institutions, including the ACMP, AIPA, CATC, Unitec, AUT and The New York Film Academy, and has been interviewed by Capture Magazine, Better Photography, Pro Photography, Campaign Brief, Stop Press and many more.

Speakers

Alejandra López-Zaballa (Spain)

Alejandra, a professional photographer specialising in street, travel, and visual storytelling, studied at the London School of Photography and ICP in NYC. After 14 years in HR, she founded a photography company in Thailand, moved to Mexico City, and now resides in Madrid. Her internationally exhibited work has received awards. Her book, I dry my hair in the wind supports a girls' home in Oaxaca. Passionate about social projects, she draws inspiration from diverse cultures and her family.

Diana Lui (France)

Diana Lui, a Malaysian artist of Chinese and Punjabi descent, moved to Los Angeles at 14 and has lived in Europe since 1998. Based in Kuala Lumpur and Paris, her work explores cross-cultural identities. Educated at UCLA and the Art Center College of Design, she draws inspiration from August Sander and Diane Arbus. Her globally exhibited work is part of significant collections, including King Mohammed VI of Morocco. Represented by galleries in Marrakech, Paris, Los Angeles, Ljubljana, Arles, and London.

Marta Soul (Spain/UK)

Her photography career began in 2005 when she co-founded NOPHOTO, a collective of 13 artistic photographers. Based in Madrid (Spain) and Wuhan (China), the agency developed a strong portfolio of projects, including exhibitions and collaborative enterprises.

Her work has been featured in numerous international festivals, such as FORMAT (UK), Reggio Emilia (Italy), FOTOFESTIWAL (Poland), Guatephoto (Guatemala), LagosPhoto (Nigeria), Photo Beijing (China), and PHotoEspaña (Spain), as well as prestigious art fairs like PULSE (Miami), ARCO (Spain), and AIPAD (New York).

Since 2003, she has received various awards and art grants, including the ENAIRE Foundation Photography Award (2021) and the Best Foreign Photographer Award at the Pingyao International Photography Festival (2008), among others.

Her photographs are part of notable international collections, including those of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation (Spain), La Caixa Foundation (Spain), the Hubei Museum of Art (China), the ENAIRE Foundation (Spain), and the Getty Museum (USA).

In 2020, she founded Cómo Ser Fotógrafa (How to Be a Woman Photographer), an active manifesto led by women to amplify the visibility of contemporary art created by professional female photographers.