Award-winning photographer Georgia Politis is set to launch her Darwin DiverCity Series exhibition on Friday, August 9 at Darwin Galleria in the Northern Territory from 5.30pm to 7pm.
The exhibition launch on Friday, August 9 is being held to celebrate the completion of the first series of the Darwin DiverCity project after four years. Forty-eight portraits will be displayed along with their stories celebrating what it means to be a Territorian, and the many characters, cultures and stories that come with it.
The exhibition is being supported by Activate Darwin and will be on display at Darwin Galleria for one week only only Saturday, August 17. There is free entry.
Ahead of the exhibition launch, we sat down with the 30-year-old Georgia to hear all about the Darwin DiverCity Series and what inspired her.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your Greek heritage.
I am a second-generation Darwin-born Greek woman. My families originate from many parts of Greece such as Kalymnos, Kos, Crete, and the Peloponnese, along with my great-grandparents originating from Astypalea, Kastellorizo and Karpathos. I grew up Greek dancing for most of my childhood through to my early 20’s.
How did you get into photography?
I have always loved visual art from a child. I dabbled into photography multiple times throughout my youth, and won my first photography award for a school competition in year 8. However, it was not until 2016 when I was gifted an entry-level DSLR from my now-husband where my journey was set. I started off taking my camera to every event or family get together I attended, and this then grew my skills. After much encouragement for me to ‘give it a go’ as a business, I eventually established Georgia Politis Photography in 2017. It was the consistent voice of one Greek woman at a party who I did not know very well, where she kept saying I would get very far if I gave it a go. Despite thinking there was no way of it working out, I eventually listened to her and now the rest is history.
You’ve recently released the photo book ‘Darwin DiverCity Series.’ How did this photographic project come about?
This project first came as an idea in 2018. While I have always been fascinated with culture and people in some way, I never knew how to document or preserve it in the way I felt like I needed to. I would often hear stories of my grandfathers or extended family members who had passed on – and would always wonder how we could document these stories before they got lost.
In 2018, I went to Athens and saw my great-grandmother. I took a portrait of her in her dining room. At that point, I knew I needed to photograph people. It was when the world stopped in 2020 that I had time to think about how I wanted to follow my dreams of documenting people in some form, when I came up with the Darwin DiverCity Series. Initially, it was a special promotion – without the plan to write much of a story. After just two bookings, I retracted the offer and gifted the remaining photos to the first clients. From there, the original plan of 10 or 20 kept growing, eventually capturing over 50 people for free. 48 stories and portraits are now in the book, from all walks of life.
What is in the book? How does it showcase the multiculturalism of Darwin?
The series celebrates what it means to be a Territorian. We are full of stories, cultures, experiences and quirks. I have said to many people that the book represents a neighbourhood of Darwin.
What were the challenges and rewards you faced during the production of the book?
The main challenge was time. At one point I had three small businesses and was working two jobs. I never had time to work on my passion project, and it kept getting pushed back. However, I would always eventually find some time to focus on it, which usually was twice per year for a few months. The reward was always meeting more people, who had such amazing stories behind them and despite their challenges, still had a smile on their face. Many roadblocks appeared during the process, especially finding an exhibition location and keeping costs down during the duration of the series.
Do you have a favourite profile from the book? What is it and why is it your favourite?
I have a connection to all of the profiles which hold a special place in my heart, but of course – my grandfathers, who are in the book and are one of the main inspirations and what kept me going through the series. Both passed away young, and never got to share their story – which is the reason why I feel so strongly about documenting people.
How does your Greek heritage inspire your work and more broadly, the book?
Having a Greek heritage means having a love for people and culture. I am proud to have Greek heritage, and love the way Greek people unite over music, food and culture with both Greek and non-Greek people. This is my ‘food for the soul,’ sharing to all cultures the richness of where I am now, a place full of different backgrounds, stories and experiences.
You will be launching the book on Friday, August 9. What can people expect at the launch?
The exhibition will be launched at Darwin Galleria, Smith Street Mall between 5.30pm to 7.00pm. The opening of the exhibition celebrates everyone in the series where they will get the opportunity to speak to a range of people who have been documented. The exhibition will then be open for one week.
What’s next for you?
The Darwin DiverCity Series is not finished; I do plan to eventually open it up one more time and photograph 52 more people. This means the series will reach 100 people total before it is officially closed. For now, I would like to enjoy how far this series has reached both worldwide and within Australia.
Is there anything else you’d like to say?
Stories get lost over time, and with technology in the current times – our expectation is that it will always be there right at our fingertips. However, someone needs to still document people in order for this to be possible. That is my mission in my work.
The Darwin DiverCity Series Grand Opening will be on Friday, August 9 between 5.30pm and 7.00pm at Darwin Galleria (37 Smith St, Darwin City, NT). Go and meet the people in the series, along with the creator and photographer, Georgia Politis. The exhibition will run until Saturday, August 17.
Georgia has also released The Darwin DiverCity Book. The books can be purchased at $50 each including GST at this link: https://buy.stripe.com/fZe2aQ7Ka1G4by8000
*The Greek Herald is a proud media partner for this event.
