Powerhouse has announced the recipients of two major photography commissions, the Powerhouse Photography Architectural Commission and the First Nations Right of Reply Photography Commission.

Guwa-Koa, Gungarri, and Kuku Yalanji photographer Jo-Anne Driessens and Architecture photographer Tasha Tylee have each been awarded a $20,000 photography commission, which will see them collaborate with Powerhouse over the next 12 months to develop major new works.

Tokyo_0138_Photograph courtesy of Tasha Tylee.jpg

Image: Tokyo Photograph courtesy of Tasha Tylee

The First Nations Right of Reply Photography Commission invites an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander photographer to undertake a commission that responds to the Powerhouse Collection with the intent to Indigenise, counter and investigate narratives of the applied arts and sciences through a First Nations lens.

Jo-Anne Driessens has developed her photography practice documenting community and place in urban, remote and regional Aboriginal communities over the past 30 years. Since completing a photography cadetship at the State Library of Queensland in 1999, Driessens has worked in various photography and curatorial roles with a focus on archival and anthropological research exhibition programs and Aboriginal Family history support.

“Powerhouse is excited to be collaborating with Jo-Anne Driessens and Tasha Tylee on these unique commissions for Powerhouse Parramatta. These photographers showcase the diversity of Australian photographic practice, documenting our past and present through the lens of culture and environment,” says Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah.

Sawmill Treehouse by Robbie Walker Photograph courtesy of Tasha Tylee.jpg

Image: Sawmill Treehouse by Robbie Walker Photograph courtesy of Tasha Tylee

“This opportunity is happening at the exact right time and place in my career and I am honoured to have the doors held open to work closely with the Powerhouse staff over the next 12 months,” says Driessens.

“I am looking forward to challenging the narratives and grateful to embark on a slower, experimental photography process through the fusion of Culture, Science, Art.”

For Driessens the camera is an important tool for capturing the preservation of living culture in First Nations communities. This tool will remain central in Driessens’ commission project as she collaborates with Powerhouse staff, First Nations knowledge keepers, cultural advisers and Country to create an experimental pin hole camera with natural materials.

The Powerhouse Photography Architectural Commission aims to develop new perspectives on Australian architecture and the built environment, with a focus on construction, urban development, housing, infrastructure and sustainability.
Tasha Tylee’s slow, deliberate approach to documenting spaces has resulted in working with some of Australia’s top firms, most notably capturing Naples Street House by Edition Office, the 2024 AIA National Winner of The Robin Boyd Award for Residential Architecture.

“I am honoured to be selected for The Powerhouse Photography Architectural Commission. This incredible opportunity allows me to expand the scope of my practice and document the future of sustainable architecture and the built environment within Australia,” Tylee says.

“In light of the ongoing climate crisis, I’ve been reflecting on how we can collaborate to build a more sustainable future. As an image maker, I believe I have a unique opportunity to contribute by visually capturing and sharing these innovative ideas.’

Focusing on themes of sustainability and climate, the Melbourne-based photographer will document innovation in architecture and the Australian built environment by following newly developed sustainable materials from their natural form, through to manufacturing, fabrication, installation, and their final use in a completed build.

Both commissions are initiatives of Powerhouse Photography, an industry-led program dedicated to amplifying the profile of Australian photography and lens-based practice through an ongoing series of programs, publications, learning and research activities. This initiative supports photographers through commissions, acquisitions, and national and international engagement opportunities and is supported by funds generously donated by the Australian Centre of Photography.

Learn more about Powerhouse Photography and the successful photography commission recipients here.

Image: Guwa-Koa Country 2022 Photograph courtesy of Jo-Anne Driessens

Clémence Carayol

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