Ben Apfelbaum

SYDNEY CONTEMPORARY 2019

Sydney Contemporary has ballooned exponentially, such that this year, every nook and cranny of the vast Carriageworks space is filled with artists’ works.

In this fifth year over 95 galleries will be exhibiting new work from more than 450 artists from over 34 countries including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, France and South Africa to name but a few.

Cumulatively the four previous art fairs recorded more than $40,000,000 in art sales and last year Sydney Contemporary sold more than $21,000,000 and hope to succeed this with sales of $25,000,00 this year.

Collectively the previous four art fairs have attracted more than 112,000 visitors and collectors and as its renown grows these numbers too will grow exponentially.

Complementing the exhibition there are activities including Talk Contemporary, Installation Contemporary, Performance Contemporary and Kid Contemporary programs, comprising over 100 events,  that run during the fairs open days.

As well as new, exciting and emerging artists be sure to look out for some classic masters such as Jeffrey Smart, Sydney Nolan and Tim Storrier in one of those nooks and crannies that I mentioned before.

A further highlight is a medieval castle tower amidst all the exhibitors entitled ‘Tower Of Power’ by Claire Healy and Sean Cordeiro which you can climb to the top of whereupon you get a 180 degree view above all the exhibitors and visitors.

Given the vast amount of artworks and the expected crowds  give yourself plenty of time to take in this highlight of the Sydney cultural calendar.

This huge undertaking was only open for four days from the 12th to the 15th September. For further details go to https://sydneycontemporary.com.au,

All pics by Ben Apfelbaum 

 

 

Published by Ben Apfelbaum

My photography began when my father handed me the proverbial brownie box camera as a child. As cameras developed I went through Fujica and Olympus range finders graduating to my first single lens reflex camera, the Minolta SRT101, the latter being the greatest facilitator to my growth as a photographer. Digital photography has only added to this. I was a regular contributor to Camera Craft magazine (Australian Camera ) for over three years. During Australia’s Bicentennial year (1988) I made it a personal project to document the celebrations. This culminated in the creation of a book of my photos which was published in 1989. The book was called CELEBRATING AUSTRALIA and came with an accompanying calendar. My works have appeared in a number of publications including the coffee book entitled MY AUSTRALIA (1989), publisher Robertsbridge Severn. This book had a preface by the then Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke. I was a co-photographer on a book entitled SYDNEY- DISCOVER THE CITY with text written by Robert Treborland. Major Mitchell Press was the publisher. Also for two years I was the photographer for calendars celebrating Sydney’s multicultural communities. The two calendars were entitled MULTICULTURAL SYDNEY. My work appeared in a group exhibition held at Sydney’s Town Hall pertaining to the diversity of life in South America to raise money for orphanages there. I have over one hundred photos stored in the New South Wales State Library archive. I had a solo exhibition held in 2007 entitled Ben’s Lens at the Sydney Jewish Museum which celebrated the vibrancy of the Sydney Jewish community. Some of these photos are on the Museum’s permanent display. I have exhibited internationally firstly at the Spruill Gallery in Atlanta Georgia, united states, and in an exhibition entitled Kosher and Co at the Jewish Museum in Berlin. Currently I am a regular contributor to J-Wire and this esteemed publication.