Joyce Evans (photographer) facts for kids

Joyce Olga Evans (born December 21, 1929 – died April 20, 2019) was an amazing Australian photographer. She started taking pictures as a hobby in the 1950s. Later, in the 1980s, she became a professional artist with her camera. Joyce also directed a photography center, helped choose art for collections, and taught photography at universities. She was a very important person in Australian photography.

Early Life and Photography

Joyce's father gave her a special Leica camera. Her earliest photos are from 1949 to 1951. These pictures show marches, protests, and youth events. For example, she photographed the 1949 May Day March. She also captured moments from the 2nd World Festival of Youth and Students in Budapest in 1949.

Later, in 1967 and 1968, Joyce studied painting in Sydney. But she truly "fell in love" with photography after visiting an art fair in Basel. This led her to first open an art gallery. Then, she became a photographer herself.

Church Street Photographic Centre

In 1976, Joyce Evans opened the Church Street Photographic Centre. This was a special gallery and bookshop just for photography. It was one of the first places in Melbourne to focus on showing photographs.

The gallery displayed photos from famous artists from around the world. These included Berenice Abbott, Eugène Atget, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Robert Frank. It also showed works by important Australian photographers. Some of these were Max Dupain, Rennie Ellis, and Bill Henson.

The center also had a bookshop. It sold many books and magazines about photography. Schools and colleges in Melbourne used it to get their photography supplies. The gallery also hosted workshops and talks. Famous photographers and writers came to teach there.

In 1982, Joyce closed the Church Street Centre. She moved her collection to a private studio. She continued to work as an expert in photography. She advised museums and private collectors on buying photos.

Joyce as a Photographer

After closing her gallery, Joyce went to photography school in 1982. She then spent her time taking pictures. She focused on portraits, documentary photos, and landscapes.

One of her unique projects was a series on roadside verges. These are the edges of roads. Between 1988 and 1996, she photographed wildlife that had been hit by cars. She used a special camera that could take wide, panoramic pictures. Sometimes, she would turn the camera to create interesting, distorted effects.

Joyce also created a photo-book called Only One Kilometre. This book featured photos she took in a small nature reserve. It also included poems and writings from other artists. She photographed many other places too. These included the Dandenong Ranges, the Central Desert, and parts of Southern France.

Her portrait photos were usually in black and white. She took them up close. They often showed people in their own spaces. This helped to show their feelings and personalities. She photographed many different Australians. These included famous people like Germaine Greer and Dame Elisabeth Murdoch.

Joyce also worked as a volunteer photographer for the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. For over ten years, she documented Australian country towns and events for the National Library of Australia.

Teaching and Education

Joyce Evans also played a big role in teaching others about photography. She taught the history of photography at RMIT University in Melbourne. She helped start the Waverley City Gallery (now Monash Gallery of Art). This was the first public art collection in Melbourne to focus on photography. She also taught courses and gave lectures on photography.

Exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions

• National Trust Gallery, Melbourne.
• 2010: Obscura Gallery, St Kilda East, Vic.

Group Exhibitions

• 2011: Phiction: Lies, Illusion and the Phantasm in Australia Photography, Horsham Regional Art Gallery and touring.
• Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery.
• 2015: Streetwise, Photonet Gallery, Fairfield, February 1–22.
• 2019 In Her Words : A NETS Touring Exhibition curated by Olivia Poloni, Horsham Regional Art Gallery 2 March – 19 May; Wangaratta Art Gallery, 01 Nov – 15 Dec.

Awards

• Hasselblad Masters (Landscape Division), 1985
• Print of the Year Award, IAPP Victorian Division (1985)
• Print of the Year Award, IAPP Victorian Division (1991)
• Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2019 Queen's Birthday Honours for her service to photography.

Collections

Joyce Evans' photographs are kept in many public collections. These include:

Tapestry

In 1995, one of Joyce's famous images, Selby Daffodils (Cotswald Farm), was turned into a tapestry. This was done by the Australian Tapestry Workshop in Melbourne.