Eddie Adams: Saigon ’68 – Sydney
“Still photographs are the most powerful weapon in the world. People believe them; but photographs do lie, even without manipulation.” – Eddie Adams
In 1968, photojournalist Eddie Adams captured the most iconic image of the Vietnam War: a pointblank execution of a Vietcong prisoner on a Saigon street. The photo epitomised the horror of wartime brutality and was circulated all over the world, spurring global opposition to the war. Yet the ‘truth’ of any photograph is not straightforward. The context of the shooting of the Vietcong prisoner has never properly been examined. Saigon ‘68 explores the untold story behind this image and raises pertinent questions regarding the power of photography to affect human rights agendas.
Part of the Reportage Festival: Photography in Conflict is an exploration into the changes of conflict photography from the period of the Vietnam War to contemporary times. Includes talks by photographer Tim Page.
TIM PAGE
One of the world’s best-known war photographers and one of the first photographers to cover the Vietnam War. Page has photographed conflict around the globe for almost 50 years, including conflicts in Laos and Cambodia and now teaches photojournalism at Griffith University.
The special screening of Saigon’68 will be presented in partnership with Reportage Festival 2013 and the MCA in partnership with the Human Rights Arts & Film Festival.
Informant – Sydney
Vilified and venerated in equal measure, but who is Brandon Darby? In 2005 he entered the national spotlight when he co-founded the Common Ground Collective in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. A charismatic leader, who made friends and enemies easily, he climbed the ranks of the radical left, and became known as a fearless revolutionary. But this is only the beginning of the story. Meltzer’s fascinating documentary unravels Darby’s tale which, like the plot of a bizarre thriller, is at times almost unbelievable. Drawing on intimate conversations with Darby, who becomes more of a mystery the more we get to know him, we watch him re-address the most controversial events of his life. With contradicting testimony from activists, journalists, politicians and government agents, Informant casts doubt on any one truth in a psychological examination of fundamentalism that will leave you reeling.
“A film that is thrilling from beginning to end, that innovates documentary form, that takes a small corner of America and looks at our widest issues.” — DOC NYC, 2012
In the Shadow of the Sun – Sydney (Opening Night)
Albinos in Tanzania have traditionally been perceived as almost mythical beings. To some they are ghosts who cannot die; to others the result of a family curse. In 2007, after a wave of albino murders, a disturbing myth is exposed: witch doctors are calling for albinos to be hunted, claiming their limbs will bring wealth and good fortune.
For Josephat Torner, an albino himself, the only choice is to take action. He packs his bags, farewells his family, and sets out across the country, visiting villages in the hope that by confronting the superstitions he can stop the killings. Along the way, he meets many albino children who have been taken from their homes, forced to live in hiding behind high walls – “One of the many things we have had to learn is to live in danger.” Shot over six years, In the Shadow of the Sun is the story of a man who stands up to persecution, putting his life on the line to change the world in which he lives.
Post-Film Q&A
Our opening night film features a Q&A with director Harry Freeland and protagonist Josephat Torner.
Includes a complimentary drink on arrival
Alias Ruby Blade – Sydney (Closing Night)
Intrigue. Romance. Revolution. It all comes together in this action-packed documentary, which chronicles the tumultuous birth of a new nation in East Timor through a never-before-seen perspective. Kirsty Sword, a young Australian activist, aspired to be a documentary filmmaker, but instead became an underground operative for the Timorese resistance in Jakarta, code named ‘Ruby Blade’. Her task: to become a conduit of information and instruction for the enigmatic leader of the resistance, Kay Rala “Xanana” Gusmão, while he was serving time in prison for his revolutionary activities. Through correspondence, Xanana and Kirsty drew ever closer. Alias Ruby Blade captures their incredible story from this beginning to the ultimate triumph of freedom in East Timor, demonstrating the astonishing power of individuals to change the course of history.
Artist in Conversation
Join Wangechi Mutu and MCA Senior Curator Rachel Kent in conversation, as they discuss aspects of the artist’s practice including themes of gender, desire and the female body, as well as abjection and violence. Mutu uses diverse materials in the realisation of her works, from packing tape to fur. Hear about her approach to materiality and the collaging of diverse visual imagery to create powerful, and at times confronting, work.
Presented by the Museum of Contemporary Art in association with HRAFF
This event is part of the Wangechi Mutu Exhibition
A major presentation of Kenyan-born, Brooklyn–based Wangechi Mutu’s art across collage and drawing, sculpture, installation and video. Mutu combines drawn elements and image fragments from popular and ethnographic journals, as well as representations of the female body. Sculpture and collage are also combined within large-scale constructed environments which often reference feasting or gluttony. A selection of Wangechi Mutu’s film and videos will be included which reflect a different kind of corporeality and feature the artist herself in a range of roles.
MCA EXHIBITION: 23 May-11 August, 2013
OPENING HOURS: Mon – Wed 10am-5pm, Thu 10am-9pm, Fri – Sun 10am-5pm
Visit the MCA website for further exhibition details here.
