July | 2013 | The Unreliable Narrator

This September my writing will be exhibited in photo-literary collaboration PICTURE 1000 WORDS. The exhibition, which explores the power of images to inspire written creativity, will be exhibited from the 2nd to the 29th of September at the City Library Gallery, Melbourne.

Fascinated by the varying interpretations that people often make of his images, documentary and travel photographer Cam Cope decided to conduct an experiment: to see what happens when authors are invited to respond to his photographs in writing. Playing on the old adage ‘a picture paints a thousand words’, Cam Cope asked each author to respond to a collection of enigmatic photographs from around the world.

None of the writers were told the real world origins of the photos and our imaginations were left to fill in the details (I still do not know where my picture was taken). Each story had to be penned to an exact 1000 word count for authenticity. Which is a detail that I respect but found hard to complete. It was an exciting process to be part of that began back in 2012. My story ‘South Beach’, that will be included, inspired the longer ‘Home’ published in the UTS Anthology.

The exhibition will feature thirteen large print photographs by Cam Cope, paired with thirteen one-thousand-word short stories written by Alice Allan, Andrew Bitfield, Jessie Cole, Rijn Collins, Brett Hamm, Kate Hennessy, Mary- anne Khan, Louise Nicholls, Ashley Orr, Holly Ringland, Luke Wright, Aisling Smith and me.

A short story anthology / photo book of Picture 1000 Words will be launched concurrently to the exhibition in September and be available for order at http://www.camcope.com. All prints are limited edition and available for sale.

Over the next few weeks I will be releasing extracts from the exhibition and hopefully more things along the same vein. Please come along to the opening night! You can RSVP here.

Also check out Cam Cope’s awesome blog: www.camcope.wordpress.com .

Exhibition Dates: 2 – 29 September 2013
Opening Celebration: Thursday September 5th 5.00pm to 7.00pm
Venue: The Gallery @ City Library 253 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday 8am – 7.45pm, Friday 8am – 5.45pm, Saturday 10am – 4.45pm, Sunday 12pm – 4.45pm (closed public holidays).

CONTACT Cam Cope for more info, images or interview opportunities on contact@camcope.com or 0400 565 558

This weekend new festival Bleu Blanc Rouge premiers at the front of Customs House at Circular Quay, Sydney. The festival, which coincides with the anniversary of Bastille Day, celebrates French culture with music, cooking lessons, dancing and food – an idea that would get any francophile frothing.

While the festival is only short, limited to the 12th, 13th and 14th of June, it is already proving to be filled to the brim with attractions. During the festival you can book in for cooking lessons with French cuisine experts John Aymeric Saint-Lannes and John Ralley or try any number of the delicious vendors at the Bleu Blanc Rouge Village. Live performances will be shown throughout the day and night at The Caledonian Stage. On Saturday Night ‘le bal du quatorze juillet’ will be held with french and international beats played by DJ Georgina Sinclair.

For cyclist fanatics looking for a more ‘authentic experience’, make sure you head over to the Bleu Blanc Rouge Village to watch the Tour De France, shown on the big screen courtesy of SBS. French wine tastings are held on Area Bleu from 12:30 pm to 5:00 pm. For full program details check the Bleu Blanc Rouge website.