Sydney Contemporary 2025: Masters of Photography

At Sydney Contemporary 2025, Michael Reid Sydney + Berlin presents a significant exhibition of new and historical works by several of Australia’s most important photographers.

Forming a core thread of the gallery’s most ambitious art fair presentation to date, Masters of Photography begins by drawing visitors into the distinct visual worlds of two of the country’s most acclaimed contemporary artists: Petrina Hicks, debuting the final four works from her award-winning Mnemosyne series exclusively at Sydney Contemporary; and Trent Parke, Australia’s first – and still only – Magnum-accredited photographer, unveiling previously unseen images from the landmark series that first brought him global acclaim more than two decades ago.

The watery currents of Hicks’s new work continue through a curated collection of photographs now in their final editions, including Narelle Autio’s cinematic surf scenes and Tamara Dean’s dreamlike undersea visions, as well as a very special offering of one of the most iconic images in the Australian photobook: Max Dupain’s Sunbaker (1937).

A rising voice in contemporary photography, Scott Perkins is exhibiting with Michael Reid Sydney + Berlin for the first time since the announcement of his representation by the gallery. Final editions of major works from the photographic archive of Dr Christian Thompson AO provide a historical counterpoint to Recital, his live vocal work headlining Performance Contemporary as part of the fair’s public program, while sun-splashed pastel portraits from the latest series by Gerwyn Davies, Calypso, similarly complement his newly commissioned, large-scale textile work, now positioned above the Carriageworks bar and dining space as a playful addition to the Installation Contemporary program.

To discuss works from our Masters of Photography exhibition at Sydney Contemporary, please email dean@michaelreid.com.au