Opening Night: Friday 10th June: 6:00pm – 9:00pm

Exhibition Running: 7th June – 19th June 2011

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION – WORDS BY BEN CAPP

“Sometimes we take ourselves too seriously and forget to step back and have a good
laugh at our flaws, our eccentricities, our appearance and our beliefs. Our inhibitions
threaten our confidence and ability to relax just to cope with the stress of everyday
life.


I was 15 when I realised I was balding and it took some time to come to terms with it.
I remember looking in the mirror a few years later contemplating shaving it all off. I
thought “I’m ghostly pale, have freckles and ginger chest hair, I may as well be bald
too”. I understood I was not, nor ever would be, the quintessential Adonis of a man
we all may want to be.

I’m a modest outgoing chap, with a solid circle of beautiful friends and an amazing
family and this is what matters to me. As does having a laugh. When I was 10 years
old, my Mum asked me to think about my purpose in life. After a good think, a year
or so later I told her that my purpose was to make people smile.

My Friends Are Pretty is a reminder that we are all pretty in one way or another and
we should all be a bit silly from time to time so we don’t go nuts.”

link: www.myfriendsarepretty.com

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER

After studying at Melbourne’s Photography Studies College, Ben headed to London
to start his professional career. During a four-year stint abroad, he was fortunate
enough to assist many leading photographers including Sean Gleason, Sandro
Sodano, Willy Vanderperre and Tom Van Heel. His work focused heavily on fashion
advertising and editorial portraits for major mastheads Rolling Stone, Tatler, Instyle
and Another Magazine.

It's fair to say that Ben is accustomed to working with royalty – be it of the rock'n'roll 
kind in Sir Paul McCartney and Rod Stewart; or the real deal with Prince Charles,
William, Harry, and Camilla Parker Bowles. Shooting Manchester United could be
classified as English sporting royalty; through to pop culture royals Paris Hilton and
Brittney Murphy. Ben was commissioned directly to shoot portraits for Rhys Ifans,
Rita Tushingham and Peter Stringfellow.

His work in advertising campaigns has included brands Paul Smith, Stella McCartney
Lingerie, Adidas, Nescafe and Nike. Since returning to Melbourne, Ben has been shooting commercial campaigns in
education, not for profit, fashion and music advertising; whilst concentrating on his
photographic heartland – personal portraiture projects. The series “Dave & His Men”
provides an insight into the unique characters who find emotional refuge in a local
boxing gym in suburban Preston. “My Friends Are Pretty” is Ben?s latest personal
work, and the subject of his first solo exhibition in Melbourne.

No Vacancy Project Gallery

Tenancy 32, The Atrium, Federation Square

link: http://no-vacancy.com.au