Ponch Hawkes | Queer Australian Art

Ponch Hawkes, No title (Women holding hands in front of graffiti, 'Lesbians are lovely'),1973; printed 2018, Gelatin silver photograph, 20.2 x 30.4cm, Collection: National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Image courtesy of National Gallery of Victoria.

Bio

Ponch Hawkes (b. 1946) is an Australian photographer and writer. A large part of Hawkes work documents Australian society and cultural life since the 1970s. Some of this has centered on queer identity and LGBTQI+ politics and communities. Hawkes' work stands out for documenting Lesbian women intimacy and communities, a rarity in a field that prioritises gay male perspectives. Hawkes' work through a commentary on Australian social movements speaks to the interconnected histories of feminist and LGBTQI+ movements. Although not confined to one particular thematic, Hawkes' work spans decades and the oeuvre represents an ongoing interrogation of the personal foundations that defined late 20th century Australian culture, for example sport, masculinity, intergenerational relationships, and labour.

In 1989, her solo exhibition Generations was held at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne (NGV). Her book Best Mates: A Study was published in 1990. A survey exhibition of Hawkes’ work was held in 1999 at the Glen Eira City Gallery and toured six venues. In 2020 she began the ground-breaking project 500Strong – 464 portraits of women over 50 naked, dealing with themes of ageing, health and visibility, which is currently touring. In 2022 Hawkes' No title (Two women embracing, 'Glad to be gay’) (1973) was used as the main poster image for QUEER: Stories from the NGV Collection at the NGV. Hawkes' work is held in collections around Australia including the NGV, Melbourne; National Gallery of Australia, Canberra; and Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, Brisbane; among others.