Edward Newman was a joiner, whose firm created the cabinetry housing the grand organ in Melbourne Town Hall. Edward was also a keen photographer, taking photos across Victoria and South Australia, in colonial days.
Alan Pentland is an award-winning writer and performer. He won the Melbourne Spoken Word prize in 2017. Edward Newman was his great grandfather.
Victoria had tall forests, which evolved over thousands of years, under guardianship of first nations people. This landscape was disrupted when settlers arrived. These photos reflect that point in time.
Alan has meticulously restored and reimagined Edward’s original prints, from forest to farmland… and beyond. He juxtaposes them with contemporary poetry on social evolution – past and present, side by side. Each print comes with a video link, showing Alan performing the poem.
The works are available as “art” prints, but Ferret saw some lying around one day
and reckoned he could do better.
A forger mate taught him how to trick things up, he rips off the boring bits,
then sticks them on a board.
Framed by Ferret.
