BRETT HILDER
In 1969, at the beginning of a decade that would see Australians embrace a new attitude towards themselves and the rest of the world, Brett Hilder set up his studio in Sydney's Surry Hills. The youth culture of the 1960s brought a new set of standards in music, fashion and lifestyles. At the same time came an economic boom and a reawakening of creativity in the arts. Australia was a prosperous, forward looking and confident society.
...Hilder's individual approach to fashion photography was ideal for the time. Innovative fashion designers and younger editors sought him out for the imaginative photographs which portrayed a sense of romance and mystery. His work in magazines such as Vogue and POL showed how a photograph could stand on its own, despite the subject, clothes or model.
...In the mid 1970s he went to Paris where his photographs, with their sense of drama, purpose and a chic sensuousness, found a new audience. He continued his fashion work when he returned to Australia in the late 70s but also extended his work into theatre and film.
...Over recent years Hilder has become increasingly engaged with film. This is a logical progression for him and his film Como Fue is the exploration of not only the life of Tina Modotti but also the possibilities of another medium.
Brett Hilder's photographs are of a deeply personal exploration of the sensual and romantic. They are never flamboyant, but illustrate an individual visual language that can involve the viewer as much as the model and photographer.
Helen Glad