February 23, 2004

Bill Henson#2

Some of the images I posted here by the Bill Henson, the Australian romantic photographer, have created a bit of controversy in the comments section. Many people react negatively to Henson's images of romance and squalor.

So I thought I'd post some more about the forgotten places, neglected areas and urban wastelands barely illuminated by dim streetlights:
Henson2.jpg
Bill Henson, Untitled #62, 2000/2003

It's sex, dirt and squalor. It's street kids and prostitution. It's what Bataille would call a base materialism. Low life that lives in shadows---bleak spaces of destruction and despair--of an enlightened society:

Henson4.jpg
Bill Henson, Untitled 55, 2002-3

The images indicate a society adrift beyond repair. They suggest that human life that can be, and is sacrificed, by an uncaring society. Youth are being sacrificed for what reason?

This social low is then contrasted with the cultural high or peak:
Henson3.jpg
Bill Henson, Untitled, 1983-4.

Poverty and squalor. Low and high. But it's not bestial unreason. It's smudgy, naked street kids living on the margins.

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Posted by Gary Sauer-Thompson at February 23, 2004 07:28 AM | TrackBack
Comments

i was wondering if you could send me more infomation on bill henson.
his date of birth, where he studied at, ect....

if you could send it to sheepinsuspenders@hotmail.com

thanx. sez.

Posted by: sez on May 11, 2004 10:35 AM

hay, im studying bill henson and finding it hard to track down info on his life and methods. if you have any info could you please email me? thanx heaps. :)

Posted by: jenna on July 8, 2004 01:40 PM

Sez and Jenna,
click the link under the photo.

Posted by: Gary Sauer-Thompson on October 11, 2004 11:32 PM

Is it really about 'street kids and prostitution'? I thought his images were more about that transitional period between being an adult and being a child. Especially when seen in context with his 'landscape' photographs. I thought they were more about discovering sexuality and the way at that age it is common for 'kids' to seek out and claim these deserted night places (B.H. is synonymous with nocturne) as their own territory. I think 'street kids and prostitution' makes it seem 'sleazier' (to me) than the way I read them (and thought they were intended to be read??).

Granted, the high/low culture ‘thing’ seems a more prevalent issue in his older work, but that is from two decades ago.

Concerning the ‘passive female’, that you mention in your other post that you referred me too. While that may be the case in that particular image, more generally the ‘girls’ in the image seem to have the camera fixed with their stare, which makes them seem more defiant about sexuality rather than passive ‘victims’.

Posted by: Sam on October 12, 2004 03:04 PM

Sam,
you are right about the kids becoming sexual beings.That is the central theme.

Yet we have the dirt and squalor in contrast to the glitter of the Baroque.That is why I read them that way.

Maye the prostitution bit needs to be dropped.I got that from 'the kids need to survive so they have to earn money somehow.

However, little in the photos warrants the prostitution interpretation.

Posted by: Gary Sauer-Thompson on October 12, 2004 05:31 PM

Hey im doing my major on some of Bill Hensons work, i was wondering if you could forward any info you have on the tonal qualities to his work...

Posted by: Kim Prunster on October 20, 2004 01:51 PM

The models in Henson's photos are nice Eastern suburbs middle class kids very deliberately posed and shot to look grungy, wasted, whatever... This is what I feel gives the sense of unease in his work, that thing you can't quite articulate - it's fake! Romantically idealised images of lives on the edge that can be safely invested in and displayed in your glassy penthouse so that your friends in their designer label clothes will think you are really cool. Don't believe the man has ever known a junkie or homeless kid, and he would never associate with such low-brow types - he is all artistic pretension himself!!!

Posted by: on October 27, 2004 07:43 PM

i am doing yr 12 art/photograph this year and i have really goten in to Bill Hensons work i love the way he captures images and i am having trubble finding info on his life and most of all his methods could u please help me out and if u could send it to my e-mail thanks

Posted by: kylie on December 4, 2004 03:57 PM

hey um i wonderin if u could send me bill henson's date of birth and stuf for my major work for school plzzzz!!=D if u could send it to my email thanks a heap!!!

Posted by: Emily on February 13, 2005 11:35 AM

hi my name is sara im in yr 12 and usein bill henson in my major work and its really hard to find any info on him and if u had any it would be really great if u sent it to me
my e-mail address is lil_witch001@hotmail.com
thx alot for u help

Posted by: sara on February 14, 2005 01:32 PM

I'm also doing my yr 12 major folio on Bill Henson and I've found so much info, just look around and there masses of stuff, so stop asking other people to do your assignments for you...or better yet use your own brain and get your own opinion :-)

Posted by: Lauren on February 28, 2005 11:18 AM

hey,
finding it hard to find info on bill henson, info on where he studied the artistic social and cultral influences. if you had any info please email it to me asap

Maria

Posted by: maria on March 1, 2005 03:23 PM

i was woundering if you could send me all the info that you have on bill henson his work really moves me and i would like to study it closer

Posted by: lindelle on March 3, 2005 10:03 PM

hey, i'd like to reply to the comment left earlier slagging off Henson's work as 'pretentious and fake'.
I think you'r point is valid. But the images are art. they are not documentary. Does a film become emotionally invalid because it's acted out, instead of being real moments?
He is making a statement on society, and observing human nature, the pain, angst and beauty that makes up each life.
The images are remarkably moving and beautiful, in my opinion, and it does make me think. They're images that i can stare at all day.
So, in that respect, there's nothing fake about them. They're things that make us think. There's nothing more real than that.

Posted by: Rhys on March 7, 2005 09:02 PM

i enjoy bill hensons works, he captures so much that we become involved and are forced into making judgements and questions about the subject. i agree that some themes and issues are very confronting and personal but take a look around in our world, the things we dont want to see or think of as real are the things that henson captures and sort of exposes. there's nothing bad about his works, they are real, showing different aspects and issues of society and adolescents.

Posted by: alana on March 13, 2005 02:04 PM

Hi, just wondering if anyone knows which picture Bill Henson was influenced by Baroque on. Its his Untitled 1994/1995 picture which is meant to be one like a baroque piece.

Posted by: Chooka on March 18, 2005 01:40 PM

Forget Bill Henson. Try Studying English!!!

Posted by: Neil on April 25, 2005 12:02 PM

Chooka,
i don't know... but try http://www.roslynoxley9.com.au/artists/18/Bill_Henson/336/28327/
onwards

toddles

Lady Aquill

Posted by: LadyAquill on May 8, 2005 09:34 PM

Bill hesons photographs are about capturing different emotions that one experiences whilst being alone in the stillness of the night. They also capture, what we call, feelins, movement and nerves that we feel when being alone with the opposite sex... its no where near pornography, do your research, go to his gallery before you comment!

Posted by: Zo on May 11, 2005 03:17 PM

Bil Henson is having a major retrospective currently in Australia 2005. The AGNSW has published a large book on his life and work. Also both the AGNSW and the NGV have information on him, finally, this site has some background and critiques some of his work, http://www.pavementmagazine.com/billhenson.html

Posted by: s2art on May 17, 2005 10:05 AM

Hey
im doing yr 12 photography to and i know how hard it is to find info on bill henson, espesh stuff like influences and inspirations. Keep your eyes open in the newspapers coz his exhibition has just opened in melb. The art critics will be all over it and soon the issue of porn or art will arise. the age did a great article on his influences . titled: In the shadows of great art. The age review, saturday may 7th, 2005. Also read some of the comments on this page because you will learn of what other people see in his work and can show you differnt aspects to his work. Hope i have helped all you stressed out YR 12's .. but dont give up.

Posted by: Chel on May 26, 2005 09:50 PM

I would really love it if you could send me any info about Bill henson, any info you have at all would be good. I am doing year 12 and my major works are based on him and i really need as much info i can get for my exam. my email is aronius_capernicus@hotmail.com if anyone else who reads this would have anything as well as i really do need it. Thank you so much, From Aaron.

Posted by: Aaron Kelly on August 18, 2005 11:43 AM

I'm studying Bill Henson at school for year 12 art and I find it interesting that you chose these particular images to show on your site, perhaps some of the most provoking and controversial work he has created. It may be forgotton here that Henson is not a photographer but an artist... would there be half the controversy is if these were painted images?

We must remember that Henson is not capturing reality with his 'art' but commenting on reality through his interpretation of the subject matter, through a precise choreographed image (often created on a set). It is perhaps the implication of reality in his images that disturbs people the most, preventing them from seeing the raw beauty of the images. Henson is a master of light and dark and often the figure of the work is not the main focus, but the overwhelming dark surrounding it.

I emplore you to post some of Henson's more 'mellow' works for example from his Paris Opera series in order to better represent the whole of Bill Hensons work.

Posted by: hannah on August 21, 2005 01:00 PM

could you please send me your name because im actually going to quote you for my yr 12 assignment on bill henson and i think your thoughts are fantastic!! please email me rather than post me

Posted by: princess sophia on August 22, 2005 11:19 AM

hey i was just wondering if u could send me an email back telling me wat inspired bill henson. i am doing this as one of my assesment tasks in studio arts.. that would be really good thatnks jemma

Posted by: jemma on September 5, 2005 05:11 PM
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