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Join us as we bring great photography by emerging and established photographers that explores ideas and our world through an annual festival of exhibitions, workshops and conversations led by Australian and international artists and thought-leaders. Head On Photo Festival is presented by the not-for-profit Head On Foundation.
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These images are part of a long-term project focusing on the Irish Travellers, a historically nomadic group. They number about 30,000 in all of Ireland and are ethnically separate from Romani/Gypsies.
Though always kept at the margins of society, Travellers are a remarkably resilient group who highly prize their culture and family life. They are endogamous. On average, they marry at 16-17 and have children soon after. Women spend their time caring for the family.
School is mandatory for the children, but they rarely progress beyond high school. As toddlers, the girls are taught to act and dress provocatively. However, they are not allowed to smoke, drink or have sex until marriage.
Early in life, Travellers must learn to face discrimination and racism. Often, when their Traveller status becomes known, they will not be hired or are fired. As a result, their unemployment rate is 84%. Many are under-educated or illiterate. Like the Settled Irish, they receive government assistance based on need. Men's activities revolve around their dogs and horses.
Since first seeing the images of Joseph-Philippe Bevillard, I have been drawn to the Travellers. Their manner of dress, cultural differences, and living circumstances are distinct. They are beautiful people whose story is mainly untold outside Ireland and the United Kingdom. With my photographs, I hope to share the world of the Travellers with others well outside their homeland.
Bob's training has come through workshops and mentoring. His subject matter has evolved from being non-selective to a more distinct focus of storytelling using environmental photography. He has received juried awards from organizations including Px3 Paris Photo, Pollux, International Photo Awards, and South X Southeast Photo Gallery. Selected images have been published in Black and White Magazine, Shadow & Light Magazine and Dodho. His accomplishments also include competitive selection for the Agency VII Masterclass in Warsaw and the Eddie Adams XXXII Workshop.
Irish Traveller Boy At Roadside Camp - Cashel, Ireland
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“The blanket of colonisation has been woven on violence and oppression has denied us all a kind truth. The impact of broken culture and languages and spiritual practices has left a deafening silence around violence in our intimate relationships causing violent assaults and sexual abuse.
Kindness is a movement. Sharing it is accessing your basic human right to personal and communal safely. We need to own our stories and come together to appreciate each other and listen. Violence hurts, it hurts society, its hurts families and it hurts you and I.
My Grandmothers were stolen from their families and enslaved, their culture and language denied. As a young person who witnessed family violence, I would never have believed I would be here today.
Understand that someone may not be ready to leave, and be kind and understand, don’t carry judgement or resentment of someone else’s journey. Give them a place to speak openly without being afraid or judged.
I said to my good friend, ‘I can’t live in this oppressive state of mind and not do nothing about the violence we are experiencing, personally and in society’. So begins the change when knowledge is learned and processed. Holding onto anger and resentment isn’t worth it.
No one person can be what you need to be or feel what you need to feel. Find safety within yourself.”
Dixie Link Gordon
Adjunct Senior Lecturer, Arts and Social Sciences, UNSW Sydney
