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Esteemed Australian photographer, Stephen Dupont, is the first Australian to be awarded the prestigious 2010 Robert Gardner Fellowship in Photography at Harvard’s Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology.

A self-taught photographer, Stephen Dupont has captured photo essays from some of the world’s most dangerous regions including Afghanistan, Angola, Burma, Burundi, Cambodia, Congo, East Timor, Iraq, Israel, Rwanda and Somalia.

 

As part of the Award prize, the Fellowship funds an ‘established practitioner of the photographic arts to create and subsequently publish through the Peabody Museum a major book of photographs on the human condition anywhere in the world.’

 

For his project, Stephen has selected to travel to Papua New Guinea where he will spend 12 months working on Guns and Arrows: The Detribalisation of Papua New Guinea. Over the past six years, he has travelled to Papua New Guinea to photographically document its changing face and the powerful impact of globalisation on the fabric of its traditional Melanesian society.

 

“Guns and Arrowswill be an in-depth study of cultural erosion as well as a celebration of an ancient people,” Stephen said.

 

As part of his project, he will also produce a major book profiling his Papua New Guinea photographs; conduct an exhibition and lecture at the Peabody Museum; as well as produce an interactive web presentation.

 

Stephen Dupont said he has been an advocate of FUJIFILM Professional films throughout his 21-year career, in particular FP-100C 5” x 4” instant colour film, Neopan ACROS black-and-white film and Velvia colour transparency.

 

FUJIFILM Australia National Manager – Professional, Kevin Cooper, said the 2010 Robert Gardner Fellowship in Photography is a fitting accolade for Stephen Dupont who has been recognised internationally for his outstanding photographic work that has captured the essence of so many cultures, which have often been
war-torn at the time.

 

“He has worked in extremely high risk environments, including Afghanistan where he survived a suicide bombing,” Mr Cooper said.

 

Stephen Dupont has earned many other prestigious photography awards including a Robert Capa Gold Medal citation from the Overseas Press Club of America; a Bayeux War Correspondent’s Prize; plus achieved first places in the World Press Photo, Pictures of the Year International, the Australian Walkleys and the Leica/CCP Documentary Award.

 

In 2007, Stephen was also awarded the W. Eugene Smith Grant for Humanitarian Photography for his ongoing project in Afghanistan.

 

His handmade photographic artist books and portfolios are in the collections of the National Gallery of Australia, National Library of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Australian War Memorial, The New York Public Library, Berlin and Munich National Art Libraries, Stanford University, Yale University, Boston Athanaeum, Minneapolis Institute of Arts and Joy of Giving Something, Inc.

 

Stephen Dupont will be a FUJIFILM Guest Speaker along with Tim Page at the
PMA Australia 2010 Digital Life Expo on Sunday 6 June 2010.