Renowned photographer, politician and St Kilda resident Serge Thomann will showcase the changing face of St Kilda in his first photo exhibition.
St Kilda Living Legends will showcase the personalities and personality of the inner Melbourne suburb of St Kilda with images featuring the music stars, movie stars and identities who live in the region.“Musically, I have got a fabulous portrait of Ren??e Geyer and Paul Kelly posing together for the first time - photo taken at the Esplanade Hotel,” he tells Undercover News. “I also have got Molly Meldrum as a St Kilda FC Legend. Others: Mirka Mora, Rachel Griffiths, Robert Taylor, Iain Hewitson, Jenny Bannister, Ron Barrasi and Robert Richter.”
All of the photos to be featured in the exhibition were taken in the past three months. “The opportunity to work with people and neighbours I respect and admire, has been an immense pleasure for me,” he says.
The exhibition will be held at the Dogs Bar in St Kilda, owned by David Carruthers. “Serge Thomann’s show will be awesome. We talked last year about him capturing some St Kilda faces and doing a show during his birthday week,” says Carruthers. “I suggested he produce them as limited editions to sell, so that more people could access what are going to be great photographs.”
Of all the photos he has taken he says he does have a favourite in this exhibition. “It is more the spirit of St Kilda than St Kilda... Let me think... Yes, Wendy Butler the trolley lady,” he says. (See photo).
Thomann has not had the time to devote to his photographer since being elected to council in 2008. “Being busy doing my job as a Councillor, I didn’t really have a lot of time to take photographs in my first year at Council,” he said.
“Over the Christmas break, I realized how much I missed taking photos and decided to take portraits of St Kilda people - the people I represent.
“There are so many great people in St Kilda and Port Phillip. At first I wanted to call my project St Kilda legends, or St Kilda icons. But I think it should just be St Kilda people.
“Some of the people are predictable, some not so much. Some are well known, some more obscure, “ he said.
‘St Kilda Living Legends - Celebrating the people of St Kilda’ opens on March 21 and will be on until April 3 at the Dogs Bar at 54 Acland St, St Kilda.
