Radio John becomes thousand dollar prize
Radio John was once an unknown grain of the Kings Cross scene but now he and his travelled ghetto blaster are prize winning artwork.
The second annual Kings Cross Photography exhibition is on display this month with photos exploring the theme “Characters in the Cross – People & Place/Past & Present”.
Artist Michael Gormly won the $1000 prize for best new photograph, for his work, ‘Radio John’. The photo depicts a loosley toothed man gazing into the sky with bandaged handsstraddling a radio like a guitar.
“I knew him as Radio John, he used to inhabit the Kings Cross Strip and sing along to a ghetto blaster that he played like a guitar,” Mr Gormly said.
“He swore he had been a member of the Beatles and would tell you about his concert at Wembley Stadium. He was one of the best-loved and benign characters of the Cross.”
The competition, open to all photographers, concluded last week with prizes announced at a launch party on October 9. Ray Murton took home the prize for best old photograph for his work “Backstage after the show, stripper with dresser, Les Girls”, taken in 1981.
“Kings Cross was a kaleidoscope of different cultures. It encapsulates a cross section of humanity,” said MR Murton.
“Les Girls typifies one of its many facets and was one of those milestone places of ‘The Cross’ in which virtually everyone showed up at some stage to experience its outré glamour.”
The image was not published until Murton’s son submitted it after gathering his father’s archives.
The 2011 competition judges included photographer and performerWilliam Yang, Sydney Photographer Mandy Sayer and Writer and Kings Cross Identity Don Walker.’
Exhibition Curator Sandy Edwards said: “The Kings Cross Photography Prize was enthusiastically embraced by photographers.”
“The image of the ‘character’ of Kings Cross reflected some predictable results, historic and colourful characters, street scenes both seedy and picturesque, however there were inspired surprises that prove families and real people also live in the Cross and some images honouring the stylish 30’s architecture are still clearly visible there.”
The Kings Cross Photography exhibition runs fromOctober 5 – 24 at Mercure Sydney Potts Point (Hotel), Level 3 Reception area.
By Georgia Fullerton
