B. 1946

Ponch Hawkes lives and works in Melbourne as a practicing artist in journalism and photography. In the 1970s, her work documented pro-LGBT+ protests alongside the private, everyday lives of lesbian women, a perspective seldom seen in photography at the time. She also explores the female body in her 2020 series “500 Strong.” Her images engage with monumental cultural and social movements including women’s liberation, LGBT+ and anti fascist protests throughout Australia’s late 20th century to present day.

Hawkes discovered her passion for photography in 1972. In her early career, she worked for Digger magazine and the Rolling Stones. She would then go on to host her first major solo exhibition ‘Generations’ that was held at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne in 1989. 

Hawkes embedded herself in a feminist collective at Melbourne’s arts and theatre space The Pram Factory during the 1970s. Since her early career, she has remained a key artist in the contemporary photography sphere and continues to capture protests of various social and political issues. Hawke’s work is represented across significant public collections including the National Gallery of Victoria, National Gallery of Australia and State Library of Victoria.

To read a more in-depth biography of the artist, click here