What is the difference between the politics inherent in Wolfgang Tillmans’ work and that of other artists at this moment? It has something to do with his essentially optimistic view of a perfectly challenged world.

Photography was introduced to Australia in the 1840s, but technological limitations meant that images were shot on glass plates which took 12 hours to develop in the sun. In the 1840’s and 50s, Australia’s photographers were mainly from the US or Europe and travelled around the nation selling portraits to those who could afford it.