From The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia comes Olympia: Photographs by Polixeni Papapetrou. From the NGV: Olympia: Photographs by Polixeni Papapetrou is the first major museum retrospective of Australian photographer Polixeni Papapetrou (1961–2018). The exhibition comprises photographs of the artist’s daughter Olympia. From her birth (1997) until her mother’s death last year, Olympia played a central role in Papapetrou’s image-making, variously assuming the complex roles of model and muse, collaborator and champion. Olympia: Photographs by Polixeni Papapetrou surveys twenty years of Papapetrou’s practice and includes works from her best-known series, as well as images never before displayed in Melbourne. Influenced by her PhD on the work of nineteenth-century English author Lewis Carroll, Papapetrou’s work explores the representation of children in historical and contemporary settings and their role in society, the complex stereotypes surrounding childhood and, later, issues of identity and the individual. Following the birth of her daughter, Papapetrou’s work underwent a significant change. Her earlier work had focused on the carefully constructed and stage-managed worlds of people who lived, worked and played in disguise, including drag queens, wrestlers and avid Elvis fans. After Olympia’s birth, Papapetrou began photographing her children and their friends, opening up a world of play-acting, imagination and storytelling. Olympia: Photographs by Polixeni Papapetrou was curated in collaboration with the artist’s family and includes a number of celebrated series ranging from Phantomwise 2003, her first major series featuring Olympia, through to her final series MY HEART – still full of her, 2018. Other series include her clown series Melancholia 2014, which reflects the artist’s grief on hearing her second, and ultimately terminal, cancer diagnosis; and her floral Eden series, 2016 that highlights the impermanence of life. The final series of works in the exhibition brings together early self-portraits by Papapetrou and images of Olympia drawn from the artist’s archive. These take on a new life, and luminescence, printed on canvas in rich tones of black, gold and silver. Entry is free.

See yourself on the big screen! Head down to Fed Square between 3 pm – 4 pm daily to see yourself on the big screen! Show off your best dance moves, get that unique Instagram selfie or soak up the Fed Cam fame. A 24 hr online live stream can also be here: fedsquare.com/fed-cam

Really get to know Fed Square Learn about the site’s history, unique architecture and the engineering marvels that make Fed Square one of the city’s great icons. Tours depart daily, Monday – Saturday at 11am. No need to book, just turn up on time. Where: Meet at the Australian, Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Flags in the Swanston Street Forecourt. When:  Monday – Saturday, 11am Price: Free (max 15 people per tour) Please note: Tours do not run on public holidays.