Dance of Life
“Frank Natale served as a unique teacher and guide in the field of human growth and development for more than…
Only a Man confronts the prejudices and typecasting of men and emotions. This telling work features the journey of 39 men who have exposed their bodies, minds and souls by providing an insight into their most intimate thoughts and emotions. This exhibition became a forum for the men who participated as they rarely felt able to freely express their vulnerability and emotional needs, without feeling dis-empowered by societal expectations of them as a result. The stories of these men and their search to find love, joy and empathy are portrayed in this work. Each one shares their experiences of growing up, male beauty, identity, war, work, divorce, fatherhood, disability, ageing, grief, and death.‘ Only a Man is an important, thought provoking piece of work, which I hope will stimulate discussion and encourage people to be more aware of the conflicts and contractions which seem to make being an emotional man an elusive goal.
Launched at the Seymour Centre in Sydney in 2006 it visited Grafton Regional Gallery, NSW and received an Honorary Mention in the 2002 Josephine Urlich Photography Award. The relevance of this work has increased due to growing awareness of the high suicide rates of men in Australia which has remained unchanged since 2002. On average four men per day suicide in Australia. If you would like to display the Only a Man exhibition, please reach out and contact us.
Please click on the images to see a full size image and read their story.
“Frank Natale served as a unique teacher and guide in the field of human growth and development for more than…
“The HSC had spent the whole year consuming everything so the idea of the last exam was a relief. I…
“Home means: love, security and place where you feel like you belong. You can live in a mansion and still…
“Money – two jobs, fish shop and retail store Dream – in a band with our first demo CD Future…
“When you have to sink or swim, treading water isn’t an option. Lead, or follow, or get out of the…
“Is my body the antithesis of the masculine ideal? How do we treat the trash in our visual landscape? Do…
“I learned that “He who forgets the past is condemned to repeat it”, but where I really suffered in my…
“As a teenage youth I romanticised of what love was to be, how was I to know that my true…
“My scourge is being born into the wickedest majority that ever lived: the white, middle-aged, straight male. We haven’t any…
“Thursday, March 11, 1999… the day that the world I knew was torn apart. It started like any other day,…
“As a man working in and with the mass media for much of my life, it struck me how much…
“These days the generalised straight male is: too bossy, too violent, too dumb, too lazy, too powerful, too condescending, too…
“A man’s being: No man can claim manhood unless he dedicates his strength to the defence of his family and…
“Don’t confuse kindness with weakness.” Participant – Barry Crook, 2001 “Barry has been a great mate since I arrive in…
“How deep is the cut-off of life and loss, the confused guilt of living when youth is gone, the risk…
“Accountability since the day he was born” Participant – Darryl Dorner, 2001 “Responsibility engulfs my life” Participant – Guy Dorner,…
“A while ago I met a truly wonderful woman. There was such a great chemistry and connection between us. We…
“When Belinda first approached me to be involved in this project it was at a time when I was deciding…
“Right up until now I always looked ahead and I was aspirational about my future. Fifty years have now passed…
“You have friends. You have a partner. You think you’re living with love. Are they taken from you? Or do…
“The image is about initiation. It is a man who said he was not initiated and wanted to go back…
“My life’s journey has brought my soul into this wonderful sanctuary of great love. Sometimes I have to remind myself…
“These photographs and their accompanying essays truly open our minds and our hearts to what it is to be male…
“Be still my beating heart Surrender me unto Utopia where I may forever bathe amongst ambrosia. A serendipitous wave of…
Many times I have seen this woman.I have seen her in the clubs and bars on Oxford Street chatting up…
“To suffer and endure for a love that is realised is, in retrospect, bearable. But to suffer and endure for…
“Well, it’s now been a month since I last saw my son and I don’t know when, or even if,…
“Lying on my back, I can feel two little lumps on either side of my belly. On the left side…
“I think that men and women in the last decade have become more demanding of their relationships. We won’t tolerate…
“If 5 whales beached themselves on Bondi Beach it would be front page news, broadcast all over the world, enormous…
“For just one more day with my Barbara I will do this” Participant – Dieter Vollbehr, 1996 “Dieter Vollbehr died…
“It is scary how similar we are. I always thought he was much more like his mother to look at…
“I’ve spent my time in hell. I’m looking for a bit of heaven now.” Participant – Bob Gagan, 2000 “All…
Although openly gregarious, I am a “private person” when it comes to laying bare my emotions and inner thoughts. Perhaps…
