Artist Tiffaney Bishop layers text over pictures of Upwey’s train station. 44617
By Casey Neill
SASSAFRAS artist Tiffaney Bishop is confronting and challenging perceptions of youth in her latest photographic work.
Toyota Community Spirit Gallery selected Ms Bishop’s photo Ephebiphobia #2 to feature in its exhibition The Looking Glass – Reflections of the Modern World.
It’s among work from 49 artists on display. More than 240 applied.
“I didn’t expect to get it but I was really thrilled,” Ms Bishop said.
The work is for her Masters in Fine Art Photo Media and was part of a series about habitual youth violence in the hills.
“But instead of denigrating young people it considers the reasons behind such violence and invites the viewer to look beyond the surface,” she said.
The text “Let’s get ‘er at the station and wreck ‘er” is layered and repeated over the image of Upwey Railway Station. “So it gives you a different textural feel,” Ms Bishop said.
Ephebiphobia describes a culture of fear and loathing of teenagers and adolescence, “a fear and loathing that is often an exaggerated and counter-productive characterisation of young people,” she said.
Ms Bishop said the word exactly fitted her experiences. “If you see someone with a hoodie you cross the road.”
“I’ve embedded myself in a young person’s world and discovered there’s some real youth issues that need to be communicated out there.”
For the past two years Ms Bishop has worked with troubled Upwey teens to try to change their town’s image.
The Scum Pups work on photo and film-based artwork at Upwey train station each Monday afternoon and encourage people on the platform to get involved.
Ms Bishop is now planning to take the six art collective members to New York to work with a similar group based in The Bronx.
Tim Rollins and the Kids of Survival has been operating for more than 20 years.
Ms Bishop is eligible to apply for a $10,000 Toyota Artist Travel Award and would use the cash to take her pups to New York early next year.
Mr Rollins is also planning a trip to Australia.
Scum Pups is attracting attention from local councils, such as Dandenong, Williamstown and Kingston, which are interested in replicating the model. “The momentum’s kicked in. People are now approaching us,” Ms Bishop said.
The Looking Glass – Reflections of the Modern World is on display at the Toyota Community Spirit Gallery, Ground Floor, 155 Bertie Street, Port Melbourne, until 25 June. The gallery is open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday or by appointment.
