Changing Faces exhibition

Rows of aqua chairs in Council Chambers with black and white portrait photographs on the walls

Changing Faces Exhibition

Bayside City Council is proud to present Changing Faces: Reframing Women in Local Democracy. This exhibition celebrates the contribution women make to the municipality of Bayside and encourages women to get involved in local democracy.

Interior of Bayside City Council Chambers with Changing Faces photographs installed

Changing Faces Exhibition

The exhibition was held online due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

6 Black and White portraits of women wearing fake facial hair as part of the exhibition

Changing Faces Exhibition

Funded by VicHealth under the Gender Equality and the Arts grants program, this powerful project celebrates 171 amazing local women who have been nominated by the community in recognition of their contribution and leadership in many areas.

Interior of Council Chambers including last row of chairs and portraits of former mayors installed

Changing Faces Exhibition

Seen here, portraits of former mayors that usually adorn Bayside City Council Chambers have been temporarily replaced with portraits of women who contribute to Bayside.

Interior of Council Chambers including a four chairs and portraits of former mayors installed

Changing Faces Exhibition

In Bayside City Council’s 161 year history, only 15 female mayors have been elected, and this project aims to highlight the historic under-representation of females on Council, both in the past and present.

Portraits of former female mayors installed at Council Chamber and empty chairs

Changing Faces Exhibition

Portraits of former male mayors that usually adorn Bayside City Council Chambers were temporarily removed, leaving behind portraits of former female mayors' of Bayside.

Mayoral chair with black and white former female mayors portraits installed

Changing Faces Exhibition

Twelve women have been elected mayors and their portraits are displayed surrounding the mayoral chair.

Portrait of Ponch Hawkes photographer wearing glasses and an aqua top

Changing Faces Exhibition

Bayside City Council worked with renowned photographic artist Ponch Hawkes, to humorously disrupt Bayside City Council’s gender narrative and highlight the stereotype of men being more capable leaders in politics and at work.

Ponche Hawke taking a photograph of a sitter

Changing Faces Exhibition

Ponch Hawkes is a Melbourne based photographic artist. She has recorded and commented on Australian society and cultural life since the 1970s.

Ponche Hawke applying moustache to sitter

Changing Faces Exhibition

Her work explores themes of the body, movement, the environment, community and relationships with a feminist perspective

Photographer applying fake moustache to women as part of the exhibition

Changing Faces Exhibition

Hawkes has published several books and held 13 solo exhibitions of her work in Australia and has been included in multiple group exhibitions in Australia and internationally.

Changing Faces Exhibition

Ponch Hawkes is represented in a number of public collections, including the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, State Library of Victoria and Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art.

Black and White photos on Interior at Bayside City Council Chambers with Changing Faces photographs installed

Changing Faces Exhibition

For this project, the community were asked to nominate women and girls who they considered to be role models within Bayside.

Changing Faces Exhibition

A broad section of females were nominated for their leadership in the fields of politics, the arts, media, sport, volunteering, community life, social justice, inclusiveness and gender equality.

Changing Faces Exhibition

The nominees were a mix of well-known and influential people and ordinary citizens of Bayside, making a difference.

Changing Faces Exhibition

Many participants have chosen to take up the challenge set by renowned artist Ponch Hawkes and wear beards or moustaches in their portraits as a way to humorously disrupt the gender narrative.

Changing Faces Exhibition

“The moustaches and beards is not aimed at pretending women need facial hair to be considered equal,” Ponch said.

Individual portrait of young women in school uniform wearing a fake moustache

Changing Faces Exhibition

Ponch’s vision is to highlight and question the stereotype of men being more capable leaders in politics and at work.

Changing Faces Exhibition

“The idea is to reinforce how unfortunate, and silly, that women are still so underrepresented," Ponch Hawkes

Changing Faces Exhibition

"The facial hair will look quite fake, some of it stuck on, some held in front of the face or held up on little sticks," Ponch Hawkes

Portrait of Sanja Bollard by Ponch Hawkes

Changing Faces Exhibition

"It will make participants feel they aren’t being judged by their looks, but instead they are participating in a serious project in a humorous way - making history," Ponch Hawkes

Interior Council Chambers with aqua chairs around small tables and chairs and portraits on the walls

Changing Faces Exhibition

“This exhibition is provocative, controversial and will stimulate debate. I encourage these conversations because it shines a light on the historic inequity in our local democracy," Cr Clarke Martin, Mayor of Bayside City Council.

Changing Faces Exhibition

"Local government elections are coming up in October 2020 and I hope this exhibition can be a catalyst for gender equity in Bayside,” Cr Clarke Martin, Mayor of Bayside City Council

Interior of Council Chambers with aqua chairs and portraits on the wall

Changing Faces Exhibition

"Something needs to change. We have a wealth of talent in Bayside and we need to show women and girls that they can be decision and policy makers," Cr Clarke Martin, Mayor of Bayside City Council.

Changing Faces exhibition

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