Jacqueline Mitelman

Jacqueline Mitelman was born Jacqueline MacGreggor in Scotland in 1948, and has since lived in Melbourne and in France for a few years. She was briefly married to Polish emigrant the painter/printmaker Allan Mitelman.{{Citation | author1=Cross, Elizabeth | author2=Maloon, Terence | author3=National Gallery of Victoria | title=Allan Mitelman : works on paper 1967-2004 | date=2004 | publisher=National Gallery of Victoria | isbn=978-0-7241-0250-1 }} She studied for a Diploma of Art and Design at Prahran College of Advanced Education 1973-76, where her lecturers were Athol Shmith, Paul Cox, and John Cato.

After graduation, Mitelman practiced as a freelance photographer specialising in portraiture for magazines including the trendsetting POL, and newspapers,Helen Disney, Gail Bateman, Elizabeth Seddon (1996) 'Healthy Families and Relationships', in {{Citation | author1=Australian Institute of Family Studies, (issuing body.) | title=Family matters : newsletter of the Australian Institute of Family Studies | publication-date=1987 | publisher=Australian Institute of Family Studies | issn=1030-2646 }} album and book covers, and for theatre and music posters.{{Citation | title=Portraits hit sweet spot.(Green Guide) | journal=The Age (Melbourne, Australia) | publication-date=2009-02-12 | publisher=Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited | pages=29 | issn=0312-6307 }} During her career she has sought out Australia's significant writers, artists and personalities for her subjects, thus creating a valuable pantheon of the country's culture.

One hundred and twenty appear in her 1988 book Faces of Australia was work previously exhibited at The Art Gallery, Prahran,{{Cite book |last=Mitelman |first=Jacqueline |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/27577980 |title=Faces of Australia |date=1988 |publisher=Lothian |isbn=0-85091-343-8 |location=Melbourne |oclc=27577980}} to a lukewarm review from Age reviewer Greg Neville who while conceding that they were "professional and respectable," considered them "commercial portraiture in the sixties style, all grain and contrast, dressed up with just the right dose of Bicentenary sentiment," work that "tells us no more about the famed sitters than we already know, and nothing about the artist.{{Cite news |last=Neville |first=Greg |date=18 November 1988 |title=Photography |pages=14 |work=The Age}} Tom Fantl prefaced his review of the book with the statement that in portraiture "the surface physical features are descriptive but not all telling. It is the personality and psyche which the creative artist must explore, capture and relate. It is the inherent character which the viewer is urged to see, thereby seemingly establishing an understanding, almost a relationship, with the individual portrayed."

He concludes that;

Mitelman's approach is classical and explorative. Classically her sitters look directly into the camera lens, and hence at us, (eg Harry Siedler), thereby drawing us into their space and time. By carefully positioning her subjects, yet making them appear spontaneous we feel watched even as we do the watching.

The National Portrait Gallery holds twenty of her photographs{{Cite web|url=http://www.portrait.gov.au/stories/jacqueline-mitelman/|title=Jacqueline Mitelman: 'Buddha-nature'|website=National Portrait Gallery|access-date=2020-01-26}} including those of Dorothy Hewett, Helen Garner, Judith Wright, Jack Hibberd,Hibberd, J. (1995). A conversation with Jack Hibberd.[Interview by Lochner, Juliane.]. Antipodes, 9(2), 131. Peter Carey, Michael Leunig, Christina Stead,Hill, B. (2017). Dark star. Meanjin, 76(4), 134. Brett Whiteley, Germaine Greer, Ruby Hunter, Murray Bail,Costello, M. (2017). Abu Ben Bail: a creative writer reads Murray Bail’s archived correspondence. Mosaic: an interdisciplinary critical journal, 50(3), 91-105. Alan Marshall, Kylie Tennant, Susan Ryan, Ita Buttrose, Max Dupain{{Citation | title=With heads held high.(Features) | journal=The Australian (National, Australia) | publication-date=1999-06-09 | publisher=News Limited | pages=B14 | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/68227699 }} and Lily Brett.{{Cite news |last=Murdoch |first=Anna |date=30 August 1986 |title=A child of survivors looks back in awe |pages=143 |work=The Age}} Her depiction of Miss Alesandra{{Cite news|url=https://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2011-02-24/fierce-elegant-gaze-wins-over-portrait-prize-judges/1957078?pfm=sm&pfmredir=sm|title=Fierce, elegant gaze wins over portrait prize judges - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)|newspaper=ABC News|date=24 February 2011 |access-date=2020-01-26}} won the Gallery’s National Photographic Portrait prize,{{Citation | title=Tip from left field.(Green Guide) | journal=The Age (Melbourne, Australia) | publication-date=2011-07-14 | publisher=Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited | pages=21 | issn=0312-6307 }}O'Riordan, M. Wonders in portrait land:[National Photographic Portrait Prize.]. Photofile, (87), 38. for which she received $25,000 provided by Visa International.{{Citation | author1=Crean, Simon | title=National Photographic Portrait Prize 2011 | publication-date=2011-02-24 | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/193079909 }} Mitelman says of her approachWaters, A., & Mitelman, J. (2019). Available natural light. Australian Rationalist, The, 113, 25. that;

{{quotation|“taking photographs is a bit like a temporary infatuation, for me, because, I'm not interested in taking awkward pictures of somebody, so it's a bit like...that process when you fall in love with somebody.”{{Cite web|url=http://www.portrait.gov.au/stories/jacqueline-mitelman/|title=Jacqueline Mitelman: 'Buddha-nature'|website=National Portrait Gallery|access-date=2020-01-26}}}}

Of Mitelman’s portraits of dogs when displayed at Waverley City Gallery (Monash Gallery of Art), critic Anna Clabburn wrote;

As with American photographer Bill Wegman's much earlier portraits of his pet weimaraners, there's much to be learnt from Mitelman's comic-yet-serious transposition of dogs into human guise. The anthropomorphic quality of her subjects is both inviting and vaguely disturbing, and certainly makes us think more deeply about our relationship with the beasts we so easily call "pets'{{Cite news |last=Clabburn |first=Anna |date=20 January 1999 |title=Posing pooches with an urban attitude |pages=17 |work=The Age}}

• 2019/20, 21 September-20 January: A Dog’s Life, curators Maudie Palmer AO and Eugene Howard, Hamilton Gallery{{Cite web|url=http://www.hamiltongallery.org/whats-on/2019/dog%20life.html#.Xi0cQi1L3OQ|title=A Dog's Life|last=Gallery|first=Hamilton|website=www.hamiltongallery.org|access-date=2020-01-26}}
• 2016: Finalist, Bowness Prize, Monash Gallery of Art
• 2014: Finalist, Pinnacles Gallery Portrait Prize
• 2013, May: On Cockatoo Island, Mars Gallery
• 2012: Smith Street Portrait Project, Gertrude Street Projection Festival{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/inner-east/image-gallery/d06df15818cb231a287f2e3e69937ef1|title=Smith St portraits|website=www.heraldsun.com.au|access-date=2020-01-26}}
• 2011/12, October–February: Tarra Warra Museum of Art{{Citation | author1=Mitelman, Jacqueline | author2=Gaston, Vivien | author3=TarraWarra Museum of Art | title=Jacqueline Mitelman : facetime | publication-date=2011 | publisher=TarraWarra Museum of Art | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/161364516 | accessdate=26 January 2020 }}{{Citation | title=SPACE.(News) | journal=The Age (Melbourne, Australia) | publication-date=2012-02-22 | publisher=Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited | pages=15 | issn=0312-6307 }}{{Citation | title=Art directory.(Directory) | journal=Art and Australia | publication-date=2011-03-22 | publisher=Art and Australia Pty. Ltd | volume=49 | issue=1 | pages=179(12) | issn=0004-301X }}
• 2010: Finalist, National Photographic Portrait Prize, National Portrait Gallery
• 2008: Finalist, Olive Cotton Award, Tweed River Art Gallery
• 2007: Finalist, Olive Cotton Award, Tweed River Art Gallery
• 2008, April: Some Dogs, MARS Gallery Port Melbourne
• 2005, April: Mostly Strange, MARS Gallery Port Melbourne
• 2002, January 3-February 10: Investigations, Herring Island Environmental Sculpture Park
• 2002, October 8–25: Photomontage, J-Space Centre for Contemporary Art, Chisholm Institute
• 1998/9, November–31 January: Dog Portraiture, Monash Gallery of Art{{Cite news |date=8 January 1999 |title=Top Dogs |pages=40 |work=The Age}}
• 1995, March 8-June 8: Beyond the Picket Fence: Australian women's art in the National Library collections, National Library of Australia, Canberra, opened by Andrea Stretton, 7 March 1995{{Citation | author1=Carr, Sylvia | author2=National Library of Australia | title=Beyond the picket fence : Australian women's art in the National Library's collection | publication-date=1995 | publisher=National Library of Australia | isbn=978-0-642-10637-7 }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.daao.org.au/bio/jacqueline-mitelman/events/|title=Jacqueline Mitelman|last=|first=|date=|website=Design and Art Australia Online|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=January 26, 2020}}
• 1989, from 19 December: Literary Images, Jacqueline Mitelman, Virginia Wallace-Crabbe and Juno Gemes. Special collections section, library of the Australian Defence Force Academy, launched by Robin Wallace-Crabbe{{Cite news |date=1989-12-17 |title=Guide to antiquarian books now available |work=Canberra Times |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article120867255 |access-date=2023-03-24}}
• 1989, July 20–August 27: Jacqueline Mitelman, Jeff Busby, Greg Elms, Peter Leiss, Resurgence, The Photographers' Gallery
• 1988, to 26 November: Faces Of Australia, works by Jacqueline Mitelman The Art Gallery, 142 Greville St, Prahran{{Cite news |date=18 November 1988 |title=Photography |pages=50 |work=The Age}}
• 1984, to 1 July Still Movements: A photographic exhibition of images of dance. Mark Ashkanasy, Andrew Baker, Jeff Busby, Paul Cox, Branco Gaila, Stephen Hall, Werner Hammerstingl, Liz King, William Lasica, Jacqueline Mitelman, Russell Naughton, Bernie O'Regan, Athol Smith, Tome Sikora and Walter Stringer. Heide Gallery, Bulleen{{Cite news |last=Advertisement |date=16 June 1984 |title=Heidi Gallery |pages=169 |work=The Age}}
• 1975, October 1-September 6: Wimmin: six wimmin photographers, National Gallery of Victoria, for International Women's Year
• 1975: Woman 1975, touring exhibition of the Women's Christian Association of Australia, Victoria, for International Women's Year
• 1974, July: Prahran College Photography students Matthew Nickson, Euan McGillivray and Jacqueline Mitelman. Brummels Gallery of Photography, 95 Toorak Road, South Yarra){{Cite news |last=Gilchrist |first=Maureen |date=26 July 1974 |title=Art |pages=6 |work=The Age}}

• 2011: National Photographic Portrait Prize National Portrait Gallery
• 2004: Josephine Ulrick National Photography Prize

• National Portrait Gallery{{Cite web|url=http://www.portrait.gov.au/people/jacqueline-mitelman-1952/|title=Jacqueline Mitelman, b. 1952|website=National Portrait Gallery people|access-date=2020-01-26}}
• National Library of Australia{{Cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/picture/result?q=Jacqueline+Mitelman|title=Trove search results for 'Jacqueline Mitelman' - Pictures, photos, objects|website=Trove|language=en|access-date=2020-01-26}}
• Australia Defence Force Academy Library{{Cite web|url=https://primoa.library.unsw.edu.au/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=UNSW_ALMA21146492090001731&context=L&vid=UNSWC&lang=en_US&search_scope=SearchFirst&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,Jacqueline%20Mitelman&mode=basic|title=Jacqueline Mitelman photograph collection|last=|first=|date=|website=Academy Library, UNSW Canberra Special Collection MSS 249|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-01-26}}
• National Gallery of Victoria{{Cite web|url=https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/explore/collection/artist/2509/|title=Jacqueline MITELMAN {{!}} Artists {{!}} NGV|website=www.ngv.vic.gov.au|access-date=2020-01-26}}
• Art Gallery of New South Wales{{Cite web|url=https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/collection/artists/gleeson-james/|title=Portrait of artist James Gleeson by Jacqueline Mitelman in the Collection, Art Gallery NSW|last=|first=|date=|website=Art Gallery NSW|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-01-26}}
• State Library of Victoria{{Cite web|url=http://search.slv.vic.gov.au/primo-explore/search?query=any,contains,Jacqueline%20Mitelman&tab=default_tab&search_scope=Everything&vid=MAIN&facet=rtype,include,images&offset=0|title=Jacqueline Mitelman portraits in the collection of the State Library of Victoria|last=|first=|date=|website=State Library of Victoria|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=}}
• Museum of Modern Art at Heide{{Cite web|url=https://collection.heide.com.au/objects?query=Jacqueline+Mitelman&facet=PROD_PRI_PERSON:Jacqueline+Mitelman|title=Portraits by Jacqueline Mitelman in the Heide collection|last=|first=|date=|website=Heide Museum of Modern Art|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-01-26}}
• Monash Gallery of Art{{Cite web|url=http://mga.org.au/collection/explore/index/artist_223/1|title=Jacqueline Mitelman in the MGA collection|last=|first=|date=|website=Monash Gallery of Art|language=en|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-01-26}}
• Tweed River Art Gallery{{Cite web|url=https://artgallery.tweed.nsw.gov.au/TheGallery/Collections|title=Collections|website=Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre|access-date=2020-01-26}}

• {{Citation |last1=Mitelman |last2=Horne |first2=Donald |first1=Jacqueline |title=Faces of Australia |date=1988 |publisher=Lothian |isbn=978-0-85091-343-9}}{{Cite news |last=Fantl |first=Tom |date=1990-03-02 |title=Books Australian faces |pages=24 |work=Australian Jewish News |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article261653938 |access-date=2023-03-24}}
• {{Citation |author1=Mitelman, Jacqueline |author2=Gaston, Vivien |author3=TarraWarra Museum of Art |title=Jacqueline Mitelman : facetime |date=2011 |publisher=TarraWarra Museum of Art |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/161364516 |accessdate=26 January 2020}}
• {{Citation | author1=Horn, Michael | author2=Hanover Welfare Services | author3=Stegley Foundation | title=Women alone ... : stepping forward : a report on homelessness experienced by lone women | date=1995 | publisher=Hanover Welfare Services | edition=1995 | isbn=978-0-9588815-2-4 }}

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Category:1948 births

Category:Living people

Category:Australian portrait photographers

Category:Scottish emigrants to Australia

Category:21st-century Australian photographers

Category:20th-century Australian photographers

Category:20th-century Australian women photographers

Category:21st-century Australian women photographers