Polly Borland (born 1959) is an Australian photographer who formerly resided in England from 1989 to 2011, and now lives in Los Angeles, United States. She is known both for her editorial portraits"Polly Borland b. 1959 Melbourne, Vic.", Design & Art Australian Online. Retrieved 28 February 2013. and for her work as a photographic artist.
Biography Borland was born in Melbourne where her father gave her a camera with Nikkor lenses when she was 16. She graduated from Prahran College in 1983, where she discovered Diane Arbus, Weegee and, Larry Clark, all of whom influenced her work.Rob Sharp, "Flights of fancy dress: Polly Borland's portraits marry the infantile and the fetishistic", The Independent, 17 March 2011. Retrieved 28 February 2013. On leaving art school, she became a portrait photographer, contributing to the Australian edition of Vogue. Her first solo exhibition was held at the George Paton Gallery in Melbourne in 1984. In 1989, she moved to the United Kingdom where she specialized in stylized portraits and reportage photography. Her work has been featured in newspapers and magazines worldwide.
A number of books on her work and exhibitions have been published. In 2001, her first series The Babies examined the way men can enjoy dressing up as infants, with an essay by Susan Sontag,Susan Sontag an introduction by Mark Holborn. In 2008, she produced Bunny, a collection of photographs about English actress Gwendoline Christie. Bunny also features a fairy-tale written by Will Self and a poem by Nick Cave. Smudge (2011) features abstract depictions of three of her friends she uses as models; musician Nick Cave, photographer Mark Vessey and fashion designer Sherald Lambden. All three appear half naked, faces obscured, wearing body stockings, tights, wigs, and other fanciful objects of clothing."Polly Borland - Smudge", Trebuchet. Retrieved 28 February 2013. In February 2013 the documentary Polly Borland - Polymorphous was released."Artscape: Polly Borland - Polymorphous", ABC Television, 11 February 2013. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
Borland was awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal Photographic Society in 2002.
Polly Borland and her husband, director John Hillcoat, live in Los Angeles, California.
Works or publications
Books
Articles
Filmography Polly Borland - Polymorphous MOCAtv - IO Echo "Berlin, It's All A Mess" Directors John Hillcoat & Polly Borland
Exhibitions and notable works 1984: Polly Borland, George Paton Gallery, Melbourne 1999: The Babies, 1999 Meltdown Festival curated by Nick Cave, Southbank, London 1999: one of six Australian photographers exhibited in "Glossy: Faces Magazines Now" at the National Portrait Gallery, Canberra"Polly Borland", Cranekalman Brighton. Retrieved 28 February 2013. 2000: Australians, National Portrait Gallery, London 2001: Australians, National Portrait Gallery, Canberra 2001: Australians, Monash Gallery of Art, Melbourne 2002 The Babies, Anna Schwartz Gallery, Melbourne 2008: Bunny, Murray White Room, Melbourne; featuring Gwendoline Christie 2008: Bunny, Michael Hoppen Gallery, London; featuring Gwendoline Christie 2010: Smudge, Murray White Room, Melbourne 2011: Smudge, AB Gloria, Madrid 2011: Smudge, Other Criteria, London 2011: Smudge, Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York City 2012: Everything I want to be when I grow up, University of Queensland Art Museum, Queensland 2012: Pupa, Murray White Room, Melbourne 2013: YOU, Paul Kasmin Gallery, New York 2014: Wonky, The Australian Centre of Photography, Melbourne 2014: YOU, Murray White Room, Melbourne
Borland's work has also been exhibited at the Australian Centre for Photography, Sydney; The Auckland Triennial, Auckland; GASK, Gallery of the Central Bohemian Region, Czech Republic; the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh; The Institute of Modern Art, Brisbane;"Polly Borland 1959, AU", ArtFacts.net. Retrieved 28 February 2013. MONA, Tasmania, and the N.S.W. Gallery of Art.
Borland's portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, was commissioned by Buckingham Palace to commemorate her golden jubilee in 2002, is unusual for its brightness and its intimate proximity to Her Majesty. It was exhibited at London's National Portrait Gallery and at Windsor Castle.Magda Keaney, "Golden Jubilee", Portrait6, December 2002. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
Her work is included in the March 2020 Adelaide Biennial of Australian Art at the Art Gallery of South Australia, which is titled "Monster Theatres".
Awards and nominations ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.
! |- | 1996 | Polly Borland and John Hillcoat for "Sit on My Hands" by Frente! | Best Video | | ARIA Award previous winners.
References
External links
Portraits by Polly Borland in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London