A chance wander through the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne bought me face to face with the amazing photography of Petrina Hicks. She is a Sydney based photographer whose work ” flirts with artiface and perfection.” The scale of her photographs is huge and walking into the exhibition the images overwhelm but also excite.

The exhibition at NGV is one of the first major surveys of her work from the period 2003-2019. Entitled Bleached Gothic, it explores the female experience and interrogates the visual representation of women and children in our culture.

Hick’s work is described as pristine and benign at first glance but when you look closely there is danger and seduction, a certain tension in her work. It’s a good descriptor.

If you’re in Melbourne, drop in to the NGV and take a look. Or take a look at her work online. She is represented by many major galleries.