Sydney’s Vivid LIVE 2013 opened on Friday and is now in full swing with a music program that includes unique performances from the likes of Kraftwerk, Gurrumul, Karl Hyde, Empire Of The Sun, Cloud Control and more, but the event has drawn controversy not from its culturally diverse musical selection but over a photography exhibition in which several renowned photographers have withdrawn their work in protest over claims of censorship.

Sponsored by Destination NSW, the large-scale Reportage public exhibition has featured the work of local and international photojournalists on an outdoor screen near the Museum of Contemporary Art as part of the Vivid Festival, but work by 18 of the 35 photographers involved has been deemed “too distressing” for the general public, reports the Sydney Morning Herald. “If I look at all the photographs that are not allowed to be shown, I feel that there’s a huge censorship.” – Jodi Bieber, Photojournalist

Images of dead children, the Granville train accident, and scenes from the Cronulla riots, were all deemed too inappropriate for public consumption. Andrew Quilty’s 30 image photo essay depicting ravaged scenes of the aftermath of bushfire were among those removed from the exhibition just hours before its unveiling on Saturday night. “I have been told that they were too distressing – I was dumbfounded,” said Mr Quilty.

The photojournalist said he was disappointed his work would not be shown alongside internationally renowned figures in his field, calling Destination NSW “an organisation that is trying to sell their product, which is NSW… they have an idea on how they want it depicted [but] denying the public one person’s interpretation of that.”

Speaking to ABC News, award-winning photojournalist Jodi Bieber says one of her photos of a bare-breasted woman was pulled from the exhibition, leading her to withdraw in protest, citing censorship.

“If I look at all the photographs that are not allowed to be shown, I feel that there’s a huge censorship,” she said. “I come from South Africa which is a country that’s not perfect. But when you have such protection of a society, how are your children going to be when they go out into the real world, if they’re not allowed to experience or see or make up their own mind about what happens in the world?”

Sandra Chipchase, Destination NSW Chief Executive Officer, said the body made no apologies for removing what they deemed to be sensitive imagery that was inappropriate for public viewing. “What we don’t want is children walking around the corner and seeing pictures of dead children,” she tells SMH, “we think it is threatening to families. Would they want those children to see that?” “What we’re saying is there is a time and a place… we just don’t want violence, dead people or anything that could distress people.” – Sandra Chipcase, Destination NSW

“What we’re saying is there is a time and a place,” Ms Chipchase continued. “We just don’t want violence, dead people or anything that could distress people. In that public domain area it’s about entertainment and engagement.”

But Reportage festival curator Stephen Dupont isn’t so sure, calling the decision to remove images from the exhibition “embarrassing.”

“We have some of the most high-profile photographers who have come from overseas who may not see their films,” he said. But Vivid’s creative director, Ignatius Jones, says that the images removed were because they were confronting. Saying to ABC that photographers need to understand the festival’s position. “I would say to them to look at the laws and bylaws in New South Wales regarding what can be shown in a public precinct, a public park with fully unrestricted public access,” he said.

Many of the photo essays are still being shown at other indoor exhibits as part of the festival, with Mr Dupont saying “I hope that we can work through that continuously with the support of the photographers of course.”

Vivid Live 2013 lineup

Kraftwerk
Empire of the Sun – world premiere of Ice On The Dune
Bobby Womack
Karl Hyde from Underworld (Australian premiere)
Heritage Orchestra performing Vangelis’ original Blade Runner score
Sounds of the South ft. Justin Vernon (Bon Iver), Megafaun, Fight the Big Bull & Matthew E. White
Live Transmission: Joy Division reworked
Sunnyboys
Cloud Control
C.W. Stone King
Gurrumul
Scott Walker
Future Classic Party
Goodgod Dancetera

Vivid Live 2013 Dates & Programme

May 24th – June 10th.

Tickets on sale to the general public on Wednesday 27 March, 9am – sydneyoperahouse.com/vividLIVE

For more details head to http://www.vividsydney.com/

Vivid Sydney runs from 24 May to 10 June. See here for more details.

LIGHTING THE SAILS

THE SPINIFEX GROUP
DATE: 24 May – 10 June
TIME: 6pm – Midnight
TICKET PRICE: FREE

KRAFTWERK – (GERMANY)
THE CATALOGUE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 (3D SHOWS)
DATE: 24 May – 27 May
TIME: 7pm & 9.30pm
VENUE: Joan Sutherland Theatre
TICKET PRICE: Tickets have been allocated via an online application process

EMPIRE OF THE SUN – (AUS)
WORLD EXCLUSIVE ALBUM PREMIERE SHOW
DATE: 30 & 31 May
TIME: 8pm
VENUE: Concert Hall
TICKET PRICE: From $59

BOBBY WOMACK – (USA)
AUSTRALIAN DEBUT
Presented in association with FBi Radio
DATE: 24 & 25 May
TIME: 9pm
VENUE: Concert Hall
TICKET PRICE: From $59

SOUNDS OF THE SOUTH – (USA)
FEAT. JUSTIN VERNON & MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE, SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE
Presented in association with FBi Radio
DATE: 1 & 2 June
TIME: 9pm & 4pm
VENUE: Concert Hall
TICKET PRICE: From $59

GURRUMUL – (AUS)
THE GURRUMUL PROJECT – WORLD PREMIERE
DATE: 28 & 29 May
TIME: 8pm
VENUE: Concert Hall
TICKET PRICE: From $69

VANGELIS – MUSIC FROM BLADE RUNNER – (UK)
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE, SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE
DATE: 26 May
TIME: 9pm
VENUE: Concert Hall
TICKET PRICE: From $59

BISH BOSCH AMBISYMPHONIC
AUDIO INSTALLATION OF SCOTT WALKER’S ‘BISH BOSCH’ (UK)
WORLD PREMIERE, SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE
DATE: 24 May – 2 June
TIME: Daily from 5pm
VENUE: Playhouse
TICKET PRICE: FREE

KARL HYDE (UNDERWORLD) – (UK)
DATE: 27 May
TIME: 9pm
VENUE: Concert Hall
TICKET PRICE: From $59

SUNNYBOYS IN CONCERT – (AUS)
DATE: 2 June
TIME: 9pm
VENUE: Concert Hall
SHOW NAME: as above
TICKET PRICE: From $59

Show & Film Package – Purchase a ticket to the Sunnyboys and receive a $9 discount to the World Premiere screening of the Sunnyboy! (Discount only applies when concert and film are purchased in one transaction)

LIVE_TRANSMISSION – JOY DIVISION REWORKED (UK)
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE, SYDNEY EXCLUSIVE
DATE: 29 May
TIME: 7pm
VENUE: Joan Sutherland Theatre
TICKET PRICE: From $59

‘THE SUNNYBOY’ (FILM) (AUS) – WORLD PREMIERE
Presented in association with Sydney Film Festival.
DATE: 2 June
TIME: 5.30pm
VENUE: Joan Sutherland Theatre
TICKET PRICE: $25

CLOUD CONTROL – (AUS)
ALBUM PREMIERE
Presented in association with FBi Radio
DATE: 31 May
TIME: 8.30pm
VENUE: Joan Sutherland Theatre
TICKET PRICE: $35

C.W. STONEKING (AUS)
DATE: 1 June
TIME: 7.30pm
VENUE: Joan Sutherland Theatre
TICKET PRICE: $45

MATTHEW E. WHITE – (USA)
AUSTRALIAN DEBUT
DATE: 2 June
TIME: 8.30pm
VENUE: Joan Sutherland Theatre
TICKET PRICE: $35