Ben Apfelbaum

ZAMPATTI POWERHOUSE : A POWERHOUSE OF AN EXHIBITION

 

Alex Schuman, Bianca Spender, ex Governor GFeneral Quentin Bryce
Julia Gillard’s pants suit and Allegra Spender’s teal suit
Pfrincess Mary’s gown with curator Roger Leong
Quentin Bryce, ex Governor General examines her Carla Zampatti dress (with Roger Leong Curator)
Roger Leong Exhibition Curator

Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum has unveiled ZAMPATTI POWERHOUSE, the major survey exhibition which celebrates the life and legacy of the iconic Australian Carla Zampatti which opened on 24 November 2022. 

The first internationally exclusive retrospective of Carla Zampatti AC, OMRI (1938–2021) presents the life and work of the inimitable Italian-born designer, beloved as an Australian fashion icon. The breadth of her extraordinary private, professional and public life is rendered in exquisite detail, anchored by Zampatti’s signature designs and brought to life with first person reflections by the designer’s clients, family, staff and friends. 

ZAMPATTI POWERHOUSE encompasses 100 designs from over 50 lenders and over five decades of material, surveying a trailblazing career from the establishment of her business in 1965 to her most recent work. 

Iconic pieces worn by high-profile Australian women in defining life moments include former Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s jacket worn when she addressed US Congress in 2011; the white jacket worn by Christine Holgate when speaking at the Australia Post Inquiry in April 2021; the red pantsuit worn by Linda Burney for her official parliamentary portrait in 2019; 

Tina Arena’s jumpsuit, personally fitted for her ARIA Hall of Fame induction in 2015; and Allegra Spender’s blue jacket which belonged to her mother, frequently worn while campaigning for the federal seat of Wentworth. 

Other highlights include the gown worn by HRH Crown Princess Mary of Denmark for her official royal portrait in 2015; personal items worn by Zampatti; a 1985 Ford Laser she co-designed; and two large bronze busts by Dame Elisabeth Frink.

Following a public call-out, the exhibition also presents around 40 loaned garments from Zampatti’s rarely seen early design work from the 60s to the 90s, alongside the stories of the Australian women who wore them. 

‘As a trailblazing leader for women in business, Carla was passionate about creating looks which made women feel confident in the defining moments in their lives, evidenced by the overwhelming response we received to our public call-out. Zampatti Powerhouse celebrates the designer’s affinity with Australian women and her indelible legacy,’ said Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah. 

To accompany the exhibition, Powerhouse has released a publication, Zampatti, which includes an archival collection fashion shoot starring Zampatti’s granddaughter Brigid Schuman, and portraits of luminaries such as Dame Quentin Bryce and Ita Buttrose by Hugh Stewart. 

Powerhouse is partnering with cultural institutions and foundations supported by Zampatti to present live performances, late-night programs and panel discussions celebrating her expansive legacy not only as a fashion designer but also a successful businesswoman, philanthropist, patron of the arts and mentor: 

  • ITALIAN LANGUAGE TOURS OF ZAMPATTI POWERHOUSE

In partnership with Italian language school Co.As.It, specialised Italian language tours of Zampatti Powerhouse will take place on 3 and 11 December 2022. 

  • INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY SYMPOSIUM

For International Women’s Day on 8 March 2023, Powerhouse will celebrate female-led businesses and leaders with a day of talks exploring industry support for the next generation. Key events include a Women in Leadership panel discussion hosted by Chief Executive Women and featuring Kathryn Fink (SBS), Allegra Spender MP and Janice Petersen (SBS); and a business-pitching session for young entrepreneurs judged by Eve Crestani, Grace Lillian Lee and Vanessa Stoykov. 

  • POWERHOUSE LATE X CARLA ZAMPATTI

On 16 March 2023 Powerhouse Late will toast the cultural interests of the Italian-born designer featuring Italian-led tours of the exhibition, music by DJ Bocconcini and a screening of Sydney Dance Company’s film, Years.

  • SYDNEY DANCE COMPANY AND AUSTRALIAN BRANDENBURG ORCHESTRA On  May 4 and 5 2023, dancers from Sydney Dance Company’s Pre-Professional Year Program will perform a new work responding to Carla Zampatti’s legacy in the exhibition with musical accompaniment from Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. 

CREATIVE TEAM

Exhibition Curator: Roger Leong 

Creative Director: Tony Assness 

Fashion Stylist: Peter Simon Phillips 

Creative Hair Director: Alan White 

Accessories Designer: Phoebe Hyles 

Composition and Sound Design: Nick Wales, Johnny Seymour and Paul Mac Exhibition Film Director: Jasmin Tarasin 

ZAMPATTI POWERHOUSE

Powerhouse Ultimo 

24 November 2022 – 11 June 2023 

Free, no registration required 

CREATIVE TEAM

Exhibition Curator: Roger Leong 

Creative Director: Tony Assness 

Fashion Stylist: Peter Simon Phillips 

Creative Hair Director: Alan White 

Accessories Designer: Phoebe Hyles 

Composition and Sound Design: Nick Wales, Johnny Seymour and Paul Mac Exhibition Film Director: Jasmin Tarasin 

http://www.maas.museum/event/carla-zampatti/

Photos of exhibition by Ben Apfelbaum

 

Published by Ben Apfelbaum

My photography began when my father handed me the proverbial brownie box camera as a child. As cameras developed I went through Fujica and Olympus range finders graduating to my first single lens reflex camera, the Minolta SRT101, the latter being the greatest facilitator to my growth as a photographer. Digital photography has only added to this. I was a regular contributor to Camera Craft magazine (Australian Camera ) for over three years. During Australia’s Bicentennial year (1988) I made it a personal project to document the celebrations. This culminated in the creation of a book of my photos which was published in 1989. The book was called CELEBRATING AUSTRALIA and came with an accompanying calendar. My works have appeared in a number of publications including the coffee book entitled MY AUSTRALIA (1989), publisher Robertsbridge Severn. This book had a preface by the then Australian Prime Minister Bob Hawke. I was a co-photographer on a book entitled SYDNEY- DISCOVER THE CITY with text written by Robert Treborlang. Major Mitchell Press was the publisher. Also for two years I was the photographer for calendars celebrating Sydney’s multicultural communities. The two calendars were entitled MULTICULTURAL SYDNEY. My work appeared in a group exhibition held at Sydney’s Town Hall pertaining to the diversity of life in South America to raise money for orphanages there. I have over one hundred photos stored in the New South Wales State Library archive. I had a solo exhibition held in 2007 entitled Ben’s Lens at the Sydney Jewish Museum which celebrated the vibrancy of the Sydney Jewish community. Some of these photos are on the Museum’s permanent display. I have exhibited internationally firstly at the Spruill Gallery in Atlanta Georgia, United States, and in an exhibition entitled Kosher and Co at the Jewish Museum in Berlin. Currently I am a regular contributor to J-Wire and this esteemed publication. To celebrate the opening of a permanent Photography Gallery, the State Library of New South Wales selected 400 shots from its archive of over 2,000,000 images to display in the new gallery. An image of mine was plucked out of the multi million photo archive to be part of the inaugural exhibition.