In researching what became the group exhibition “1% – Privilege in a Time of Global Inequality”, curator Myles Little, who is also a photo editor at TIME in New York, came across a study conducted by Harvard University that looked at perceptions of inequality around the world.
“They asked people what do you think is the pay ratio between an average employee and a large (corporate) CEO? Most people guessed 30 to 1, but it is over 350 to 1 and that ratio has only grown in the past few decades,” says Little. “We just don’t know how rich the rich are.”
Little was keen to find a way to visually portray what this one percent looked like and at the same time avoid the clichés of obvious opulence and excess. “I sensed I didn’t want to make it into a caricature or a joke. I think we are all very familiar with the stereotype of the lazy fat cat and having read about the one percent I find that the stereotype isn’t very accurate…I wanted the exhibition to look posh, I wanted the form of the show to reflect its content”. The result is an eclectic yet complementary collection of images from 30 different photographers whose work depicts this vast gap through various engaging visual tropes.
FESTIVAL
Head On Photo Festival 2016
1% – Privilege in a Time of Global Inequality
Curated by Myles Little
From April 30th to May 8th, 2016
Sydney Lower Town Hall
483 George St (enter from Druitt St)
Sydney
Australia
https://www.headon.com.au/exhibitions/1-privilege-time-global-inequality
