Finn Lafcadio O’Hanlon

The focus of this, Finn O’Hanlon’s first exhibition, is a diaristic exploration of the dark heart of the ‘privileged’ beachside suburbs of northern Sydney, where a younger generation is increasingly detached from, and disillusioned by, the social aspirations of their affluent (or – increasingly – not-so-affluent) Baby Boomer and Gen’ X parents. Despite the proximity of the beaches, the pictures O’Hanlon has created are a very long way from the idyllic, carefree lifestyle portrayed by ’70s and ’80s surf photographers.
Primarily an artist who works in ink and paint, Finn is inspired by the intensely personal, often discomforting documentary images of American photographer Larry Clark – O’Hanlon spent his childhood in Clark’s hometown of Tulsa – and by the anarchic Polaroid and mixed media collages of the late American artist, Dash Snow.
With an $80,000 prize pool, it represents a global selection of the best work from emerging and established photographers.
The Head On Photo Festival 2025 is back this November, transforming Sydney into a photography haven with major exhibitions