When people first see my images, they often think they’re paintings. I guess I’m not interested in the raw grit of life that a camera can capture; it’s more a sense of it being able to more accurately represent what I’m imagining.
Ever since its invention in the 19th century, photography has been used to document life. At the same time, it focuses on inviting audiences to a rather subjective world while trying to be taken seriously as an art form. Photography has always been considered a male-dominated profession, but luckily, things are changing. Scholars, writers, bloggers, photography students, and enthusiasts have been giving credit to the female pioneers of the field. Most were always standing and/or hiding in the shadows, oblivious to how much they could claim and accomplish. Arguably, the techniques, concepts, and themes female photographers use differ from those of male photographers. At a time when most women were convinced that their place was in the kitchen and certainly not in the dark room, some were struggling to surpass their male counterparts and work towards gaining respect and recognition for their work.
Alexia Sinclair (Australian photographer, 1976-) is known for her intensely colorful photographs of historical and allegorical figures. Her elaborate compositions echo history painting, depicting moments within a narrative. The abundant detail and symbolism in her work weave complex tales, blending contemporary fashion with the aesthetics of the Golden Age of painting. From an early age, Sinclair was immersed in the fantasy world of theatre, performing as a ballerina until her late teens.
This experience profoundly influences her approach to art-making, where she designs and stages evocative scenes, capturing role-playing models in a single, still moment. Her creative process involves hand-producing elaborate costumes, sets, and props to create detailed, large-scale photographs.
Born in Newcastle, Australia, Sinclair studied Fine Arts at The National Art School in Sydney, majoring in traditional photography. Her studies in painting, drawing, sculpture, and art history have shaped her practice. After completing a Master of Fine Arts at the University of Newcastle (2007), she gained acclaim for The Regal Twelve, a three-year project honouring twelve powerful historical women. Her works have been exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery in London, the Australian Centre for Photography, the AGNSW, and internationally in Paris, Pingyao, Seoul, and Dubai. Her commercial clients include the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Christie's, Queensland Ballet, New Zealand Opera, Qantas Airlines, and Harper's Bazaar.
The Age of Wonder - Alexia's most recent project - explores the 18th century's fascination with the exotic, where curiosity, spectacle, and indulgence intertwined. Marvels arriving from the New World fuelled a frenzy of collectors, each vying to cultivate the most impressive menageries and gardens, often with little regard for the consequences of possession. Fashion mirrored this enchantment, with garments celebrating the latest exotic arrivals. Specimens were romanticised as treasures of rarity and beauty: parrots and peacocks became cherished companions, tulips and magnolias living jewels.
Sinclair's portrayal of this rich period asserts its own playful agency: exotic plants and animals mischievously rebel beneath the serene veneer, resisting domestication. Interiors spill into landscapes, butterflies and birds take flight from frescos and books, and in this alchemy of science and wonder, their devotees seem enchanted by the worlds they have conjured. Each image is meticulously staged, with handcrafted costumes, props, and sets brought together through photography and montage.
The series presents a reimagining of the era, weaving history and fantasy into a whimsical narrative that celebrates both the creativity and spectacle of the age, inviting today's audience to rediscover a world where curiosity knew no bounds.
It's so important to remember what excited you about making art in the first place and return to your childhood loves. Don't mimic other people's art, but work out what it is about that art that you really love and apply that as a new layer to your work. And when all else fails, take a little time.
We will continue talking about female names that left their mark on photography and about contemporary female photographers who are still emerging. There are a lot of female photographers out there deserving of praise, and we can only hope to cover as many of them as we can. Please follow this space to find out more.
