Looking forward to presenting this talk at Light Box in Taipei next Monday, November 9th, 2026
As we grow increasingly reliant on mobile phones, the internet, and digital technology to document our lives and store information, do we still need memory? And how might the images that record historical events and social movements be viewed, understood, and interpreted anew as time passes?
On November 9th at 7:00 PM, Lightbox Photo Library is honored to host Australian artist Helen Grace. Drawing on her decades-long practice in photography and art, she will explore the complex relationships between images, time, history, and memory.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Helen Grace used photography to document the feminist movement, social protests, and public life in Australia. Notably, her 1980 series *Justice for Violet and Bruce* captured the efforts of Australian women’s groups as they rallied in support of Violet Roberts and her son, Bruce Roberts, demanding justice. The case—which centered on long-term domestic violence and the legal system’s approach to the plight of abuse survivors—also reflected the feminist movement’s critique of the intersections between law, gender, and social power.
Decades later, these images have garnered renewed attention and are set to be featured in the 2026 Biennale of Sydney. When photographic works from the past are removed from their original historical context and placed within the realms of contemporary art exhibitions and public discourse, does their meaning shift? How does photography evolve from a mere record of past events into a vital medium for re-examining history, understanding social structures, and reflecting on contemporary issues?
This discussion also invites us to consider: what is the relationship between images and memory? How are photographic archives preserved, curated, displayed, and reinterpreted across different eras? As our distance from historical events grows, how do these images allow the past to remain an active participant in our contemporary public life?
Through the lens of Helen Grace’s creative experience, this talk invites us to reconsider the potential of photography as a historical testament, an artistic practice, and a form of public memory.