Past, Present and Future - Tasmanian Modernism Project

Part of my process of documenting Tasmanian architecture from the 1930s to 1980s has been remastering my vast collection of photography I've made over the past decade+ pursuit. It's been a wonderfully enjoyable process going through my archives and remastering images with the skills and knowledge I have now. In 2020 I want to edit more photographs and have them up on the new Tasmanian Modernism website. In moving to my new website I've decided to remaster every single one of my photographs for the project. This take time but believe it's well worth the effort and something I thoroughly enjoy. I've just spent the past 7 weeks travelling all over Tasmania documenting places for the project. Check out the new Tasmanian Modernism website here www.tryanphotos.com/tasmanian-modernism

2500km documenting Tasmanian Modernism

Over the last few weeks I've travelled over 2500km throughout Tasmania capturing photographs for the Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism project. It's been wonderful to capture new photos of old favourites as well as find new designs. Doing these trips reminds me of when I first started out documenting Tasmanian Modernism and the joy that finding these designs brings to me. I look forward to sharing these photographs in time.

Documenting Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism - Change, Death and Celebration

I’ve been on a photographic journey over the past few weeks travelling around Tasmania capturing quality photographs for my Tasmanian Modernism website and blog. I really loved writing my last blog about the history of the Launceston General Hospital, if you haven’t seen that post you can check it out here. It brought home what’s important to me - storytelling through my own experiences, photography and archives about Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism.. The relaunch of the Tasmanian 20th Century website and blog has motivated me in so many ways. Most recently I’ve been out and about travelling around Tasmania capturing old favourites with the benefits of what I’ve learnt since picking up my SLR all those years ago. It’s been a wonderful experience, waking up and working for days on end from dawn to dusk capturing quality moments to share.

One of the things I thought about when waking up in the dark and staying out until dawn is how much has changed over the past 15 or so years of documenting for the project. I’ve not only changed and grown as a photographer, but many buildings and places have changed. Sadly, many have been, since I originally captured them, altered beyond original recognition. Tragically many have been demolished too. Most recently a beautiful Art Deco residence was demolished for flats, I only became aware of this when I drove past to document them. Thankfully I captured photographs of it whilst it was still standing, and I look forward to sharing this and many other lost buildings with in future posts. So much change happens within the world of architecture, design and out cities and towns, yet there are so many wonderful examples of Modernism with us in Tasmania still. Documenting these wonderful buildings and creating awareness of the importance of this period in Tasmanian history is what continues to drive me and my passion. Looking back on all my achievements it makes me grateful that I’ve captured so much and continue to do so to this day. We are but specs in time and change is constant. The need to document these places becomes all the more powerful to me knowing that nothing is certain, only change. This process drives me to constantly document, so there is a quality record for posterity.

The Wonderful Art Deco design that is Duncan House in Launceston. This is a photograph taken from my phone of the back of my camera preview screen - live on the shoot. Being out on the road and travelling Tasmania has provided a wonderful opportunity to capture old favourites, new buildings I’ve not captured before and reflect on those buildings, since starting the project have been demolished.

Previous Blog Post: Launceston General Hospital: Life and Death of a Modernist Landmark

Launceston General Hospital: Life and Death of an Art Deco Landmark

The former Streamline Art Deco Launceston General Hospital was a stunning example of design aesthetic in the Northern city of Launceston. Designed in the 1930s the hospital was in use up until the 1980s when the new (current) hospital was built opposite. For some time though both new and old hospitals were used in tandem until the new hospital was totally up and running- both the old and new were connected by a stunning piece of design engineering in the form of a suspension bridge that spanned Charles Street. Eventually the grand Art Deco hospital that was operational for nearly 50 years was permanently closed down and with it went the air bridge and the once modern hospital fell into disrepair.

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The abandoned Launceston General hospital stood abandoned for many years - I captured this photograph in 2007.

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Here you can see the air bridge that connected the old hospital with the redeveloped hospital (current) I enjoy this photograph as it shows how even the current hospital has evolved and changed so much. This viewpoint today looks completely different. I also love when people are in photographs too as it provides a glimpse into fashions and the way people appeared in a certain time in history.

By the time I started to take an interest in documenting the old hospital (around 2007) it was in a sad state of decay and had been heavily vandalised, with nearly all the windows smashed and people squatting inside. The only thing being used was parking for hospital staff, but eventually even that was chained off and a no go zone. I remember rubbish being strewn across the car park and weeds growing amongst the mess.

I remember being drawn to the sheer size of the building and how neighbouring spaces and places were operating as usual, but there was this massive impressive hospital that was once a beacon of modern design and healthcare that looked like it was out of horror movie. These were my early days of getting interested in learning how to make photographs and it was around that this time that I’d brought my first SLR camera. I was always drawn to looking at and capturing architecture, especially from the Modernist 20th Century period, having grown up as a child in Far North Queensland the place was full of stunning designs from this period. I guess childhood memories are strong... they come back in the form of creativity and imagination through artistic pursuits. I also love how abandoned places were once new, and how in such a short period of time they become the opposite - disused and unloved. It makes me wonder in my lifetime what I will see being built and when I am old what will be abandoned. The entire process of new/old/decay and death of buildings makes me think how we are just specks in time.

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100 Year celebrations of 100 years years of the Launceston General Hospital. Just under 30 years after this photograph was taken the hospital was abandoned. Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office: From the AB641 series

The old hospital was one of my first major projects documenting Tasmanian 20th Century Modernism. The wonderful open verandas, steel frame windows and of course the striking main external staircase. Hospitals fascinate me as they are like cities within cities. So many buildings and extensions from all periods of time. Especially those streamline hospitals from the 1930s - 1950s era - they are some of my favourite designs.

It was not until I started researching more about the history of the hospital that I found out that the original main design was later added when an entire wing was added. I remember seeing old photographs of two sets of wonderful staircases, and a hospital that looked familiar but different to how I saw it. It was as if it was Launceston, but maybe it wasn’t. Going through archives showed me that it had indeed changed and been added onto. In fact the Art Deco hospital replaced a massive 1800s hospital on the same site. This process of learning about history through archive photographs fascinated me and continues to do so to this day - its so important to be immersed in what I do to fully understand and create my own photographs with meaning. This process of exploring, documenting and researching put me in good stead for what would become my obsession with documenting places.

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My photography is informed by researching archives so I have a deeper understanding of how a building site changed over time. Here we can see the old hospital that was demolished for the 1930s hospital. Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office: PH30-1-2 Photographer, William Cawston.

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A view of the abandoned Launceston General Hospital I captured before redevelopment in 2007. Note the stunning spiral staircase which was demolished as part of the redevelopment. The current hospital can be seen in the foreground.

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From the same vantage point as the above photograph, but captured in 2009 as the Launceston General hospital undergoes redevelopment into flats and hotel. Note the staircase has been removed since taking this photograph.

After standing abandoned for a very long time, the old hospital was eventually converted into flats and a hotel. This started happening around 2009 and I documented this process of the buildings second lease on life. Places change and people soon forget what once was, but through photographs a moment in time is captured forever. I remember a friend contacting me when I was away to let me know that the iconic staircase was being demolished. I made a special trip back early to Launceston to capture the process of those stairs being demolished. One last goodbye. Photographing the old Launceston General Hospital put me in good stead for my storytelling projects into the future.

Click here to view my collection of photographs I’ve edited so far of the former Launceston General hospital and other 20th Century Modernist hospitals over Tasmania.

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One of my favourite archive photographs of the old hospital staircase captured in the 1960s. A powerful composition through use of geometry and subject. Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office: