PROPERTY FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION, SYDNEY

LUKE STAMBOULIAH
born 1989
Saskia Burmeister 2010

type C photograph, limited edition
signed, dated and inscribed ‘Saskia Burmeister 2010 Luke Stambouliah’ verso
120 × 60 cm (image)

Provenance

Luke Stambouliah, Sydney
Galleryeight, Sydney 2010
Private Collection, Los Angeles, U.S.A., acquired from the above

Exhibited

Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties, Albury Library Museum 2022
Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties, Hinkler Hall of Aviation Queensland 2022
Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties, National Archives of Australia, Canberra 2021
Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties, Port Arthur Historic Site Visitor Centre, Tasmania 2021
Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties, National Museum of Australia, Canberra 2021
Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties, Melbourne Museum 2020, 2021
Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties, Western Plains Cultural Centre, Dubbo 2020
Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties, Orange Regional Museum 2019
Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties, Leeton Shire Council 2019
Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties, Newcastle Museum 2019
Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties, The Workshop Railway Museum, Queensland 2018, 2019
Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties, Museum of Sydney 2017, 2018
Head On Photo Festival, Sydney Town Hall 2017
Luke Stambouliah, Galleryeight, Sydney 2010, 2011
COFA Annual, Carriageworks, Sydney 2010

Literature

Veronica Kooyman, ‘How The Specials Inspired Photographer Luke Stambouliah.’ Museums of History NSW, 6th April 2018 https://mhnsw.au/stories/general/focus-how-specials-inspired-photographer-luke-stambouliah/
Nerida Campbell with Lucy Sante and Alistair Sooke, ‘Underworld: Mugshots from the Roaring Twenties.’ Sydney Living Museums, 2017, p. 13-18, 284
Professor Katherine Biber, ‘Dark Archive: The Afterlife of Forensic Photographs.’ University of Technology Sydney, 2017, p. 13, 20
Danielle Buckley, ‘Luke Stambouliah’s latest exhibition is so good, it’s criminal.’ The Daily Telegraph, 2nd May 2017 https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/newslocal/the-express/luke-stambouliahs-persons-of-interest-to-feature-in-sydneys-head-on-photo-festival/news-story/9726a8c82011f9775ffa251b727ad9e8Elizabeth Fortescue, ‘Aussie stars like you’ve never seen them before.’ The Daily Telegraph, 30th April 2017 https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/arts/aussie-stars-like-youve-never-seen-them-before/news-story/d95ad3c074ffc39f53fc272e5f55f573?amp
Nick Bond, ‘Shining a light on the underworld.’ Sydney Star Observer, 2010, p. 24‘Persons of Interest.’ Galleryeight, 2010, cover + p. 1-28

Awards

Head On Photo Festival, Sydney 2017 finalist

Detail

Pity the Child: Greta was born from German-Jew immigrants who departed Europe in the late 1890’s bound for Sydney. In 1905 both Greta’s parents died from the Bubonic plague, leaving her at just five years old, and an only child, to fend for herself on the streets. At seventeen Greta befriended Davin Noam Ziv, a young Polish-Jew immigrant and became pregnant with their child, born on 5 September 1917. Davin died in 1920 from the Spanish influenza forcing Greta into pickpocketing and petty thievery to support her young daughter, Esther. On 12 February 1926, Greta was accused of breaking and entering and stealing estate jewellery. She was sentenced to thirteen years in prison. Greta never saw Esther again. Saskia Burmeister (alias Greta) 12 February 1926, Parramatta Police Station.