Head On Festival presents...

Johnny Barker Solo Exhibition

The Human Spectrum explores the layered histories and present realities of Sydney’s Surry Hills and Central Station precinct through ten photographic works, compiling 60 photographs taken between 2006-2026.

The cruciform structure acknowledges the site’s foundation upon Devonshire Street Cemetery, one of Sydney’s earliest burial grounds, where 30,000 early colonists lay beneath contemporary streets and footpaths.

The historical maps of the area document the urbanisation that overlays tens of thousands of years of Indigenous presence. That presence remains despite colonisation’s devastating impact.

The series investigates three intersecting spectrums: the chromatic progression across the collection; the diverse humanity populating these streets today; and the temporal depth revealed through cartographic archaeology.

By juxtaposing moments of modern urban life with cartographic memory and sacred geometry, the work contemplates how we navigate spaces haunted by forgotten histories. The crucifix becomes both memorial and framework, mapping the ancient, vibrant, multicultural and sometimes troubled community of Central Sydney.

Open daily : 12pm - 6pm