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Maripol’s Melbourne: Our city through the lens of an NYC pop culture legend

Her Polaroid camera, bought in 1977, has shot Madonna, Grace Jones, and Debbie Harry. Now, Maripol has turned her famous lens on our great city.

Pop culture legend Maripol gives us a unique view of Melbourne through her Polaroid camera.
Pop culture legend Maripol gives us a unique view of Melbourne through her Polaroid camera.

Influential New York photographer and stylist Maripol hit the streets and laneways of Melbourne with her Polaroid camera from 1977.

It’s the same camera that she used to photograph Madonna, Jerry Hall, Grace Jones, Debbie Harry, Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Jean Michael-Basquiat during the art-rock,punk-electro-hip hop culture-clash of the Big Apple in the 1980s.

Park and fountain opposite the NGV. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol
Park and fountain opposite the NGV. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol
Street art in Hosier Lane. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol
Street art in Hosier Lane. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol
Victorian State Parliament. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol.
Victorian State Parliament. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol.

Today, Maripol’s pictures are featured in books, museums, and art galleries around the world.

She is Melbourne to attend the NGV’s gala opening of the Crossing Lines exhibition, on Saturday, which showcases the work of Haring and Basquiat.

Flinders St Station. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol.
Flinders St Station. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol.
Almond latte at Brunetti Flinders Lane. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol.<br/>
Almond latte at Brunetti Flinders Lane. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol.
Pellegrini in Bourke St. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol.<br/>
Pellegrini in Bourke St. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol.
Selfie of the NY photographer and stylist Maripol at the NGV. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol.<br/>
Selfie of the NY photographer and stylist Maripol at the NGV. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol.
Street art in Hosier Lane. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol.<br/>
Street art in Hosier Lane. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol.
Cyclists in Swanston St. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol.
Cyclists in Swanston St. #polaroidoriginals Copyright: Maripol.

Confidential spent an hour with the legend yesterday, checking out Flinders Lane, Degraves St, Hosier Lane, Spring St and Bourke St, to get a glimpse of the city through Maripol’s Polaroid lens.

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“It’s about the eye, the details,” Maripol told Confidential. “It doesn’t have to be pretty. What is prettiness anyway? We can find beauty in anything. The mix of the architecture, the old and the new, is wonderful.”

Maripol took the pictures on a Polaroid 680 camera with SX-70 film. No filter, all attitude.

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Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/entertainment/confidential/maripols-melbourne-our-city-through-the-lens-of-an-nyc-pop-culture-legend/news-story/3441bd1fbb4bb2f6b73edf861113b549