A new exhibition at the National Archives features many Max Dupain photographs that have never been seen before.

While Dupain is now famous for his artistic photographs, over the years he also used his camera to earn a living, working for Commonwealth government departments and companies such as CSR Limited.

At this time Dupain created some of his most imaginative works. A selection can be seen in Max Dupain on assignment, a new exhibition at the National Archives of Australia in Canberra.

‘Max Dupain was commissioned by various federal departments to take photographs of Australian life in the 1940s, 50s and 60s to promote Australia overseas,’ said Caroline Webber, exhibitions manager with the National Archives.

The new exhibition features eye-catching examples of his government images from the National Archives’ collection, along with photographs he took for CSR Limited from the Noel Butlin Archives Centre at the Australian National University. They include corporate and advertising shots, as well as images of life on the canefields.

‘This exhibition provides an opportunity to see creative Dupain works, many of which have never been exhibited before,’ said Ms Webber.

She finds Dupain’s industrial images particularly striking. A favourite shows a storage area of stacked metals where his abstract technique has used the contrast of light and shadow to create visual patterns in close-ups.

‘Some of his architectural photographs are quite strong as well,’ says Ms Webber. ‘He worked closely with Jorn Utzon to document the creation of the Sydney Opera House.’

Max Dupain on assignment opens to the public at the National Archives of Australia in Canberra on 14 December 2007. The exhibition will continue until 25 May 2008.