Russell Hopkinson (You Am I)

Songwriter and guitarist Tim Rogers formed You Am I with his brother and a friend in Sydney in 1989. By April 1992, the other two members had quit; one of them was replaced by bass guitarist Andy Kent. Drummer Russell 'Rusty' Hopkinson joined in 1993, when the band released their first album, Sound As Ever. It won the ARIA Award for Best Alternative Release, as did their second album Hi Fi Way in 1995. Hourly, Daily debuted at number one and won six awards, including Best Album, at the ARIAs in 1996, by which time the band was playing consistently to sell-out crowds. You Am I have since consolidated their reputation as one of Australia's most original and successful alt rock bands, and Tim Rogers is now considered one of Australia's best songwriters. In addition to releasing ten studio albums, You Am I have toured with international acts including Soundgarden, Lemonheads and The Strokes; performed at The Big Day Out and Homebake; and appeared at major fundraising gigs including WaveAid (2005) and Sound Relief (2009).

Canadian-born photographers Denis Montalbetti and Gay Campbell are described as having 'fashioned an aesthetic that is practically unique in its ability to embrace the pleasure of photographic possibility'. Based in Australia between 1988 and 2001, their numerous local subjects include actors Cate Blanchett and Nicole Kidman; sports stars Ian Thorpe and Cathy Freeman; and musicians Bernard Fanning, Delta Goodrem and The Veronicas. 'It is irrelevant how many times a person has been photographed', the artists state; 'Our aim is to create unique images of them, to be a part of their testimony … a part of their photographic history'.

Gift of the artists 2003
© Montalbetti & Campbell