People Power – Platon is an exhibition of arresting portraits of some of the most significant people of our time.  From the glare of Putin to the rebellion of Pussy Riot, the contortion of Gaddafi to Michelle Obama, Adele and the art and expression of Vivienne Westwood, Platon captures a soulfulness, a narrative in their eyes, their essence in a single frame. Platon’s iconic work has featured on the covers and pages of global magazines including Time, George, Vanity Fair, GQ, Vogue, New York Times, and Sunday Times Magazine. In 2007 he produced more than twenty covers for Time magazine including Russian President Vladimir Putin for Time Magazine’s Person of The Year.

Platon’s graphic, often granular style comes from a strong sense of design and has been shaped through his early years watching his architect father draw buildings in Greece. He makes us aware of both presence and absence with images that immerse us in a narrative that moves us to empathy, reminding us that in spite of our differences, we share the capacity to be human.

In 2013, Platon founded the not-for-profit organisation The People’s Portfolio to document humanitarian efforts around the world. His portfolios include photographs of Burmese victims and exiles, Egyptian revolutionaries, and those fighting against oppression in Russia.

Platon has been a staff photographer for The New Yorker, since 2008. He serves as the Creative Director at Large for the Center for Civil and Human Rights in Atlanta Georgia; board member for Arts and Culture at the World Economic Forum; and is a steward for the Economic Growth and Social Inclusion Initiative.

Platon will captivate audiences in Ballarat with his keynote presentation The Power of Unity: Rekindling The Spirit of Optimism as part of the festival launch weekend.

Main image: Platon, Cate Blanchett, 2004
Image carousel: Platon, Prince, 2004; Platon, Self Portrait with George Lois, 2012