Society

Dream/Life

The solitary photographer captures the streets of Sydney to unveil a dark, mysterious and dreamlike city

Trent Parke

Trent Parke | Dream/Life A man stands huddled under awnings with his tie thrown over his shoulder after running through a thunderstorm. Sydney, Australia. 1998. © Trent Parke | Magnum Photos
Trent Parke | Dream/Life A blind woman sings for her sight as a couple holding hands walks past in Circular Quay. Sydney, Australia. 1999. © Trent Parke | Magnum Photos
Trent Parke | Dream/Life A tulip hangs from a woman's handbag. Sydney, Australia. 1999. © Trent Parke | Magnum Photos
Trent Parke | Dream/Life A young boy peers out the window of a VW car that's driving past in the suburb of Balmain. Sydney, Australia. 1998. © Trent Parke | Magnum Photos
Trent Parke | Dream/Life A man stands in the rain at the overseas passenger terminal on Sydney harbor, which overlooks the Opera house. Sydney, Australia. 1999. © Trent Parke | Magnum Photos
Trent Parke | Dream/Life An office worker disappears into the shadows of a building. Sydney, Australia. 1998. © Trent Parke | Magnum Photos
Trent Parke | Dream/Life An elderly man pretends to conduct as a band plays in Martin Place for the pleasure of lunchtime city workers. Sydney, Australia. 1998. © Trent Parke | Magnum Photos
Trent Parke | Dream/Life A young boy carries a watering can in Waverley Cemetery. Sydney, Australia. 1998. © Trent Parke | Magnum Photos
Trent Parke | Dream/Life Children play on a sculpture on the walk to Fairy Bower from Manly Beach. Sydney, Australia. 1999. © Trent Parke | Magnum Photos
Trent Parke | Dream/Life Boys building a skateboard ramp at Bronte Beach. Sydney, Australia. 1998. © Trent Parke | Magnum Photos
Trent Parke | Dream/Life A man dressed as Jesus Christ walks down Pitt St in the city centre. Sydney, Australia. 1998. © Trent Parke | Magnum Photos
Trent Parke | Dream/Life Japanese tourists walk across a park in Dover Heights which looks out across the city. Sydney, Australia. 1999. © Trent Parke | Magnum Photos

What impact does Sydney have on a first-time visitor? For photographer Trent Parke, coming from a country town to a big city, his immediate sense was one of isolation. His photographic journey during the five years of creating Dream/Life has resulted in an extraordinary street documentary of one of the most beautiful cities in the world and its inhabitants.

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