Robert Follis

Details of Melbourne

23 July - 3 August 2025

Opening Night

Friday 25 July | 6 - 8 pm

G3

One of the first things Robert noticed arriving in Australia was the staggering amount of appallingly blatant signage covering the front of almost every single retail property in the city and indeed the country. 

The contrast between Melbourne’s chaotic streetscapes and its hidden architectural gems is stark. Across the city, retail signage often overwhelms the streetscape with garish displays that obscure the heritage beneath. Commercial frontages are frequently cluttered and visually noisy, with little regard for the architecture they cover. Yet just above the shop fronts lies a different story.

The Northside of Melbourne, Fitzroy North, in particular, stands as a testament to Melbourne’s 1880s boom—the era of “Marvellous Melbourne”—when developers and owners poured care and craftsmanship into their buildings. During this time, great pride was taken in creating façades that stood out: decorative brickwork, elaborate pediments, capstones, stained glass windows, and finely detailed parapets were common. Each row of terraces or shops tried to outdo the next, resulting in streetscapes that, when viewed above eye level, still display remarkable cohesion and artistry.

The detail in the facades is quite remarkable, especially the decorative elements around the windows. Robert has always had an eye for windows and as you can see from his photographs, if you isolate the windows from the rest of the structure, they and the surrounding elements become all the more striking. 

Unfortunately, while much of this architectural beauty is hidden in plain sight and a lot of facades have been allowed to decay, the upper levels remain a quiet reminder of a time when aesthetics mattered deeply, even in commercial architecture.

Robert commented that if he was able to give anybody a lesson in anything, it would be to 'Look Up' when they walk around a city, and see what most people miss. 

For those interested in the technology, Robert uses multiple different Nikon and Fuji cameras, supplemented by whatever is the latest and greatest iPhone. For everything to do with editing, cataloguing and storage, he works on a MacBook with an Apple Studio Display, far too many photographic apps and most recently a brand-new Epson A3 Plus colour photo printer which has been working overtime in the run-up to this exhibition. 

Artist Biography

Robert Follis began taking photographs in London at the age of six, using a series of roll-film cameras inherited from his parents—though, sadly, none of those early images survive. By 16, he had saved for his first serious camera, a Minolta SRT 101, and soon after left a telecoms job during the Summer of Love to begin working in photography. Starting sweeping the floor of a London society portrait studio, he moved through darkrooms, architectural studios, and food photography, developing both technical skill and an eye for detail.

In 1968, he became an assistant at a high-end advertising studio, working there for five years and progressing to second photographer. He later freelanced in news reportage before shifting to a long and successful career in the UK PR industry, moving to Melbourne in 2015 with his Australian wife and retiring from PR in 2024. 

In the intervening years, Robert amassed a huge library of travel photos and, in 2019, now permanently based in Melbourne, he had his first photo show since the 1960s at the local Dimase Architects shopfront gallery, featuring iconic photography from the American deserts and ghost towns of Nevada. Then Covid struck and every good intention fell apart.

Finally, in 2024, he returned to photography with renewed passion, camera in hand and an eye on the overlooked beauty of the urban streetscape.

Contact
Phone : (03) 9482 3550
mail@redgallery.com.au

Address
157 St Georges Rd
Fitzroy North, Victoria, 3068
Map

How to get here
Tram: Route 11
Stop 21 just north of Edinburgh Gardens

Melway Ref: 30B12
Parking in nearby streets

Bus: 504 (Reid Street)