History Bearing

History Bearing, developed from a work Rowena Hall made based on the story of Pope Joan, La Popessa, 2008. The images in History Bearing combine the narrative conventions of tableaux with those of staged photographic portraiture. The work is designed to reveal historical stories (850 AD to the 1960s) of women with emphasis on their fertility. The series of works readjusts the way the female body has historically been represented. History Bearing is a series of portraits of women from history that include fertility as part of the norm, as opposed to treating it as something to be excluded.
With an $70,000 prize pool, it represents a global selection of the best work from emerging and established photographers.
The Head On Photo Festival 2025 is back this November, transforming Sydney into a photography haven with major exhibitions