Portraits of Mankind photographic exhibition

A photographic celebration of local men who believe in the power of speaking up about mental health.

Reach out, don’t tough it out

Men’s mental health needs our attention. On the Sunshine Coast, four out of every five suicides are males.

The reasons for this are complex. What we do know is that many men feel they are up against an Aussie culture that expects males to suffer in silence.

Yet research shows the “toughen up” approach is not working.

We’ve partnered with local photographer Megan Gill to present an exhibition of portraits featuring local men.

The men in these portraits encourage all men to: ‘Reach out – don’t tough it out’.

Many of them had to work hard to overcome challenges and rebuild their lives.

All are the men they are today because they reached out, found support and grew stronger.

We invite you to be inspired by these men by visiting the exhibition of striking photography. And to tell the men in your life about the hope these men give by showing that it is not weak to reach out if you’re struggling.

Mentally healthier men mean happier fathers, husbands, sons, brothers, uncles, grandfathers and mates. And we all benefit from that.

Exhibition venues

23 Feb – 13 Mar  |  Black Flag Brewing, Coolum, 10 Lomandra Pl
16 Mar – 16 Apr  |  Pomona Distilling Co, 18 Reserve St, Pomona
5 May – 24 May  |  Coolum Surf Club, David Low Way, Coolum Beach

About the photographer

Megan Gill is a Sunshine Coast portrait photographer who created Portraits of Mankind to show how local men are overcoming the challenges of being a man in modern Australia.

“I have been drawn to photograph the men featured in Portraits of Mankind because they have all had their own challenges and faced them with a strength that is backed with integrity, honesty and vulnerability.”

The men featured in Portraits of Mankind

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