By Rocco Fazzari.

When Warren Duncan arrived in Beijing in 1975 as the second ever ABC China correspondent he found a tightly controlled country and contact with its citizens restricted.

While still in the thralls of the Cultural Revolution and a long way from the powerhouse of Xi’s contemporary China Duncan during his tenure he was to cover the death of Premier Zhou, the Tangshan earthquake, the installation of Hua Guofeng, the Fall of the Gang of Four, the resurrection of Deng Xiaoping and the early years of the establishment of bilateral relations between our two countries.

It was from this vantage point that Duncan’s talent as photographer came to the fore as he bore witness to the momentous historic events unfolding before him.

Though not a press photographer, as demarcation within journalist roles were strictly observed then, but a foreign correspondent, Warren Duncan is blessed with a photographer’s eye, one which deftly captures a unique vision in a now lost world. 

It's an intimate and candid world of diplomats, politicians, officials, State occasions, and fascinatingly the country's common citizens.

In some shots its citizenry distinctly contrasts to its officials in formal Mao suits while in another Australian officials in their finest safari suits watch the locals at play.

His gaze documents a mix of historic personage and events while on the lighter side he captures the Australian diplomatic corps at play.

One shot depicts members of the Australian Embassy dressed up for the 1976 Melbourne with the obligatory hats, with one notably wearing a Mao hat.

In a series of shots a relaxed looking Gough Whitlam in his shirt sleeves contrasts to the officious looking neatly groomed Malcolm Fraser in his suit, tie (clip and all) and pochette. 

But, as Duncan has wonderfully captured, even the then Liberal Prime Minister fell to the charms of the Chinese as he is seen in some shots with two cameras hanging around his neck. The exhibition catalogue quotes Malcolm Fraser years later nostalgically recalling visits to Beijing, Taiyuan and XinJiang and as having said to Australia’s first Ambassador to China Dr Stephen FitzGerald “it was fun!”. 

Historic shots of future opposition leaders Andrew Peacock, and Governor General, Bill Hayden depict a relaxed demeanour not reflected in contemporary visits of State.

Are such images now possible in today’s tediously managed staged state visits with officials armed with their staff photographers? 

It's these candid shots that show Duncan’s mastery and confirm his relaxed intimacy and affection with both his subject and his environment.

The viewer always feels that beyond the photo frames that the then Chinese world is ticking away relaxed oblivious to Duncan’s presence. 

They are not the “hit and run” imagery of a press photographer paid to record events for prosperity but the lovingly crafted works of a photographer for whom the image is only part of the process. 

Some intertwined with his obvious respect and admiration for his subject matter depict humour.

In one a relaxed Gough Whitlam with his hand resting on an ancient bronze statue of a crane captures a wry moment.

Both he and the sculptured crane are in profile with the famous Whitlam nose duly echoing the bronze crane’s beak.

An extra bonus is the Kodachrome film’s colour palette, It beautifully captures the era.

It's the same Kodachrome film that Duncan had to send off back to Melbourne for processing as at the time it was unable to be processed in China.

Something that makes this collection even more precious.

The exhibition displayed in six groups, commemorates the 50th anniversary of Gough Whitlam’s historic visit to China, curated by Professor Jing Han, was opened on November 23 by Professor Barney Glover AO Vice-Chancellor of Western Sydney University and is showing in Building EA, Parramatta South Campus till the 23rd of February.

Highly recommended both for its historic elements and its artistry.