mela hilleard portrait
© Mela Hilleard

Celebrating Julia Margaret Cameron’s legacy through Mela Hilleard’s new project

A new exhibition at Dimbola Museum and Galleries has opened in the Giftshop.

The award-winning film director Mela Hilleard showcases her photographic work in the gift shop at Dimbola Museum and Galleries, home of the great Victorian photographer, Julia Margaret Cameron, who will be the inspiration for Mela’s next film.

About the Artist
Mela was born in Poland and her family was forcibly moved from Lviv, after WWII.

She says,

“I was raised on longing, for the lost paradise, for the time which does not exist seeking refuge in the world of art, at first theatre and later in photography and filmmaking.

“I became interested in breaking conventions, thinking more in terms of poetry, always following my feelings and intuition.

“I like when things have their own unspoken history, imperfections, reflections, the crumbles of memories and dreams. Being like a collector of eternal appearance; light is beginning and end of everything to me – the inner light of every person, light in the room, light of the past moment, waiting for the light…

“I am working now on developing a new project: ‘From life. Following in the footsteps of Julia Margaret Cameron’.

“Her life becomes a parallel story told through filmmaking and photographic eyes of mine inspired by her, in the 21st century, woven like separate strands of hair into one plait.”

Find out more about the artist by visiting her website.

Dimbola is open seven days a week from 10am-4pm.


News shared by Elissa on behalf of Dimbola Museum and Galleries. Ed