Boundary-pushing, barrier-breaking, forward-thinking. There are many ways to define a visionary, but what they all have in common is a drive to swim against the current. As David Jones celebrates 185 years of inspiration, we take a look at the modern-day visionaries who have been inspired to achieve incredible things.
Bhenji Ra: Multidisciplinary Artist And Legendary Mother Of The House Of Slé
She had moved to New York to study dance at the Martha Graham School, but when Bhenji Ra discovered the city’s ballroom scene – a Black and Latinx transgender community where members are divided into ‘houses’ and compete in pageant events – she knew she’d found her calling.
“In a way, I do feel a responsibility to be part of shaping our future, but I also feel like everyone’s a visionary. I feel that we are all collectively shaping our future together, and that’s really what my work is about: how do we as a community engage to envision the future together?”
Jordan Gogos: Furniture, Fashion And Set Designer And Creative Multi Hyphenate
When Jordan Gogos set his sights on the runway, the creative knew he wanted to do it his way: zero-waste, inclusive and made in Australia. Since its Australian Fashion Week debut in 2021, Gogos’ label, Iordanes Spyridon Gogos, which takes his Greek name, has been making headlines for its bright, sculptural designs.
“The whole problem with sustainability and waste is figuring out where things go,” he explains. “In their heads, people hit a dead end and that’s when something ends up in landfill – it’s just easy to go there. But if you think creatively about how things can circulate, or if you’re less linear and more open to the scope of things and how you can use them, or how you can share what you have – that’s where it becomes an opportunity.”
Chantelle Otten: Psycho-Sexologist
Author of The Sex Ed You Never Had and host of the new podcast Sex Therapy: Sessions with Chantelle Otten, Chantelle Otten wants to get Australians talking about sex. Otten is dramatically changing how and where we talk about sex – doing so through advocacy work and ambassador roles, running the Australian Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine, and maintaining a private practice in Melbourne, where she sees most patients on a pro bono basis.
“The whole reason I became a sexologist was to help people, and I just never wanted anyone to feel like they had to spend so much money to reach their goals. There’s no point doing a job where you cannot help people because they can’t afford it.”
The Hon Julie Bishop: First Female Foreign Minister
Julie Bishop is a woman of firsts: Australia’s first female foreign minister, the first female deputy leader of the Liberal Party and the first woman to contest a leadership ballot in Liberal history. A true trailblazer, despite retiring from politics in 2019, she’s still focused on making a positive impact through her work as chancellor of the Australian National University and chair of both the Telethon Kids Institute and Prince’s Trust Australia.
“I’m motivated to make a difference,” she says. “Don’t let others define what you can achieve. Set your own benchmarks and then work hard to achieve them.”
Cleola Anderiesz: Associate Professor & CEO Of NBCF, & Dr Clare Slaney: Breast Cancer Researcher
Since its inception in 1994, the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) has invested $216 million to support 662 world-class breast cancer research projects across Australia. As a founding partner, David Jones has proudly supported the NBCF for the past 29 years.
“Our vision at NBCF is zero deaths from breast cancer,” says associate professor Cleola Anderiesz, the foundation’s CEO. “Almost all of us know someone who has had a diagnosis of breast cancer, and that’s because breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in Australia,” she continues. “Every single day in Australia, nine people lose their lives to this disease. Through research, we are determined to create a future where we end deaths from breast cancer.”
Chloé Hayden: Actor And Activist
Diagnosed as autistic at 13, Chloé Hayden never saw people like herself on tv. so she set about changing that. Now an author, podcaster and actor, Hayden stars as Quinni – one of the world’s first autistic characters – on Netflix’s heartbreak high.
“Correct and truthful representation is genuinely world-changing. Young people see themselves in movies, TV, podcasts and books, and they realise that if that person exists, then perhaps they are allowed to as well. If I had seen one person with a disability, one autistic person in media growing up, it would have changed my entire perception of myself. Correct representation means we can start erasing those ‘but you’re nothing like Rain Man!’ stigmas.”
Richard Parker: Founder Of RATIONALE
Look at Richard Parker today and you’d never guess the cosmetic chemist once struggled with skin conditions. Knowing the frustration that comes with skin problems, he set out to create products that would combine insights from cosmetic science with dermal research. Thanks to Richard’s hard work and dedication, we now have the super-skincare brand, RATIONALE.
“My proudest achievements are discovering and raising awareness that so much of facial ageing is caused by the sun, followed by our zinc fusion superfluid technology, which took over 30 years to develop but created an entirely new natural perspective on sun protection,” he says.
Amy Shark: Singer-Songwriter
Success didn’t come overnight for Amy Shark, who cycled through several stage names and spent years singing covers at venues on the Gold Coast before finally getting her big break at age 30. Shark was working as a video editor for the Gold Coast Titans when her 2016 single ‘Adore’ was picked up by Triple J. Months later, the track came in at No.2 in the station’s annual Hottest 100 competition. Then, in 2018, her debut album, Love Monster, won Album of the Year at the ARIA Awards.
“As a solo female pop artist, I’m really proud of that body of work and how my manager and I handled all the pressures that came with such a massive life change. It was a very big time of my life and I feel like we grabbed it with both hands and really went for it…what also inspires me is watching people do things they love and seeing them stick to their guns and succeed.”
James Parr Triathlete: Disability Advocate And Model
A below-the-knee amputation not only saved James Parr’s life, but it was also the motivation he needed to compete in his first triathlon. Having been diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer at age 21, Parr, a proud Wiradjuri man, grew tired of being told what his body could and couldn’t do, so he took matters into his own hands: six months after the amputation, he competed in his first triathlon (and has been in remission ever since).
“I want to be able to walk into a room and not feel like anyone cares or that there’s an elephant in the room. I want disability to be normalised.”
Joost Bakker Florist: Activist And Zero-Waste Pioneer
Described by the new york times as “the poster boy for zero-waste living”, Joost Bakker has operated the world’s first zero-waste eatery, Silo; built a self-sustaining, food-producing, no-waste home in Melbourne’s Federation Square; been the subject of a documentary, Greenhouse by Joost; and created a living, breathing ecosystem and installation for the 2022 Spring Flower Show at David Jones’ Bourke Street store.
“I’m a practical person and I’m very observant,” says Bakker of his ability to envision a brighter, less wasteful future. “It’s so inspiring to me to try to visualise what the future can be. When an idea becomes mainstream and is taken up as part of the culture, it’s really, really exciting…you just need to be unbelievably persistent and believe that, ultimately, those ideas will be realised.”
Read our full interview with Joost Bakker: The One That Envisions the Future of Nature.
Dr Daniel Nour: Founder Of Street Side Medics
For those experiencing homelessness, seeing a GP can be fraught with challenges. Enter Dr Daniel Nour, a full-time medic at Sydney’s Royal North Shore Hospital, who spends his spare time in a van, delivering free healthcare to those who need it most.
“My vision is to provide healthcare to vulnerable people – that they deserve better. But it’s a vision that’s not just mine; I only recognised that people experiencing homelessness didn’t have that. So my vision is the vision of every doctor: that people deserve equal, outstanding access to healthcare, and the end goal is that we are everywhere we need to be.”
Taryn Brumfitt: Founder Of Body Image Movement And 2023 Australian Of The Year
Taryn Brumfitt, a photographer and mother of four, made headlines in 2013 when she gave up trying to sustain an unsustainable body. she’d posted a ‘before and after’ on Facebook – but a non-traditional one: the ‘before’ taken at a body-building contest, following the birth of her third child; the ‘after’ a nude shot, showing a happy, curvy Brumfitt. The post went viral. In the decade since Brumfitt has gone global with her message, thanks to her organisations the Body Image Movement and The Embrace Collective. She’s also written four books and directed two documentaries on the issue.
“Science is everything…people are losing their lives when it comes to eating disorders and everything related to body image,” she continues. “We can’t just go on our feelings or fly blind on these issues – they’re too important and are destroying people’s lives….we are here to change the world. This is a pretty good start for us to do that.
Feeling inspired? Read our full VISIONARIES interview in the latest spring issue of JONES, celebrating all things visionary.