Take a Look - Summer Exhibitions In Australia
Summer in Australia is not only marked by holidays, beach days and swimming, cold drinks and BBQs, it’s also a time to visit some blockbuster exhibitions! Although the COVID pandemic continues to limit travel and close boarders, thankfully we can access exhibitions online if we can’t see them in person. Below are a few that you might be interested in visiting in real life (don’t forget your mask) or virtually in the comfort of your own home. Enjoy!
Sydney: Museum of Contemporary Art - Lindy Lee: Moon in a Dew Drop.
A major survey exhibition by Australian Chinese artist Lindy Lee. Running until 28 February, 2021.
“Lose yourself in the work of influential Australian Chinese artist Lindy Lee. Slow down and take in shimmering, meditative and thought-provoking works in her largest survey exhibition to date, which draws on her experience of living between two cultures.
Using a spectacular array of processes which include flinging molten bronze, burning paper and allowing the rain to transform surfaces, Lee draws on her Australian and Chinese heritage to develop works that engage with the history of art, cultural authenticity, personal identity and the cosmos. Key influences are the philosophies of Daoism and Ch’an (Zen) Buddhism, which explore the connections between humanity and nature.”
Read and explore more on the MCA website.
Melbourne: National Gallery of Victoria - NGV Triennial 2020.
Running until 18 April, 2021.
“The NGV Triennial brings contemporary art, design and architecture into dialogue, offering a visually arresting and thought-provoking view of the world at this time. Featuring major new commissions and recent works that span geography, perspective and genre, the exhibition celebrates the work of some of the world’s most accomplished artists and designers, while also giving voice to emerging practitioners.”
Read and explore more on the NGV website.
Canberra: National Gallery of Australia - Know My Name: Australian Women Artists 1900 to Now.
Running until 4 July, 2021.
Know My Name: Australian Women Artists 1900 to Now showcases art made by women. Drawn from the National Gallery’s collection and loans from across Australia, it is the most comprehensive presentation of art by women assembled in this country to date.
Told in two parts, this exhibition tells a new story of Australian art. Looking at moments in which women created new forms of art and cultural commentary such as feminism, Know My Name highlights creative and intellectual relationships between artists across time.
Know My Name is not a complete account; instead, the exhibition proposes alternative histories, challenging stereotypes and highlighting the stories and achievements of all women artists.
Read and explore more on the NGA website.
Have you seen any exhibitions over the summer? Let us know in the comments below.
Image captions: all images taken by Melanie Watkins at the NGA Know my Name Exhibition. Top image: Seven Sisters, Tjanpi Desert Weavers. Middle image: left: Trace, Bronwyn Oliver and right: Garland, Bronwyn Oliver. Bottom image: foreground: Black Widow, Lynda Draper, background: Flight Research series, Rosemary Laing.