♦ Janet Holmes à Court, Melissa Harpley, Art Gallery of WA 19th Century Art and Manager of Collections, Laetitia Wilson, Exhibitions Manager, Janet Holmes à Court Collection, and Megan Schlipalius, Collection Registrar, Janet Holmes à Court Collection at The Botanical: Beauty and Peril at the Art Gallery of WA. Photo Lyn DiCiero.
feature story july/august 2019
Botanical – Beauty and Peril
A major exhibition at the Art Gallery of Western Australia explores the botanical from both historical and contemporary viewpoints, while encompassing a strong environmental message.
IN THE JULY/AUGUST EDITION
In this edition, we feature the major exhibition The Botanical: Beauty and Peril at the Art Gallery of WA, drawn from both the State Art Collection and the Janet Holmes à Court Collection. Far from an exhibition solely depicting our stunning botanical world, the exhibition pits historic viewpoints against the contemporary through works from the late 19th century until now. Prominent is an Indigenous voice in the show which would have been unheard of during the times of early settlement. Also, unheard of until recent decades, is the concept of environmental carnage, with contemporary artists reflecting this view in the exhibition. A prime example, encompassing both these aspects, is the Janet Holmes a Court Collection commission Panoramic View of Albany (Kinjarling), The Place of Rain by Sohan Ariel Hayes, a reimagining of Robert Dale’s well-known Panoramic View of King George Sound as a three-channel digital video.
As The Botanical opened, the 11th director of AGWA prepared to exit his position after ten and a half years in the role. We caught up with Stefano Carboni for a chat as he reflected on his years as director and his thoughts for the future of the institution.
Laetitia Wilson visited Nikulinsky Naturally and Phillip Noakes: Sculptural Silver at Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery, both major surveys demonstrating a lifetime of dedication to refining techniques. From stunning botanical illustrations by Nikulinsky, to the shimmering brilliance of metal works by Noakes, the exhibition is a masterclass in the visual arts.
Lastly, we cover the film Young Picasso, directed by UK-based filmmaker Phil Grabsky who left no stone unturned in his quest to peel away the layers of mystery behind Picasso’s early life.
Lyn Di Ciero, Editor
NEXT EDITION SEPT/OCT 2019
DEADLINE 25 AUGUST
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ARTIST’S CHRONICLE 30th ANNIVERSARY EDITION MARCH 2021