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COUNTRY: Australian Federation Landscapes 1900-1914
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About this
exhibition
Associated events, tours, talks, films and activities for children |
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| Hans Heysen Mystic Morn, 1904 oil on canvas 122.8 x 184.3 cm Elder Bequest Fund 1904 Art Gallery of South Australia © copyright |
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Curated by the Gallery's director, Ron Radford, this important re-assessment of Australian landscape paintings of the Federation period is the first study of its kind and is part of South Australia's Centenary of Federation celebrations. Drawn from public and private collections around Australia, these 100 splendid and beautiful paintings will be reinstated within the discourse of Australian art history. Displayed together they reveal how at the dawn of the twentieth century a number of Australian artists created memorable landscapes - images attuned to the newly-federated and invigorated nation. The Federation landscape - rural or newly urban - was created by artists filled with a great sense of occasion. Different in mood and scale from the Heidelberg paintings, Federation landscapes helped to define Australianness. Certain motifs were identified for symbolic use such as the gum tree (its leaves and blossom), wattle blossom, youthful women and nature spirits. Foremost among the Federation artists were Frederick McCubbin, W.C. Piguenit, Walter Withers, Hans Heysen, J.J. Hilder and Arthur Streeton - the majority of them extracted the intrinsic Australian elements found in the landscape - the monumental giant eucalypts, the expansive oceans, grand Australian rivers and awe inspiring rugged mountain ranges. The production of art during the Federation period may be seen to have catered for both private and public patronage. There was a steady growth in the production and sale of small intimate landscapes for Australian homes including watercolours. The public side of the equation was the production of large formal landscapes of a grandiose scale suited to the walls of the expanding spaces of the public galleries. The period in general has previously been overlooked due to the exodus of talented artists overseas - such as George W. Lambert, George Coates, Hugh Ramsay and E. Phillips Fox. Modernism also cast a shadow over the Federation period - polarising the moderns from their immediate predecessors. This new look at landscapes painted from 1900 to 1914 aims to revive an appreciation for this important but neglected aspect of Australian art history. |
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To access a copy of the education pack for teachers and students click here Tuesday 18 September
at 5.30 pm |
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Associated Events Tours, Lectures, Talks, Private Viewings, Activities for children and families, Storytelling, Excursions, Live Music, Film Screenings relating to the exhibition OUR COUNTRY: Australian Federation Landscapes 1900-1914 Tours
Private Tours Lectures / Talks Tuesday 9 October
12.45 pm Tuesday 16 October
at 6 pm Saturday 27 October
at 1pm Members Only Private Viewings Wednesday 19 September
at 6.15pm Wednesday 24 October
at 6.15pm For children and families Sunday 7 October Monday 8 October –
Saturday 13 October Thursday 11 October
at 10.30 am, 1 & 2 pm Special Events Friday 12 October from 1.30 pm – 5.30 pm Live Music Film Screenings Classics of Australian Cinema Sunday 16 September
at 11.30 am Sunday 23 September
at 11.30 am Sunday 30 September
at 11.30 am OUR COUNTRY … with a little humour Saturday 3 November Sunday 4 November Daily film program All videos and films courtesy of the National Film and Video Lending Service and the SA Video & Film Collection To see what other events and activities are on at the Gallery,click here to go to the Calendar of Events At the Bookshop Catalogue Merchandise |
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This page was last modified on 8 November 2001