Reframing Darwin: evolution and art in Australia 12 Aug 2009 to 01 Nov 2009 Reframing Darwin: evolution and art in Australia was a major exhibition of more than 120 items dedicated to exploring the lasting legacy of Charles Darwin in art, science and culture in Australia. This exhibition offered an artistic, cultural and philosophic review of the ramifications of Darwin’s 1831–36 visit to Australian shores. The exhibition offered the only thorough examination of Darwin’s influence on the artistic and cultural life of Melbourne and stands apart for the rare, original and unique works it brings together in honour of this momentous year.
Ancestral power and the aesthetic: Arnhem Land paintings and objects from the Donald Thomson Collection 02 Jun 2009 to 23 Aug 2009
This exhibition presents bark paintings and other painted objects collected in central and eastern Arnhem Land by anthropologist, the late Professor Donald Thomson (1901–1970). The exhibition features around a third of an extraordinary collection of bark paintings in the Donald Thomson Collection. This powerful visual suite embodies the essence of many of the major ancestors who created the landscape and gave life and meaning to the people of Arnhem Land, such as the Wagilag Sisters and the Djan'kawu Sisters.
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Other side art: Trevor Nickolls, a survey of paintings and drawings 1972–2007 13 May 2009 to 02 Aug 2009 Other side art was the first museum survey of the work of senior South Australian artist, Trevor Nickolls. Nickolls has been described as ‘the father of urban Aboriginal art’. He stands as a seminal figure whose career has spanned an unprecedented era of Aboriginal cultural expression. Over more than thirty years, Nickolls has developed a unique repertoire of visual symbols to depict the impact of Western culture on Aboriginal traditional life. His artworks have informed many of the critical intellectual and aesthetic positions vital to questions of identity and Aboriginality in Australia.
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