Beating About The Bush is a new exhibition at the Art Gallery of Ballarat that combines the best of traditional Australian Impressionism with works from contemporary Australian female photographers.
Since early colonisation, the Australian ‘bush’ as a subject has largely been portrayed in art and literature by men. This exhibition juxtaposes these traditional portrayals against a series of contrasting styles and feminist perspectives to challenge the rigid male-gaze that has endured for so long.
Audiences can revel in the classic beauty of paintings by revered artists like Tom Roberts, Charles Conder, Frederick McCubbin and Arthur Streeton. In contrast, contemporary images by photographers including Anne Zahalka, Leah King-Smith, Fiona Foley, Polixeni Papapetrou and Jacqui Stockdale will also be on display, taking up feminine space in a typically male-dominated scene.
Louise Tegart, curator of the exhibition and director of the Art Gallery of Ballarat, says the display explores what’s been left out of the Australian Impressionism discussion; both within the works and in the wider cultural conversation.
"These artists don’t beat about the bush," she says. "They tell a more comprehensive story, addressing issues pertaining to immigration, First Nations people, gender and social status."
Beating About The Bush officially kicks off November 5 with a tour of the exhibition by Tagert herself, followed by readings of Henry Lawson’s bush poems by local Ballarat performers on November 13 and 27.
Volunteers will be present to take gallery-goers on weekend tours at 2pm every Saturday and Sunday, and even more events including scholarly talks, photography forums and sketching workshopa are still to be announced. There's no need to book, but if you wish to attend one of the accompanying events tickets are available at the website.