Exhibition takes unconventional look
at Australian art through fish-eye lens
New exhibition: Fish in Australian art
5 April – 1 October 2012
From Indigenous rock paintings and scientific illustrations to 20th century still lifes and
contemporary multimedia, the Australian National Maritime Museum is taking an
unconventional look at Australian art in a major new exhibition… showing how the simple
subject of fish has been a source of artistic inspiration for hundreds of years.
Spanning centuries, art movements, and mediums Fish in Australian art presents more than
170 works from well-known Australian artists such as Margaret Olley, William Dobell,
Yvonne Koolmatrie, Rupert Bunny, Anne Zahalka, John Brack, Michael Leunig, John Olsen,
Craig Walsh and others… all within the unique context of fish and fishing.
“While there have been many books and exhibitions on plants, flowers and birds in
Australian art, fish have been virtually overlooked,” said exhibition co-curator and art
historian Stephen Scheding.
“Drawing on the National Maritime Museum’s own collection of maritime art together with
works on loan from public and private collections around the country, this fish-eye view of
Australian art history reveals a remarkable and surprising body of work from the purely
descriptive to the wonderfully eccentric,” he said.
This unusual introduction to Australian art history begins by looking at the influence of fish
and fishing in Indigenous culture through rock art, traditional weavings and bark paintings.
Works by renowned Indigenous weaver Yvonne Koolmatrie and Yolngu artist Galuma
Maymuru show how representations of fish in Indigenous art are often linked to stories that
reaffirm and communicate Indigenous people’s connection to freshwater and saltwater
country. Images of Indigenous people fishing also feature in rarely seen works by the Port
Jackson Painters who arrived on the First Fleet.
The exhibition looks at portrayals of fish in 18th and 19th century scientific drawings by artists
and naturalists who sailed with James Cook, William Dampier and Matthew Flinders.
Still life works by Peter Churcher, William Buelow Gould, and Margaret Preston show the
role of fish in domestic life. While our fascination with fishing as a popular past-time is also
evident in works by Conrad Martens, Kenneth Macqueen and Joshua Smith.
However Australian artists’ fascination with fish hasn’t been limited to drawings or paintings.
The exhibition includes a range of art forms including scrimshaw, sculpture, multimedia and
even decorative arts.
Visitors will see works by Chris O’Doherty (Reg Mombassa) and Michael Leunig, John
Olsen’s colourful 2009 piece The Bouillabaisse, James Gleeson’s surrealist 1983 study with
fish, Arthur Boyd’s Ventriloquist and Skate together with decorative vases, an extravagant
fishing trophy, advertising, jewellery, children’s toys and artistic displays of fishing
tackle!
Fish in Australian art opens to the public on 5 April 2012. Entry to the exhibition is included
in general admission to the museum: $7 adults, $3.50 child/concession or $17.50 for
families.
The exhibition was jointly developed by art historian, author and collector Stephen Scheding
and museum curator Penny Cuthbert.
The Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, is open daily from 9.30 am to 5
pm. For more information about Fish in Australian art and related events visit
www.anmm.gov.au/fish.
Media images & interviews available on request.
21 March 2012
Media inquries, Shirani Aththas (02) 9298 3642; 0418 448 690
or email
saththas@anmm.gov.au