Return to Sender
is one of a series of exhibitions the Queensland Art Museum has planned over
the coming three years. The theme for this series is the investigation of different happenings in
Queensland during the second half of the 20th century.
Return to sender
is the first in the series and begins with the volatile period of Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s
ultra conservative leadership. Feeling hobbled by bourgeois constraints and
lack of support in Queensland many local artists escaped interstate or overseas
where they were able to cultivate their practice and be major contributors to
Australia’s post modern society.
Predominately a photographic and video presentation it is worth
noting that none of the artists participating in this show were actually recognised
artists at the time when civil liberties and anti discrimination debates were
rife in Queensland (1967-1987). Even though many of these works were created
post Joh Bjelke-Petersen’s government they are still an interesting description
of the artists work practices and sentiments in Queensland at that time.
“Ice” and “Flame” are the titles of the large
direct positive photographs on perspex that catch your attention from the
moment you walk into the show. These two works from Robyn Stacey’s “Redline 7000” series fill the wall. The
images of theatrically lit heroines could easily be stills from a 1960s cult
movie. In 1985 Robyn Stacey saw an investigative report by Chris Masters on the
ABC entitled “The Moonlight State”
which drew attention to the Police Corruption in Queensland. This series filled
with its shady characters, drama and corruption was echoing what she saw
happening in Australia’s society, especially in Queensland. Created in 1989
these are astounding works not only for the message that they convey but also for
the craftsmanship. These images were carefully hand coloured and remarkably
produced without the assistance of digital technology. Robyn Stacey also has
three works from her “Kiss Kiss, Bang
Bang” series of which the “Nowhere to
go” Photograph, depicting a forlorn man behind bars, was used as the poster
image for the exhibition.
Tracey Moffat also has two photographic works in this exhibition;
however it is one of her Self Portrait from her infamous “Something More” series that epitomizes what the exhibition is all
about. Just like Robyn Stacey’s previously mentioned series Tracey Moffat again
draws attention to the darkness and corruption that surround Queensland in the
70’s and 80’s. “Something More #9”
stands over a meter high and nearly 1.5 meters wide; the black and white staged
image looks like a still from an old Hitchcock movie. Tracey poses as if unconscious
or dead her is face turned from the camera with disheveled clothes, suitcase
cast aside in the middle of the road. The sinister image tells a dramatic story 300
miles from Brisbane.
For my money Fiona MacDonald’s seven woven photographs from
a series entitled “Universally Respected” stole the show. a work she began when she returned to her
home of Rockhampton in 1993 and started exploring the archives for historical
images. This is a wonderfully gentle and poignant work that exposes the ugly
veneer of “colonial white Australia” and the historical truth of our multi
cultural past by interweaving photographs of Rockhampton’s chronicled
community. These works intricately entwine race, gender and station together to
create haunting images that appear to morph before your eyes. What makes these
compositions even more significant is the fact that they were created at a time
before permissions and protocols were set in place that would restrict the use
of indigenous images of any artist who wished to emulate Fiona’s work.
These are just a few of the works on display. Jeff Gibson’s
“dis Poster” series, his untitled No’s
1-10 and his “Trigger Happy”
wallpaper speaks volumes about the political unrest in Queensland at the time.
Barbara Campbell’s “Conradiana” Text (Joseph
Conrad’s novella “Heart of Darkness”on
a scroll of rice paper with accompanying video that will take you on a journey down
a river and into the wild jungles of Asia. and Rosemary Laing’s three works take you in a whole other direction of the
colour spectrum. Then there is Lindy Lee’s beautiful experimentations and the skillfully
constructed video works by Ross Harley, Mark Titmarsh and Gary Warner will
captivate you.
This is an interesting start to the University of Queensland
Art Museum’s series that will allow local artists to interpret the political
unrest of Queensland in later part of the twentieth century. I for one look
forward to the next installment.
