Artist
Probably the most straightforward way to create an exhibition is to base it on the work of one artist. By looking at the year that each artwork was made, you can get an idea of how that artist's style changed over time. You may even be able to pair, say, a painting with a drawing study of the same subject.
Below is a list of artists who are well represented in the Art Gallery's collection online:
- Max Dupain
- David Moore
- Harold Cazneaux
- James Gleeson
- Lloyd Rees
- Tracey Moffatt
- Robert Klippel
- Margaret Preston
- William Dobell
- Tom Roberts
- George Lambert
- Charles Conder
- Hans Heysen
- Arthur Streeton
- Fred Williams
- Grace Cossington Smith
- Roy de Maistre
- Russell Drysdale
- Mawalan Marika
- Julian Ashton
- Arthur Boyd
- Norman Lindsay
- Sydney Long
- John Olsen
- Jeffrey Smart
- Sidney Nolan
- Godfrey Miller
- Munggurrawuy Yunupingu
- Cecil Bostock
- Bill Henson
- Roland Wakelin
- Weaver Hawkins
For example:
| Art period or movement
Another possibility is to find artworks from a particular period of history or by a group of artists who worked alongside each other or followed a similar approach.
Below is a list of periods and movements and some artists associated with them.
- Early colonial Australia
- John Glover (note: Glover migrated to Australia in 1831)
- Conrad Martens
- Eugene von Guérard (note: search for "Eugene von")
- Nicholas Chevalier
- The Heidelberg School (approx. 1886-1901)
- Arthur Streeton
- Tom Roberts
- Charles Conder
- Frederic McCubbin
- Jane Sutherland
- Australian modernists (approx. 1905-1940)
- Grace Cossington Smith
- Norah Simpson
- Roland Wakelin
- Roy de Maistre
- Margaret Preston
- Grace Crowley
- Ralph Balson
- Australian expressionists (approx. 1940-1955)
- Arthur Boyd
- Albert Tucker
- Sidney Nolan
- British Victorian painters
- Frederick Leighton
- Edward Poynter
- Ford Madox Brown
- Spencer Stanhope
For example:
|
Subject
It is often enlightening to compare and contrast different depictions of the same, or similar subject matter. The easiest way to start is to search for a certain word or words (such as from the list below). However, bear in mind that the Search field only searches on the artist and/or title. This means that, if an artwork does not have the subject-word mentioned in the title, it will not be found. A more thorough exploration of the collection (perhaps through the Browse or Advanced Search window) may be required.
- landscape
- portrait
- self portrait (then search for 'self-portrait')
- still life (then search for 'still-life')
- interior (then search for 'room')
- mirror
- nude
- Sydney
- street (then search for 'road', then 'avenue')
- beach
- house
- Buddha
- Shiva
- Ganesha
- creation
- myth (then search for 'story')
- morning
- evening
- child (then search for 'girl', then 'boy')
- horse (then, perhaps, search for other animals by name)
- bridge
- abstract
For example:
| Ideas
The most challenging plan for an exhibition is to explore an idea or a series of related ideas. This requires the greatest familiarity with the collection and the greatest amount of forethought. Some possible starting points are listed below.
- Social awareness
- The role(s) of art
- How artists' beliefs are reflected in their art
- Text in art
- Humour and parody
- Colour
- Space
- The gaze
- 'High' art and popular culture
For example:
|
