Sydney, 11 Oct 2022 — 30 Oct 2022

15 Roylston Street [PO Box 282], Paddington 2021

Nursery Rhymes
- Rodney Pople

Nursery Rhymes is Rodney Pople’s first solo exhibition in three years at Australian Galleries, Sydney.
‘Rodney Pople’s iconoclastic approach exposes the hypocrisies of powerful cultural narratives. In the past his subjects have included the Catholic Church and the ANZAC legend, and in these new paintings the sacred cow jumps over the moon in a series focussed on classic British nursery rhymes.
Pople has excavated beneath the gentle reassurance of these oft-repeated rhymes, unearthing and reimagining their narratives into scenes of surreality, shock, humour and horror. The three blind mice, now brandishing the carving knife themselves, wreak their revenge on the farmer’s wife; a black sheep gleefully sinks its teeth into a young girl’s leg; and Humpty Dumpty falls towards the waiting jaws of crocodiles…
With their references to outdated kings and queens, chambers and horses, boughs and pails, nursery rhymes provide a window into the past. Their characters inhabit our minds’ eye, having been the subject of beautifully illustrated books we were read as children. We repeat them to our own children in turn, only then questioning their disconcerting, sometimes violent undertones. Images like a baby falling from a tree, a child breaking his skull, and animals being attacked are interwoven into their comforting rhythms and saccharine melodies. In Nursery Rhymes, Pople has drawn his palette from these books and children’s nurseries, employing pale blues, pastel yellows and pastoral greens to lull the viewer before swinging the sledgehammer with imagery that exposes the unsettling undercurrents of these not-so-benign rhymes.’ – Chloe Wolifson, 2022
Rodney Pople
Rodney Pople is an interdisciplinary artist that works across various mediums such as painting, photography …
View Profile

In Blog

2024 Salon des Refusés at S.H. Ervin Gallery

Image above (left to right): Graeme Drendel Portrait of Rick  2024 oil on canvas 41 x 31 cm | Michelle Hiscock …

Read More

Raymond Arnold Highly Commended & Rodney Pople a Finalist in the 2024 Glover Prize

Image above: Raymond Arnold Congratulations to Raymond Arnold, who has been Highly Commended in the 2024 Glover Prize, and to …

Read More

2023 Salon des Refusés at S.H. Ervin Gallery

Image above: Mary Tonkin  The shimmer of Spring’s mellowing, Kalorama  2022-23  oil on linen  183 x 248 cm. Photographed by …

Read More

Deborah Williams, Martin King and Phillip Edwards – finalists in Pro Hart Outback Art Prize

Image above: Deborah Williams The air smells different 2023 aquatint intalgio 53×39.5cm Congratulations to Deborah Williams, Martin King and Phillip …

Read More

Salvatore Zofrea – ‘From the Collection: Jagath Dheerasekara & Salvatore Zofrea’ at Campbelltown Arts Centre

Image above: Salvatore Zofrea Catching fire-flies in summer from the series Appassionata: one hundred woodcuts no.15. 1994–1999  Jelutong woodblock  40 …

Read More

Collection in focus: Golburn Regional Gallery

Image above: Collection in focus exhibition image from Golburn Regional Gallery Collection in focus: Golburn Regional Gallery 5 July — …

Read More

Jenny Rodgerson & Peter Wegner – Finalists in The Lester Prize 2024

Above image details: Jenny Rodgerson Mum’s orange cardigan  2024 oil on linen 60 x 40 cm Congratulations to Jenny Rodgerson and …

Read More

Holly Grace & Sarah Tomasetti – Finalists in the 2024 Fleurieu Biennale Art Prize

Image above: Sarah Tomasetti From Balpatta X 2024 145 x 150 cm pigment oil and marble dust on fresco Congratulations to Holly …

Read More

Janet Luxton – Finalist in the Artists for Conservation International Exhibition

Image above:  Janet Luxton  Giant Australian Cuttlefish  2021  oil on canvas  120x160cm Congratulations to Janet Luxton who has had two …

Read More

Wayne Eager – Interview in Studio National

Above image: Wayne Eager, Allegory I  2023 oil on linen 95 x 133 cm Wayne Eager was interviewed by Janet …

Read More

Omina Art Prize Finalists – Kate Hudson, Martin King, Robin Stewart and Marina Strocchi

Image above: Marina Strocchi The vineyards of Madden’s Lane 2023 acrylic on linen 122 x 152 cm Congratulations to Kate …

Read More

Jennifer Keeler-Milne – Ravenswood Art Prize Finalist

Congratulations to Jennifer Keeler – Milne for being selected as a finalist in the Ravenswood Art Prize 2024 for her …

Read More

Introducing the Sydney Stock Rooms

Australian Galleries is thrilled to introduce our most recent gallery space ~ the Sydney Stock Rooms. Located directly opposite our …

Read More