Melbourne, 11 May 2021 — 30 May 2021

28 Derby Street [PO Box 1183], Collingwood 3066

History Rhymes
- Heather Shimmen

Empowering the animal world through myths, literature, poetry, nursery rhymes and cartoons might seem a common form of transmogrifying humanity’s morals and politics, but it is an effective way to pull out darker stories about personal memories and historical events. During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, Edward Lear, Lewis Carroll and James Gilray gave animals distinctive personalities and names, characters who were capable of interventions or facilitating fateful and hilarious outcomes. Artists such as Goya animated his etchings with owls, bats and donkeys to great effect. In Heather Shimmen’s recent body of prints and sculptural assemblages we find Indigenous Australian creatures enticing us into fabulous, metaphysical realms that weave around politics, environmentalism, racism and feminising tales of women adrift, adorned, lost or outcast. Excavating forgotten stories and sequencing images is one of Shimmen’s main conceptual and aesthetic tropes and her repertoire of animals and visual narratives engage us at various levels. In her words, ‘A bee in the hair is worth a hive in the hand’, sometimes with a sting.

Excerpt from essay by Sheridan Palmer, March 2021. University of Melbourne

Meet the Artist – Saturday 22 May 2pm to 4pm

 

Heather Shimmen
Expressionistic and figurative printmaker Heather Shimmen was born in Melbourne and completed a Bachelor of …
View Profile

In Blog

Artists For Kids Culture – Annual Art Auction

This years’ Artists For Kids Culture Art Auction will include artworks by Rosalind Atkins, Rona Green, Martin King, Lewis Miller, …

Read More

Ink Masters Print Exhibition 2021 – Dianne Fogwell, Glenda Orr and Heather Shimmen

Image above: Heather Shimmen  Sighted  2021  linocut and ink on paper  edition 25  112 x 76 cm Congratulations to Dianne …

Read More

Entrancing Others: A Group Exhibition – Gippsland Art Gallery

Image above: G.W. Bot  Other glyphs  2020  linocut 38 x 38 cm – Photography courtesy of Tim Gresham Sue Anderson, …

Read More

Congratulations Martin King – Finalist in The Alice Prize

Martin King  ledger of the lost years ‘24 and ‘25′  N.D  graphite, watercolour and gouache on drafting film and paper  …

Read More

Dianne Fogwell – ‘Prescience’ Exhibition at Geelong Gallery

Image above: Dianne Fogwell  Prescience  2023  linocut and woodcut  4,500 x 145 cm  – installation at Geelong Gallery Congratulations to …

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

The 2024 Palmer Sculpture Biennial

Image above: Greg Johns  The Kiss (Buried Alive)  2022-23  Corten steel  140 x 486 x 18cm “Congratulations to Greg Johns …

Read More

Gallery News – When one door closes, another one opens…

The three adjoining properties which comprise the Australian Galleries Sculpture Park in Porcupine Ridge are now on the market. The …

Read More

Marina Strocchi – Featured in The Art of Healing magazine

Image above: Marina Strocchi  Dusk in the Hills  2023  acrylic on linen  60 x 93 cm Marina Strocchi’s insightful writing …

Read More

Sculpture by the Sea, Cottesloe 2024

Image above: Greg Johns  Sit Down Fella (Contemplative)  2023  Corten steel and bronze  260 cm high To view a selection …

Read More

Barbie Kjar – Winner of the 2024 Adelaide Perry Prize for Drawing

Image above: Barbie Kjar and her winning work No Expectations  2024 Photograph by Louisa Chircop Congratulations to Barbie Kjar, Winner …

Read More

David Frazer ‘All That You’ve Loved’ Exhibition at Trinity College

‘David Frazer is primarily a graphic artist, a printmaker, who in his work creates a little microcosm, or a convincing …

Read More

Simon Normand – Exhibition Reviews and Interviews – The Age, ABC Radio & Nikkei Asia

Image above: Simon Normand  Map – Australia  2023  acrylic on canvas and mixed media  145 x 170 cm  Simon Normand’s …

Read More