Patterns of Empire - Nature, 2013, 148 x 200 cm
Frames of Reference M16 Artspace, Canberra
This exhibition of paintings and objects engaged with some of the factors at play during the 18th and 19th centuries that informed perceptions of the natural world of Australia. Comprised of two bodies of work, it explored the development of two related viewpoints - those originating in Australia in comparison to those in Britain.
The Patterns of Empire series was exhibited in conjunction with Birds from a New World paintings of 2012. Patterns of Empire focused on factors, such imperialism, ornamentation and the rise of the natural sciences that influenced notions of British national identity during the early years of white settlement in Australia. These notions informed the perceptions and valuations made by British people of the natural world of Australia.
