to see this May

WORDS BY CHESTER OGILVIE

THERE’S NO PLACE LIKE HOME

Believed to have originated before the 14th century but immortalised by Judy Garland’s Dorothy Gale, ‘there’s no place like home’ is often used as a wish, and sometimes a lament. Despite imperfections, we crave the comfort and familiarity of the place we call home. In this exhibition, this notion is questioned as the idea of Australia, its continuous culture, colonisation and migration, is explored. Sometimes, it’s not so comfortable.

WARRNAMBOOL ART GALLERY UNTIL 28 MAY

PRE-RAPHAELITE:

Drawings And Watercolours

Exclusive to the Art Gallery of Ballarat is this most stunning exhibition of drawings and watercolours from Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum. The Pre-Raphaelites (originally the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood) was a group of English painters, poets and art critics, including Edward Burne-Jones, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and John Everett Millais. Pre-Raphaelite will be presented in conjunction with In the Company of Morris, an exhibition of artists influenced by textile designer, artist, poet and fantasy writer, William Morris.

ART GALLERY OF BALLARAT 20 MAY–06 AUG

DAVID FRAZER: FOR THE LOVE OF SONG

The strong connection between music and art can be illustrated by a great album cover. We can identify them without titles. Local artist David Frazer’s new exhibition For the Love of Song sees him team up with iconic artists including Tom Waits, Nick Lowe, Nick Cave, Paul Kelly and Don Walker. Handmade books and prints, endorsed and signed by the artists, linocuts, broadsheets and wood blocks form this music lover’s exhibition.

CASTLEMAINE ART MUSEUM UNTIL 28 MAY

THE AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S WEEKLY: 90 YEARS OF AN AUSTRALIAN ICON

On June 10, 1933, the first issue of Australian Women’s Weekly appeared in Sydney. Printed in black-and-white newspaper format and priced at twopence, it had sold out by lunchtime. In this celebratory exhibition, some of the trailblazing women who have contributed to the magazine will be recognised for their place in history. And who could forget the Australian Women’s Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book? BENDIGO

LUCINDA GOODWIN: RETROSPECT 001

Time is limited to check out the new rock and roll collection from internationally recognised photographer Lucinda Goodwin (Patron to Pit), Retrospect 001. For a healthy dose of musical blood, sweat and tears without the long bar lines, Goodwin’s new exhibition is a 13-year catalogue that includes live musical works and personal projects. Among them is the stripped-back COVID video series, Music from the Burbs. In conjunction with the exhibition, Goodwin is launching her debut publication, Retrospect 2022.

PLATFORM ARTS, GEELONG UNTIL 19 MAY

Soldiers Hill Art Collective Artwalk

The Soldiers Hill Art Collective began when Lynne Makings kept running into artists on her daily walk with her pooch. The eclectic group of artists, all within the region of Soldiers Hill, then set about creating an open and inclusive collective where creative diversity is valued and promoted. This month, local shopfronts, businesses and studios will display a diverse range of creative works to enjoy on your stroll – with or without a pooch by side.

SOLDIERS HILL DISTRICT, BALLARAT 19–28 MAY

NIKON-WALKLEY PRESS PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS

The Walkley Awards are considered the highest honour in Australian journalism, stretching back to 1956 when five categories were instituted by Ampol founder, Sir William Walkley. Today, it has grown to thirty categories. From news to sport, portraiture to photographic essays, the Nikon-Walkley Awards for Excellence in Journalism showcases those moments throughout the year that challenge us, inspire us or simply leave us in awe. All the 2022 winners and finalists are on display here.

NATALIE ANDERSON: LONG SHADOWS, QUIET LIGHT

Driven by the desire for lifelong learning and a connection to the country, Natalie Anderson is a landscape artist fascinated and inspired by the landscape and ocean around Geelong. In her new exhibition, Long Shadows, Quiet Light, Natalie was fuelled, in part, by loss. However, as she discovered, there is still light to be found and a beauty in the shadows that paint the world.

SALT CONTEMPORARY ART, QUEENSCLIFF UNTIL 28 MAY