Through readers’ eyes

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Pleated ink-caps, Launceston. Patrice Baxter

Buttons Beach, Ulverstone. Helen Guinane

Huon River reflections. John Snowdon Meander. Kevin Brown

Lake St Clair. Sharyn Stone

A STORY OF HOPE

ZOE COONEY

Our tour group shuffles into Yard 1 at the Cascades Female Factory Historic Site. We look out into the shell of a building to see a woman. As she walks closer, we’re told to forget everything we know about modern life – the cushioned soles of our shoes, the food in our bellies, our right to love and our right to freedom.

She comes face to face with us. Her name is Sarah Mason and she’s one of the 7000 convict women who were sent to the Female Factory in the 1800s. Sarah was given seven years for stealing a pair of boots. And that’s just the beginning of her story.

Sarah is one of six characters we meet in The Proud and The Punished, a new one-woman performance by Karissa Lane-Irons and playwright Finegan Kruckemeyer. Although the remains of the Female Factory are bare, Karissa’s performance brings them to life. She takes us on a heartbreaking journey with each character, sharing stories of loss, illness, brutality and injustice. But weaved so beautifully throughout the story, is a sense of hope.

Alastair Bett

Karissa Lane-Irons in The Proud and The Punished.

‘People find it really emotional whether they have ancestry here or not,’ Karissa said, reflecting on her own family connection to the Female Factory.

‘It’s special to work in here every day and to know that she was here,’ Karissa said.

‘To keep her memory alive, and [the memory of] all of these women is really lovely.’

Karissa encourages everyone, especially younger Tasmanians, to learn about this important part of our history, to take pride in it, and to share these incredible stories.

‘I think it’s been ignored for so long and it’s been swept under the rug,’ Karissa said.

‘This is a part of history and who we are.’

TMAG REOPENS ITS DOORS

The Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) is delighted to be open again following its closure in late March this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Director of TMAG, Janet Carding said she was pleased to be able to welcome visitors back to the museum.

‘The role of museums as a place for telling stories, to gather together, reflect on shared experiences and create a sense of belonging and understanding has never been more important as we emerge from isolation,’ Janet said.

‘We are looking forward to reconnecting with the Tasmanian community and sharing all the wonderful things your museum has to offer.’

To provide a safe and secure environment for everyone who visits, TMAG has introduced some changes such as physical distancing measures and number limits across the museum. One important change is that while admission to TMAG remains free, all visitors are now required to make a booking to enter the museum.

TMAG has designed an innovative approach to reconnect with visitors, with the museum’s Visitor Services Officers

Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery

Exquisite Habits by Stephanie Dean. sharing some of their favourite museum treasures through special pop-up interpretations in the galleries.

Visitors will also be excited to learn about a new exhibition that is available to explore, Exquisite Habits, featuring the botanic art of Tasmanian artist Stephanie Dean.

The evocative This Too Shall Pass exhibition, which features portraiture and still-life works from TMAG’s collection, also remains on display.

In addition, TMAG’s major exhibition West: Out on the Edge has been extended and is now on show until 18 October 2020, giving the public more chances to explore Tasmania’s unique west through this captivating multi-disciplinary exhibition.

For more information and to make a booking, visit

tmag.tas.gov.au