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Listed under:  Arts  >  Artistic purpose
Video

Dancing The Torres Strait winds to Life: Zey

Torres Strait Islander choreographer Elma Kris created the dance 'About' as an expression of the effects of the winds (Gub) on the land, sea and community. The four seasons in the Torres Strait Islands relate directly to the type and direction of the winds. Kris has explored the effects of the Zey (pronounced Zay) - cool ...

Video

Charles Conder: 'Hot wind' 1889

In the late 19th century symbolism was used in depictions of the Australian Colonial landscape. This example painted by Charles Conder was painted during the Victorian drought in 1889.How does the artist convey the heat of the Australian landscape in this image? What role does the female figure play in this painting?

Video

Eugene von Guérard: 'Purrumbete from across the lake' 1858

Lured to Australia by the discovery of gold, Eugene von Guérard was the lead painter in the first century of European settlement. This piece is one of a pair that was commissioned by land owners Peter and John Manifold. Von Guérard was known for his mastery of landscapes, and his attention to detail and interest in the ...

Video

Finding beauty in the everyday

Lin Martin is passionate about the connections between science, nature, humanity and Buddhism, all of which come together in her art. Her photographs explore the beauty all around us, in our everyday natural surroundings. It is in these small moments captured by her work, where she draws attention to tiny details in nature, ...

Video

Eugene von Guérard: 'North-east view from the northern top of Mount Kosciusko' 1863

In this landscape Eugene von Guérard blends topographical accuracy with the grandness of a mountain top view which he witnessed in 1862 as a member of a geographical survey led by scientist Georg von Neumayer. The artist has taken some liberties with the depiction of the boulders in the foreground to demonstrate the enormous ...

Video

Max Meldrum: 'Poland (Madame de Tarczynska)', 1917

This resource includes an enlargeable image, with corresponding catalogue information, of the painting 'Poland (Madame de Tarczynska)' by Max Meldrum (1875-1955). There is also a video with audio commentary on the artist's career and an interpretation of the artwork. Onscreen text provides additional information about the ...

Interactive

SketchBook

This is a free application for the iPad that focuses on creating drawings and sketches using virtual professional-grade tools and brushes, and imaging techniques. It features a full-screen workspace and an 11-icon menu including pan and zoom navigation, a brush editor, colour wheels with HSB and RBG colour space, an eye-dropper ...

Video

John Olsen: 'Sydney sun', 1965

This resource includes an enlargeable image and corresponding catalogue information of the landscape painting 'Sydney sun' by John Olsen. There is also a video with audio commentary providing an interpretation of the artwork. The onscreen text outlines additional information about the artist, his career, influential ideas ...

Image

Danie Mellor, 'Culture warriors', 2007

This is a mixed media artwork by Mamu/Ngagen/Ngajan artist Danie Mellor (b1971), presenting two fighting kangaroos in the foreground of a ‘traditional’ fine bone china scene. The drawing/collage is shown as an enlargeable image. It was exhibited in the 2008 travelling exhibition of the first National Indigenous Art Triennial, ...

Image

Tony Albert, 'ASH on me', 2008

This is an installation by Girramay artist Tony Albert (b1981) using black text that reads ‘ASH on me’ and found objects: ceramic and metal ashtrays. These objects present Aboriginal people in different ways, some as caricatures. The work of art is shown as an enlargeable image. Text onscreen gives information about Albert’s ...

Video

Rosalie Gascoigne: 'Suddenly the Lake', 1995

This resource includes an enlargeable image, with corresponding catalogue information, of the four-part series of assembled landscapes 'Suddenly the lake' by Rosalie Gascoigne. There is also a video with audio commentary providing an interpretation of the artwork. The corresponding onscreen text gives additional information ...

Image

Yoshitomo Nara: nobody's fool

This is a website introducing the exhibition, 'Yoshitomo Nara: Nobody's fool' (2010-11, USA) featuring artworks by the Japanese pop artist. Information about the exhibition is organised under three headings: Isolation, Rebellion and Music. Also included are images and information about Nara's installations (including a ...

Image

Bob Burruwal and Lena Yarinkura, 'Wyarra family group', 2010

This is a sculpture by Rembarrnga artist Bob Burruwal (b1952) and Rembarrnga/Kune artist Lena Yarinkura (b1948) depicting spirit figures - male and female, young and old - standing near their camp dog. The sculpture is shown as an enlargeable image. This work was exhibited as a part of the second National Indigenous Art ...

Image

Julie Gough, 'Some Tasmanian Aboriginal children living with non-Aboriginal people before 1840', 2008

This is a sculpture by Trawlwoolway artist Julie Gough representing the experiences of Tasmanian Aboriginal children living with non-Aboriginal people. It was exhibited in the second National Indigenous Art Triennial,' unDisclosed', at the National Gallery of Australia (NGA). Further information about the artists and the ...

Text

Serious fun: a conversation with Yoshitomo Nara and Hideki Toyoshima

This is a video of an interview with the Japanese pop artist Yoshitomo Nara and his long-term collaborator, the Osaka designer Hideki Toyoshima, about the 2010 exhibition 'Yoshitomo Nara: Nobody's fool'. The interview is conducted by the exhibition curator, Miwako Tezuka, and is provided in two formats: a short 3-minute ...

Video

James Cant: 'Objects in the landscape', 1936

This resource includes an enlargeable image, with corresponding catalogue information, of the surrealist painting 'Objects in the landscape' by James Cant (1911-82). There is also a video with audio commentary, onscreen text on the artist's career and an interpretation of the painting. Cant was influenced by Surrealism, ...

Image

Water

This is a PDF resource that focuses on the theme of water in Australian artworks, featuring 15 different artworks using various mediums. Each page includes an image, description and context of the artwork, and information about the artist, as well as specific focus questions or key statements that prompt a response to the ...

Interactive

Refugees welcome here

This resource embeds the use of online collaboration tools and 21st century learning skills in a student-centered hands-on project designed to welcome refugees into their community. The syllabus outcomes are aligned to NSW Stage 4 English, Geography or Visual Arts but this could be used with older or younger students by ...

Online

Be on the Safe Side Year 7-8 The Arts (Drama)

This is a unit of work that uses the concept of rail safety and the setting of the rail network to explore character, roles and situations; there is a particular focus on bullying and the bystander effect. Learning opportunities for students include scripting, performing and revising their own drama. The resource includes: ...