In 1956, Barbara Blackman brought home a talking book machine and one of the first books the Blackmans ‘read’ was Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. This was Charles Blackman’s first encounter with the story and, importantly, it lacked any illustrations to impose on his imagination. Barbara came to stand for Alice herself. Her struggle…
Sketchbooks have long been used by artists to jot down ideas, contemplate on particular moments and note creative reflections. They are a personal record of inspirational imagery that may later be referred to when developing ideas and composition for other works. Charles Blackman’s Buderim Mt Sketchbook: Civilization versus Eden, dated 1984, affords us a behind-the-scenes glimpse…
Continue reading » “Turning the pages of Charles Blackman’s sketchbook”
The time Charles Blackman spent in Queensland in the 1950s, late 1960s and the 1980s — and the friendships he made there — were central to his development as one of the most important Australian artists of his generation. Brisbane beckoned us . . . painter mates in the city . . . and poet…
Continue reading » “The ‘Lure of the Sun’ on Charles Blackman”
Brisbane’s influence on the art of Charles Blackman, one of Australia’s most important artists, will be explored in our new exhibition from 7 November 2015. ‘Lure of the Sun: Charles Blackman in Queensland’ features over 50 paintings and works on paper, and explores the connections and friendships Blackman made while living in Queensland. The ‘Lure of…
Continue reading » “Charles Blackman’s time in the Queensland sun”
We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land on which the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art stands and recognise the creative contribution First Australians make to the art and culture of this country.