Fairy Tales Archives - QAGOMA Blog

Fairy Tales: Behind-the-seams of the costumes for the film ‘Mirror Mirror’

Posted by QAGOMA ● 17 Apr 2024

QAGOMA conservator Michael Marendy gives us an insight into Eiko Ishioka‘s exquisitely designed costumes made for the film Mirror Mirror (2012). The ‘Cream wedding dress’ costume (illustrated) worn by Julia Roberts as ‘Queen Clementianna’ is made from 70 metres of Duchess Silk Satin creating a multitude of overlapping petals and vine tendrils from bodice to…

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Beneath Charles Blackman’s Alice in Wonderland

Posted by Anne Carter ● 3 Apr 2024

We take you on a journey of discovery beneath the paint surface of The Blue Alice 1956-57, uncover previously hidden details, and look at the technique and materials used by Charles Blackman. The Blue Alice is currently on display in the ‘Fairy Tales’ exhibition at Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) until 28 April 2024.…

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Fairy Tales: The promise of happiness

Posted by QAGOMA ● 1 Apr 2024

Fairy tales are not bound by borders, social class, custom, religion, age or time. They are products of our desire to consider the world around us from within the safe realm of fiction. Fairy tales come to meet us where we are; they shift and change to reflect the needs and wants of audiences. The…

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Fairy Tales: The history & hidden meaning of ‘Beauty and the Beast’

Posted by Sophie Hopmeier ● 27 Mar 2024

Transformation is an essential element in the fairy tale tradition. A change of appearance can signal or conceal a character’s true identity. While some characters alter their own appearance to escape or trick others, many are victims — transfigured as punishment. The spells that trigger these transformations are, in many cases, broken by a character’s…

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Fairy Tales: Unmissable films & live music in April

Posted by Sophie Hopmeier ● 26 Mar 2024

In April, we explore the changing role of women in fairy tale cinema. Girls and women have been central protagonists of fairy tales for millennia, with the earliest recorded ‘Cinderella’ story dated to the year 7 BC. The experiences of women in fairy tales reveal much about the times in which they are told, as…

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Fairy Tales: Timothy Horn’s improbable objects

Posted by QAGOMA ● 19 Mar 2024

The ‘Fairy Tales’ exhibition comes alive with magical moments that defy expectations. Timothy Horn’s Mother-load 2008 presents an improbable object — a coach made of sugar — rendering make‑believe into reality, while Glass slipper (ugly blister) 2001 gives a modern take on the ‘Cinderella’ story with an oversized, highly embellished jewel-encrusted slipper. Buy Tickets to…

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