Lost Landscapes: Anne Zahalka

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This exhibition is now closed.
Queen Victoria Art Gallery at Royal Park
5 December 2020 – 21 November 2021

One of Australia's leading photographic media artists Anne Zahalka turns her lens to QVMAG's historic dioramas in the next stage of her ongoing series, Wild Life.

Zahalka's series unearths early Australian dioramas from natural history museums around the country and recreates them in a contemporary frame. Contrasted with the original dioramas, these works raise unsettling ethical and environmental issues, reflecting on the changing role of public museums and their collections. 

By reviving the original dioramas and comparing them with her newly staged ones, Zahalka reminds us that museums are political spaces. What at first glance appears like an objective natural history display, actually contains powerful messages about the way institutions privilege particular narratives about the environment.

In an era of climate change awareness, this exhibition encourages audiences to question the information they receive from all sources including the museum.  

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