Critically acclaimed exhibition comes to Wanneroo

Now open at the Wanneroo Regional Gallery, The Antipodean Manifesto presents a visionary dialogue of art, identity and culture in 1950s Australia. 

The prestigious art collection has made its way to Perth’s northern corridor, where it will be on show until 3 May 2025. 

The exhibition features a selection of representational paintings, prints and ceramics by the seven artists who formed the Antipodean group in Melbourne in 1959 – Charles Blackman, Arthur Boyd, David Boyd, John Brack, Robert Dickerson, John Perceval, and Clifton Pugh.

Wanneroo Mayor Linda Aitken said it was an honour to showcase another chapter of Australia’s art history at the Wanneroo Regional Gallery.

“The Antipodean Manifesto is a beautiful selection of figurative art that takes you on a journey through the social and political context of 1950s Australia,” she said.

“We're proud to add this to our exciting roster of exhibitions, offering visitors the chance to connect with different cultures and stories."

The Antipodean Manifesto features a catalogue of works that express a longing to preserve figurative art and its image, while redefining boundaries in contemporary art.

Drawn from the State Art Collection, the exhibition is curated by The Art Gallery of Western Australia Associate Curator of Historical Art, Emma Bitmead.

Ms Bitmead said she curated the exhibition to tell the story of how the Antipodean group of postwar artists came together.

“Many of these artists served in the war, so a lot of the themes relate to loss and their understanding of humanity and society during that time,” she said.

“The artwork is figurative, and in some instances portraits, but at the same time, there's quite an emotional and expressive component.

“It was very experimental at the time, so there's definitely a heaviness in the imagery of the exhibition, but also playfulness as well. 

“I think people could relate to it on a lot of different levels.”

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The Antipodean Manifesto exhibition  Date: 19 February to 3 May 2025 Location: Wanneroo Regional Gallery, Wanneroo Library and Cultural Centre, 3 Rocca Way, Wanneroo  Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday // 10am to 4pm Cost: Free