George Street
Margaret Olley
Lilies. (Eucharist Lilies), 1962
The exhibition George Street takes its name from Narelle Autio’s George Street (Angel), which depicts a young person dressed in angel wings hailing a taxi on the main street of Sydney’s CBD. For exhibition curator Madeleine Steer, the artwork holds multiple personal connections. The title of the work echoes the George Street of Albury where Steer spent much of her childhood, and the subject reflects her current reality as a young person experiencing life in the big city for the first time, in Steer’s case Melbourne.
These two viewpoints – one nostalgic, the other embracing of an exciting, creative future – underpin the approach of the exhibition. Works have been chosen by Steer to reminisce on a childhood spent amongst the works of the MAMA collection, with many personal favourites highlighted. Other works reflect movement, excitement, and exploration, mirroring Steers’ journey from young artist to a person beginning their studies and professional life.
George Street is presented as part of nginha: gathered here, a season of programming offering new perspectives on the MAMA collection.
About the curator
Madeleine Steer is a young curator, born and raised in Albury. She was an exhibiting artist in RAW24 and has been involved with MAMA since as a volunteer and casual team member. Steer now lives in Melbourne where she is completing a degree in Curatorial Studies at Monash University.
Featured artists
David Archer
Narelle Autio
Guy Boyd
Katthy Cavaliere
Harold Pierce Cazneaux
Lorraine Connelly-Northey
Destiny Deacon
Graeme Drendel
Max Dupain
Ernst Fries
Francisco Goya
Mark Hinderaker
Richard Janson
Mark Kimber
Anna Kristensen
Emma Luke
Vicki Luke
Belinda Mason
Margaret Olley
Deborah Paauwe
Trent Parke
Andrew Pearce
Ingeborg Tyssen
Laurie Wilson
John Young