Opening this weekend, ‘Fairy Tales’ brings the enchantment of cherished stories to life through visual art, design and film. In the exhibition artists, designers and filmmakers respond to the timeless allure of fairy tales in our major summer exhibition at Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) until 28 April 2024.
Buy Tickets to ‘Fairy Tales’
Opens Sat 2 Dec 2023
‘Fairy Tales’ is an exclusive-to-Queensland exhibition, presented across GOMA’s entire ground floor, featuring more than 100 works of art encompassing sculpture, installation, painting, photography, printmaking, paper cuts, animation, video art, augmented reality, film, props and costumes.
While fairy tales have changed form through different eras and societies, their themes have remained universally resonant. The ‘Fairy Tales’ exhibition transports you into the faraway land of magical stories that cast an enduring spell on adults and children alike.
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Explore the classic archetypes of powerful witches, magical beasts, and spirited princesses while also looking at ideas of enchantment, transformation and caution and view artworks that unravel the visual motifs of the genre, from deep, dark woods to impossible shoes and regal gowns.
The first chapter of the exhibition, ‘Into the Woods’ explores metamorphosis, unpredictability and danger while the second, ‘Through the Looking Glass’ is filled with puppets, toys, clocks, twirling mushrooms and flying houses that draw on childhood imagination. ‘Ever After’, the final chapter, celebrates the myriad ways that love and relationships plays out in fairy tales, with a focus on the tropes of marriage in ‘Cinderella’ and ‘Snow White’.
Among the enchanting works on display are Brazilian artist Henrique Oliveira’s new commission Corupira 2023, which envelops you as you enter in a twisted forest fashioned from tree branches and salvaged timber (illustrated); Trulee Hall’s darkly theatrical Witch House (Umbilical Coven) 2023 (illustrated); ‘Douglas’, ‘Max’, and ‘Carol’ costumes from Spike Jonze’s 2009 fantasy drama film Where the Wild Things Are (illustrated); costumes and props from Jim Henson’s iconic musical fantasy film Labyrinth 1986; Patricia Piccinini’s Enchanted Field 2023, a dramatic canopy of approximately 3000 genetically modified blooms and sculptural works (illustrated); Carsten Höller’s interactive sculpture Flying Mushrooms 2015; ‘Alice’, ‘Mad Hatter’, and ‘Red Queen’ costumes from Tim Burton’s adventure fantasy film Alice in Wonderland 2010; Timothy Horn’s Mother-load 2008, a sumptuously embellished stagecoach created from crystallised rock sugar (illustrated), and Eiko Ishioka’s elaborate costumes for the 2012 fantasy comedy film Mirror Mirror (illustrated).
Fairy Tales Cinema
Fairy tales have always been a means of speaking truth to power; challenging injustice and providing hope. The ‘Fairy Tales Cinema: Truth, Power and Enchantment’ free film program presented in conjunction with the exhibition ‘Fairy Tales’ presents beloved classics alongside contemporary retellings and highlights how filmmakers have innovated on older stories to resonate in different times and contexts. Follow our Curators pick of five unmissable films each month during the program.
Screening this week and upcoming
The ‘Fairy Tales’ exhibition is at Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), Australia from 2 December 2023 until 28 April 2024.
‘Fairy Tales Cinema: Truth, Power and Enchantment‘ screens at the Australian Cinémathèque, GOMA from 2 December 2023 until 28 April 2024.
The major publication ‘Fairy Tales in Art and Film’ available at the QAGOMA Store and online explores how fairy tales have held our fascination for centuries through art and culture.
From gift ideas or treats just for you, visit the ‘Fairy Tales’ exhibition shop at GOMA or online.
Watch | Brisbane’s enchanting exhibition comes to GOMA this summer
Del Kathryn Barton (artist/director), Australia b.1973 / Brendan Fletcher (director), Australia / The Nightingale and the Rose (still) 2015
Featured image: Del Kathryn Barton (artist/director), Australia b.1973 / Brendan Fletcher (director), Australia / The Nightingale and the Rose (still) 2015 / Single-channel video: 14 minutes, colour, sound / Animators: Chris Breeze, Simon Bronson, David Edwards, Liz Ellis, Richard Swan; Music: Sarah Blasko / Gift of Del Kathryn Barton through the QAGOMA Foundation 2022. Donated through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program / Collection: Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art / © Del Kathryn Barton
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