current exhibitions
Gallery
One
Gallery
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Three
Gallery
Four
Night
Projection Window
03.04.2013—19.05.2013
Gallery 3
Robert Rooney
The Box Brownie Years 1956-58
CURATED BY MAGGIE FINCH AND PATRICK POUND WITH ROBERT ROONEY
An exhibition of never-before exhibited black-and-white photographs taken by Robert Rooney with his Box Brownie camera between 1956-58. Created when Rooney was a student at Swinburne Technical College and influenced by Charles Blackman and Ben Shahn, among others, they demonstrate an early fascination with childhood, repetition and seriality—themes that have persisted throughout his long career.
A sense of freedom in the action of the children—playing on suburban streets, in schoolyards and at a suburban quarry and tip—is evident. The youths also play to the camera. There is a sense of complicity, awareness without selfconsciousness. The apparent innocence of the now nostalgic scenes, however, is undercut by a melancholy note: this state is transitional. There is also the potential for danger.
These marvellous early photographs will be shown alongside three key paintings from that time, and a recent film The Quadrangle 1956 (2009) made with these early images.
Robert Rooney is represented by Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne and Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney.
PUBLIC PROGRAMS
Robert Rooney Movie Night
Wednesday April 10 6-8pm
Centre for Contemporary Photography
Join exhibition curators Maggie Finch and Patrick Pound for an informal viewing of Robert Rooney's movies.
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Refreshments available.
Bookings advised—www.trybooking.com
Entry by gold coin donation
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Robert Rooney: A Night of Talks
Wednesday April 24 6-8pm
Centre for Contemporary Photography
Artist Philip Brophy, art historian David Homewood and Martyn Jolly, Head of Photography and Media Arts, ANU School of Art speak on the work of Robert Rooney.
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Bookings advised —www.trybooking.com
Entry by gold coin donation
RELATED LINKS
tolarnogalleries.com
darrenknightgallery.com
Image: Robert Rooney The Quadrangle 1956
