Fairy Tales | South Brisbane
2 December, 2023 - 28 April, 2024
Venture into the woods with ‘Fairy Tales’. Across a magical threshold and beyond the everyday, ‘Fairy Tales’ is this summer’s enchanting exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) in Brisbane with more than 100 works presented across the entire ground floor from 2 December 2023 until 28 April 2024.
Exclusive to Brisbane, the ‘Fairy Tales’ exhibition explores how fairy tales from across the world have held our fascination for centuries through art and culture by showcasing the way visual storytellers draw on these narratives to entrance, delight and disconcert audiences.
Bringing together artists, film makers and designers through painting, sculpture, drawing, installation, film and filmic elements, props, costumes, and fashion, the exhibition highlights the storybook figures we know so well – wicked witches, stalwart princes and princesses, and magical animals, both fierce and friendly.
‘Fairy Tales’ explores prominent narrative themes; stories of children coming of age and ageing, the shifting role of gender and otherness, tales of bravery and justice, loyalty and humility, cunning and aspiration. In doing so it brings together well-known visual motifs of woods and trees, mirrors and blood, impossible shoes and clothing for royalty, castles and coaches, and at least one pumpkin.
Watch your favourite movies on the big screen in the accompanying film program ‘Fairy Tales: Truth, Power and Enchantment’ featuring over 40 films at the Australian Cinémathèque, GOMA, and take home the major publication Fairy Tales in Art and Film that explores how fairy tales have held our fascination for centuries through art and culture.