28 August to 30 November 2008
Inspired by artist Louise Forthun's elevated perspectives of Melbourne, Up took a look at the city's upward growth. The exhibition glanced back more than a century to a time when our city ranked among the tallest in the world: New York, Chicago... Melbourne.
Then the lid was clapped on, and for more than 60 years fears of fire, overcrowding and bad taste limited the height of city buildings until ICI House broke through to kiss the clouds. Up featured historical photographs, documents and artefacts, as well as four paintings by Louise Forthun exploring the changing skyline over time.
Curated by Robyn Annear
Robyn Annear is best known as author of Bearbrass: Imagining Early Melbourne (1995) and A City Lost and Found: Whelan the Wrecker's Melbourne (2005). She sees ghosts and stories everywhere in Melbourne's streets.
Robyn is a member of the Library Board of Victoria and a past creative fellow at the State Library of Victoria.
Artist biography
Louise Forthun has been working as an artist and exhibiting for 25 years. Her painting moves between representation and abstraction, deliberately harnessing the painterly possibilities of this juxtaposition.
Her work can be found in various state, university and corporate collections, including the National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Queensland Art Gallery and several regional galleries in Victoria.
When I walk through the city I always wonder what factors change the look of the city? How does it happen, and why? With these questions in mind, I decided to create a series of paintings that would map change.
I began to research historical aerial photography, selecting a view of Melbourne taken in 1928. It was a starting point to show Melbourne as it was then.
To present a current version of Melbourne, I photographed a similar view from a tall building in order to create Now. A montage of the Southbank development was a starting point for the futuristic blue painting, Tomorrow.
Louise Forthun 2008
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