Handmade Universe at State Library – opening 24 June
A highlight of Handmade Universe: from craft to code and the spaces between is the ambitious work of Deanna Hitti: A is for Alam (pen): the object, the language, the archive – a room-sized installation comprising 156 panels of printed cyanotypes, one of the oldest photographic printing methods.
The prints fold down into an artist book, hinting at Deanna’s skill as a bookmaker and binder. Responding to Western portrayals of Middle Eastern culture, Deanna’s work draws on her Lebanese heritage to explore her multicultural identity and pose questions about what it means to be Australian.
Join us at the Library for this new exhibition, Handmade Universe: From craft to code and the spaces between which explores how we connect with universal themes of place and identity through the act of making by hand. New commissions by artists, designers and makers combine craft and technology in often unexpected ways, alongside 68 rare and remarkable items from State Library Victoria and other collections.
From knitted starmaps to striking cyanotype photographs, there are regular tours that provide an overview of the exhibition, and explain the work of Mandy Nicholson, Sarah Spencer, Deanna Hitti, Donna Kendrigan and Sans façon.
Not all discoveries are heroic and recorded in books. Some emerge in backyards, lounge rooms and quiet corners, encoded in knitting, embroidery and other creations made by hand.
Handmade Universe: From craft to code and the spaces between is a brand new exhibition that celebrates the rewards of making and the limitless scope it offers for invention and enquiry. In a Library-first, seven artists, designers and makers will present newly commissioned works to sit alongside 68 rare and remarkable items from State Library Victoria and other collections.
Ranging across disciplines – from craft to coding to astronomy to botany – these items shine a spotlight on the stories of women and how the intimate act of making can be a powerful way of connecting with universal themes of place, culture and identity.
Featuring collection items that have never been on display before and new artworks inspired by the exhibition, Handmade Universe adds knowledge and perspectives to the State Collection which haven’t been well represented in the past.
| Date |
24 June 2022, 10:00am–26 February 2023, 6:00pm
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|---|---|
| Cost | Free |
| Bookings | No bookings required (except for tours – check link above) |
| Location | Victoria Gallery Entry via North Rotunda |