The University of South Australia’s Samstag Museum of Art has just launched an exciting new exhibition and immersive experience.
Starstruck: Australia Movie Portraits charts the rich history of Australian film-making through the eyes of that unsung hero: the stills photographer.
In conjunction with the exhibition Rolf de Heer and Molly Reynolds have been commissioned to make The Waiting Room, a cinematic installation in 3D which transports the viewer into various ecosytems.
The exhibition has come to Adelaide from the National Portrait Gallery and the National Film and Sound Archive, and is the first collaboration between these two organizations. Co-curators Penelope Grist, from the Portrait Gallery and Jennifer Coombes from the Archive have put together an exceptional collection of film stills and memorabilia, including costumes from such works as My Brilliant Career, Picnic at Hanging Rock and Priscilla.
Rather than be arranged in something predictable, such as chronological order, the exhibition cleverly follows a filmic narrative, along the lines of the “hero’s journey” structure, thereby adding further depth and meaning to the pictures themselves. For example the first section of works come under the banner “Scene 1: The Arrival”. So the visitor goes on an emotional journey through the gallery, in much the same way as they would when watching a film.
Presented in conjunction with the Adelaide Film Festival, several special events will take place in and around the exhibition including an official launch party on October 10th, with Margaret Pomeranz, from 5pm.
Other events planned include talks on costuming for film, curators’ tours and talks from Scott Hicks and Robert McFarlane, whose work features in the exhibition.
Open for viewing already, both Starstruck and The Waiting Room run until November 30th.
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