Northern Rivers

Monday 9 March 2026
JOHANNES VERMEER AND THE ABSENT SUBJECT
Presented by Albert Godetseky
Venue & Time: 6.00pm welcome drinks for a 6.30pm start. A & I Hall, Station Street, Bangalow

Johannes Vermeer’s paintings might be typical examples of Dutch art from the Golden Age yet, when compared with his contemporaries, his works seem oddly different. The explanation of this difference has preoccupied scholars since the ‘rediscovery’ of Vermeer in the 19th century. What is the subject of a painting by Vermeer? Is it the merry couple enjoying wine and music, the elegant furnishings, or the light and shadow which suffuses every detail of his compositions? Vermeer’s art will be reviewed as will the circumstances that may have influenced him.

Albert received his PhD on Haarlem Mannerism from Courtauld Institute, where was an Associate Lecturer in Early Modern Art. He has worked at several European institutions, including the National Gallery London, where he contributed to a number of exhibitions including Rembrandt: The Late Works; and Vermeer and Music: The Art of Love and Leisure. He is currently lead  researcher for a private collection in the Netherlands and is preparing a biography of the Dutch artist Hendrick Goltzius for Reaktion Press.

Monday 13 April 2026
DEGENERATES AND PERVERTS: The 1939 Herald Exhibition on Modern Art
Presented by Steven Miller
Venue & Time: 6.00pm welcome drinks for a 6.30pm start. A & I Hall, Station Street, Bangalow

The 1939 Herald Exhibition of French and British Contemporary Art has been regarded as the single most enlivening event in Australia’s modern cultural development. Opening when Australia was undergoing profound change, this exhibition became the focus for the opposing forces of cultural conservatism and innovation. Many competing claims about the exhibition will be examined – how it was displayed and the reception it received. This was a time when conservatives were accused of perverting progress and progressives were accused of degeneracy.

Steven Miller has worked in commercial and public galleries since the late 1980s and headed up the National Art Archive at the Art Gallery of NSW from 2009 to 2023.He has published widely on art.  He co-authored a book on Australia’s first blockbuster exhibition of modern European masters, that won the NSW Premier’s History Award. Among his other publications is Awakening: Four lives in art – exploring the creation of national identity through art published in 2015.

Monday 18 May 2026
DAMIEN HIRST AND CONTEMPORARY ART
Presented by David Worthington
Venue & Time: 6.00pm welcome drinks for a 6.30pm start. A & I Hall, Station Street, Bangalow

Damien Hirst is the most famous British artist since Henry Moore. Not even Francis Bacon had such a huge international presence. However, in his home country, he is often seen as a practical joker, pulling the wool over the eyes of the public and not making proper art at all. This presentation aims to dispel these notions, demonstrating a deeply serious artist, creating significant and influential work.

David Worthington was drawn to abstract sculpture after seeing a work by English artist and sculptor – Barbara Hepworth, in a school history book, when he was 10 years old. He graduated from Oxford University in1984 with a degree in Philosophy and Theology, followed by studying Fine Art in London, Barcelona and New York. David is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Sculptors and was Vice President in 2010-13. He has carried out public commissions in the UK, America and Japan.

Monday 15 June 2026
THE SPACE SHUTTLE: A Butterfly on a Rocket
Presented by Pieter de Vries
Venue & Time: 6.00pm welcome drinks for a 6.30pm start. A & I Hall, Station Street, Bangalow

Join Pieter as he traces NASA’s Space Shuttle program from its ambitious start to its final missions, by means of a 12-week film shoot at Cape Canaveral and Mission Control in Houston.
This documentary contains exclusive footage obtained during 12 weeks of unprecedented access to the Space Shuttle, Endeavour – a privilege never previously granted. Pieter shares behind-the-scenes stories and delves into the missions and the individuals who made the Space Shuttle program a defining chapter in space exploration.

Local Northern Rivers born, Pieter de Vries ACS, is a renowned documentary cinematographer whose incredible journey has taken him from his primary schooling at Whyralla Public School, to the heights of the Space Shuttle and the depths of the North Atlantic. Regarded as one of the world’s leading documentary cinematographers, Pieter has captured extraordinary moments world-wide. His films have garnered numerous accolades, including Emmys and BAFTAs. His work spans over 180 countries and territories, filming for prestigious organizations like NASA and collaborating with acclaimed director James Cameron in exploring the Titanic wreck. His contributions to David Attenborough’s nature documentaries have captivated audiences worldwide.

Monday 13 July 2026
WHO’S AFRAID OF AI WEIWEI
Presented by Barry Venning
Venue & Time: 6.00pm welcome drinks for a 6.30pm start. A & I Hall, Station Street, Bangalow

When Chinese authorities arrested Ai Weiwei in 2011, the graffiti artist – Tangerine (Tang Chen), stencilled his image, Banksy-like, thousands of times all over Hong Kong, with the question ‘Who’s afraid of Ai Weiwei?’ Ai became the best-known symbol of resistance to Chinese repression, but many of his friends and peers risked the wrath of the Chinese state. In addition to Ai himself, the lecture examines the coded resistance of Ai’s friends in the Beijing East Village art community.

The interests and teaching of Art historian Barry Venning, range from the art of late medieval Europe to global contemporary art. Barry has published books, articles and exhibition catalogue essays on Turner, Constable and European landscape painting and has an ongoing research interest in postcolonial art and British visual satire. As a consultant and associate lecturer for the Open University, his media work includes two BBC TV documentaries, radio appearances for BBC local radio and ABC Australia and a DVD on Turner for the Tate. 

Monday 10 August 2026
POMPEII & HERCULANEUM: Reconstructing the Final Day
Presented by James Renshaw
Venue & Time: 6.00pm welcome drinks for a 6.30pm start. A & I Hall, Station Street, Bangalow

In this presentation, James combines archaeology, volcanology, literary evidence and art, to examine what happened to these two towns when destroyed on the same day in AD 79 by the eruption of Mt Vesuvius. He enables his audience to examine the evidence of Pliny the Younger, who provided history’s first eye-witness account of a volcanic eruption, along with evidence subsequently uncovered in the cities themselves.

With a degree in Classics from Oxford University, James has taught secondary school Classics since 1998, including an early stint at Sydney Grammar. He currently teaches at Godolphin and Latymer in London and runs the school’s Ancient World Breakfast Club. James has published classics textbooks such as In Search of the Greeks and In Search of the Romans and also lectures for the V&A Academy on the Classical World and its Afterlife courses. He is a keen traveller and photographer of ancient sites.

Monday 14 September 2026
THE USE OF NATURALISM IN THE WORK OF FABERGÉ
Presented by Claire Blatherwick
Venue & Time: 6.00pm welcome drinks for a 6.30pm start. A & I Hall, Station Street, Bangalow

“Fabergé” conjures up images of pre-revolutionary Russia, opulent Easter eggs and exquisite pieces found in the most important world collections. This presentation analyses the use of naturalism by Fabergé, focusing on lesser-known experiments in Art Nouveau, as well as animal representations in hardstone carvings and flower studies. It also highlights the naturalistic imagery incorporated into objects d’art such as desk seals and caviar dishes.

Clare Blatherwick is an independent jewellery consultant and historian based in Scotland, with over twenty years of experience in the jewellery business. As Head of Jewellery for Bonhams in Scotland, Clare has travelled extensively, searching for jewels to auction worldwide. She has lectured internationally, appearing on TV programs in the UK and US and is a member of The Society of Jewellery Historians. 

Monday 19 October 2026
OPIUM: Seduction, Greed, Art
Presented by Amanda Herries
Venue & Time: 6.00pm welcome drinks for a 6.30pm start. A & I Hall, Station Street, Bangalow

Opium…. source of the stuff of dreams. The poppy is a beautiful, fragile flower with immense power. Opium is a hypnotic generator of sleep, delightful lethargy and relief from pain. It is highly addictive. Greed led to the introduction of this hugely desirable substance first to China, then to Europe. Its beguiling seduction effects led to its use in quietening troubled minds and calming agitated babies and children. Its use led to the creation of great works of art in music, art and literature.

Having read Archaeology & Anthropology at Cambridge, Amanda was a Curator at Museum of London 1978 -1988, specialising in decorative arts since 1714. From 1988-1995 she lived in Japan, lecturing and writing on Oriental / Western cross-cultural and artistic influences. Back in the UK, Amanda has fundraised for arts companies, written, lectured and guided tours to Japan and curated exhibitions. Recent publications cover Japanese plant and garden influences in the West.