Perth

Saturday 22 February 2025
TELLING OUR STORIES: Images and ideas in Three Waves of Australian Film
Presented by Dr Karen Pearlman
Time and Venue: 2-3:30pm State Library of WA 25 Francis Street Northbridge or UWA Social Science Lecture Hall, Hackett Drive, Crawley

Australian film captured the world’s attention in the 1980s with a lyrical bittersweet image of Australia. This was followed by the Glitter Decade, and then more recently, complex images of Australia, generated by strong self-assured voices. These three waves of Australian cinema and how our stories project an image of Australia to the world, will be discussed.

Dr Karen Pearlman is a lecturer in Screen Production at Macquarie University, is the co-director of the multi-award winning Physical TV Company, through which she has been responsible for development, production of numerous highly acclaimed and award winning dance-films, documentaries and dramas. She held the post of Head of Screen Studies at AFTRS for 6 years and was a long serving member of the editorial board of Lumina, the Australian Journal of Screen Arts and Business.                                                        

Saturday 29 March 2025
THE REAL ART OF TENNIS
Presented by Christopher Garibaldi 
Time and Venue: 1-2:30pm State Library of WA 25 Francis Street Northbridge or UWA Social Science Lecture Hall, Hackett Drive, Crawley

This lecture’s primary focus is the art associated with the traditional game of Real Tennis, both in England and in Renaissance Italy where it formed an essential part of the humanist culture of the Renaissance prince. The lecture looks at early images of tennis from medieval illuminated manuscripts as well as later ones by renaissance and baroque artists – including discussion of the significance of a notorious tennis match to the life and career of Caravaggio. It also looks in detail at an important work by the Venetian artist Giambattista Tiepolo, examining the painting’s unexpected connections to the game of tennis.

Christopher Garibaldi is an independent researcher. He has held the positions of Director of Palace House, Newmarket National Horseracing Museum, Co-Director of the Attingham Summer School – Study of Historic Houses and Collections, and Senior Curator & Assistant Keeper of Art (Decorative Art) at Norwich Castle Museum. Christopher has catalogued the silver in the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and other royal residences.

Saturday 29 March 2025
GEORGE STUBBS (1724-1806): The English Leonardo
Presented by Christopher Garibaldi 
Time and Venue: 3-4pm State Library of WA 25 Francis Street Northbridge or UWA Social Science Lecture Hall, Hackett Drive, Crawley

Many art historians and critics have compared the work of George Stubbs to Leonardo da Vinci due to his intense scientific method and investigation that lay behind the production of his world-famous Anatomy of the Horse published in 1766 – a work which revolutionised the understanding and depiction of equine subjects. This lecture looks at the life and work of England’s greatest animal painter, putting Stubbs in the context of British sporting artists of the eighteenth century more generally. It focusses on his depiction of equestrian subjects and also, looks at the broader themes he addressed.

Christopher Garibaldi is an independent researcher. He has held the positions of Director of Palace House, Newmarket National Horseracing Museum, Co-Director of the Attingham Summer School – Study of Historic Houses and Collections, and Senior Curator & Assistant Keeper of Art (Decorative Art) at Norwich Castle Museum. Christopher has catalogued the silver in the Royal Collection at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and other royal residences.

Saturday 3 May 2025
ARTSNATIONAL PERTH AGM
Time and Venue: 12–1pm State Library of WA 25 Francis Street Northbridge or UWA Social Science Lecture Hall, Hackett Drive, Crawley

Saturday 3 May 2025
NOW AND THEN: My Journey, My Culture, My Art
Presented by Sandra Hill
Time and Venue: 2-3:30pm State Library of WA 25 Francis Street Northbridge or UWA Social Science Lecture Hall, Hackett Drive, Crawley

As part of the stolen generation, Sandra Hill and her siblings, were taken from their mother while her father undertook compulsory army training in the Eastern States. Living in an orphanage, Sandra found a voice through her artwork. During her long journey through life, art has been the only constant. In this lecture, Sandra will talk about her stories and her art.

Sandra Hill works across various media, including painting, printing, mixed-media collage, sculpture, installation and public art. “Art is a wonderful tool in terms of assisting in the ‘healing’ process. It is a positive way to tell of the tragic and sorrowful consequences of past Government practices and it’s a way to lead people into a more positive future in so many ways. It also continues our traditions of telling stories from a visual perspective.

Thursday 8 May 2025
BEHIND THE SCENES BALLET DON QUIXOTE
Time and Venue: 5:15pm, West Australian Ballet Centre 134 Whatley Crescent, Maylands

Join the West Australian Ballet and ArtsNational Perth for a special viewing of a rehearsal in the upcoming ballet – Don Quixote. After the rehearsal there will be an opportunity to hear from a select group of dancers before refreshments are served. This exclusive behind the scenes experience will allow you unparalleled insight into the creative process and offer the chance to see the dancers and creatives up close in the studio.

ArtsNational Perth Members Only: $25.00

Photo credit: Stef King and VML

Friday 16 May 2025
PERFORMANCE DON QUIXOTE
Time and Venue: 7pm, His Majesty Theatre 825 Hay Street Perth

From fiery romance to laugh-out-loud humour, this production of Don Quixote pushes the dancers to their limits with demanding choreography.

Enjoy access to the Patrons Lounge pre-performance and at interval, programme and an A- reserve seat in the dress circle at His Majesty’s Theatre.

This ballet performance is selling fast so, avoid disappointment and book now.

This is an ArtsNational Perth members only. $115.00

Photo credit: Stef King and VML

Saturday 31 May 2025
THE BEATLES: Here, There and Everywhere
Presented by Jamie Hayes
Time and Venue: 2 – 3:30pm State Library of WA 25 Francis Street Northbridge or UWA Social Science Lecture Hall, Hackett Drive, Crawley

Four humble Liverpool lads who conquered the pop world. Discover how. Their legacy remains here, there and everywhere. A fully illustrated talk with musical examples and excerpts of the exceptional moments of the fab-four’s extraordinary career. This talk highlights the many unsung heroes, without whose involvement the Beatles would not have been the band we know today. Their success and legacy remain unrivalled by any other pop band in the world. Re-live their greatest moments and their greatest music. Some pop groups are not just of their time; some are for all time.

After training at RADA, Jamie Hayes graduated as a Stage Manager and worked for Glyndebourne Festival Opera, Bristol Old Vic and the BBC. He became an Assistant Director with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Kent Opera and English National Opera. He has directed productions in all the major UK conservatoires and was Director of Productions for British Youth Opera, a company devoted to promoting the talents of the finest young opera singers in the UK. 

Saturday 12 July 2025
THE CONTRIBUTION OF DUTCH NAVIGATORS IN AUSTRALIA AND THE KERRY STOKES COLLECTION
Presented by Dr Erica Persak
Time and Venue: 2 – 3:30pm State Library of WA 25 Francis Street Northbridge or UWA Social Science Lecture Hall, Hackett Drive, Crawley

Australia was given form by the voyages of the Dutch East India Company. From 1606 Dutch seafarers further explored and mapped the Australian coast. The rich cartographical and documentary sources in the Kerry Stokes Collection provide valuable information on the achievements of these Dutch voyages and the gradual unveiling of the Australian coastline.

Dr Erica Persak is Executive Administrator for the Kerry Stokes Collection. Having previously worked at the National Gallery, Erica has extensive experience in collections management. She is an Arts Honours Graduate (History) from the Australian National University, Canberra and also holds several post graduate degrees in art and history studies. The Kerry Stokes Collection has been described as one of the most important and largest private collections ever formed in Australia.

Saturday 2 August 2025
LOVE, MARRIAGE AND FIDELITY IN WESTERN ART
Presented by Sophie Oosterwijk 
Time and Venue: 2-3:30pm State Library of WA 25 Francis Street Northbridge or UWA Social Science Lecture Hall, Hackett Drive, Crawley

Love and marriage have always been a source of inspiration to authors and artists alike. One of the most famous portraits in the National Gallery is Van Eyck’s enigmatic Arnolfini Portrait, but marital depictions have a much longer history: in Ancient Egypt people chose to have themselves immortalised as loving couples. Double or pendant portraits were also commissioned in large numbers from artists such as Rembrandt, Hals and Gainsborough. Yet others show a more ironic or even cynical attitude, for love and marriage are not always a bed of roses!

Born in Gouda (Netherlands), Sophie Oisterwijk has an MA and PhD in English Literature (Leiden), an MA in Medieval Studies (York) and a PhD in Art History (Leicester). She has taught at the universities of St Andrews, Leicester and Manchester, Sotheby’s Institute of Art, National Trust, V&A, U3A, WEA and other organisations, and organised many study days, tours and visits.

Saturday 30 August 2025
A CARPET RIDE TO KHIVA: A Personal Story of Reviving Ancient Silk Carpet Designs
Presented by Chris Aslan
Time and Venue: 1-2:30pm State Library of WA 25 Francis Street Northbridge or UWA Social Science Lecture Hall, Hackett Drive, Crawley

Aslan tells his own story of working with UNESCO to establish a silk carpet workshop in the desert oasis of Khiva, Uzbekistan – the most homogenous example of Islamic architecture in the world. His work took him to the bazaars of Afghanistan to purchase natural dyes, and to the great libraries and museums of Europe to track down 15th century manuscripts to revive carpet designs from their illuminations. He also saw the lives of women transformed and became the largest female employer in Khiva.

Chris Aslan was born in Turkey spent his childhood there and in war-torn Beirut. After school, Chris spent two years at sea before studying Media and journalism at Leicester University. He then moved to Khiva, a desert oasis in Uzbekistan, establishing a UNESCO workshop reviving fifteenth century carpet designs and embroideries, and becoming the largest non-government employer in town.

Saturday 30 August 2025
THE GOLDEN ROAD TO SAMARKAND: The Architecture, Art and Textiles of Uzbekistan
Presented by Chris Aslan
Time and Venue: 3-4pm State Library of WA 25 Francis Street Northbridge or UWA Social Science Lecture Hall, Hackett Drive, Crawley

Uzbekistan in the heart of Central Asia boasts glittering mosques, madrassahs and minarets in the Silk Road cities of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. These contrast wonderfully with the brutalist Soviet buildings of Tashkent, Urgench and Nukus. This lecture is an overview of the country. We explore the Savitsky Museum in Nukus, with the second largest collection of Russian Avante Garde Art, collected at a time when these artistic styles were banned by the state. We explore the revival of Islamic miniature painting and the resurgence of handicrafts all over the country that ceased during the 1930s and the Soviet drive to make everything factory-based.

Chris Aslan was born in Turkey spent his childhood there and in war-torn Beirut. After school, Chris spent two years at sea before studying Media and journalism at Leicester University. He then moved to Khiva, a desert oasis in Uzbekistan, establishing a UNESCO workshop reviving fifteenth century carpet designs and embroideries, and becoming the largest non-government employer in town.

Saturday 4 October 2025
THE URGE TO BUY AND THE ART OF ADVERTISING
Presented by John Francis 
Time and Venue: 1-2:30pm State Library of WA 25 Francis Street Northbridge or UWA Social Science Lecture Hall, Hackett Drive, Crawley

The relationship of Art to Advertising had an early start. Sir John Everett Millais’s painting of Bubbles (1885) was sold for £2,200 to help sell bars of soap. In this lecture we will trace how the advertising industry became so successful and in particular, why advertising in the UK is often thought of as Art.

John Francis has delivered lecturers and workshops internationally. Initially trained as a painter, John was awarded the Max Beckmann Memorial Scholarship in painting in Brooklyn, New York and went on to be artist in residence for the state of Texas. John has produced and directed several short films and animations.

Saturday 4 October 2025
DIEGO AND FRIDA: THE REVOLUTIONARY COUPLE
Presented by John Francis 
Time and Venue: 3-4pm State Library of WA 25 Francis Street Northbridge or UWA Social Science Lecture Hall, Hackett Drive, Crawley

Diego Rivera was a giant figure of the Mexican mural movement, while Frida Kahlo was best known for her self-portraits. We will explore some of Diego’s murals and ideas on democratic art in Mexico City and Detroit. In the work of Frida Kahlo, we will discover why she has become an icon of feminism and self-discovery. Recently, she became the most valued painter in Latin America after her self-portrait ‘Diego and I’ was sold for $34 million at a major auction house in New York.

John Francis has delivered lecturers and workshops internationally. Initially trained as a painter, John was awarded the Max Beckmann Memorial Scholarship in painting in Brooklyn, New York and went on to be artist in residence for the state of Texas. John has produced and directed several short films and animations.

Saturday 1 November 2025
AZTEC AND MAYA CIVILISATIONS OF MEXICO
Presented by Eileen Goulding 
Time and Venue: 3-4pm State Library of WA 25 Francis Street Northbridge or UWA Social Science Lecture Hall, Hackett Drive, Crawley

Human hearts, blood and children’s tears were all necessary to quench the hunger of the bloodthirsty gods of Mexico. If their needs were not satisfied the consequences for the nation would be catastrophic. Discover some of their ancient gods and learn about the religious rites designed to appease them.

Eileen Goulding has an MA from the Department of Archaeology at the University of London, is a published author and an authority on the ancient cultures of the world. She specialises in the History and Culture of the ancient worlds of the Mediterranean, South America and Australasia and spends her time doing further research and giving lectures.

Saturday 1 November 2025
THE KNIGHTS CRUSADERS
Presented by Eileen Goulding 
Time and Venue: 3-4pm State Library of WA 25 Francis Street Northbridge or UWA Social Science Lecture Hall, Hackett Drive, Crawley

The Orders of knights who helped keep the Kingdom of Jerusalem safe for Christians settled and prospered on islands in the Mediterranean such as Rhodes. Learn of the exploits of the Hospitallers and Templars, their legacies and the notorious Assassins.

Eileen Goulding has an MA from the Department of Archaeology at the University of London, is a published author and an authority on the ancient cultures of the world. She specialises in the History and Culture of the ancient worlds of the Mediterranean, South America and Australasia and spends her time doing further research and giving lectures.