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‘Still Life Now’
COLLECTION FOCUS
Oct 2022 - Mar 2023

Anne Noble / New Zealand b.1954 / Dead Bee Portrait #1 2015, printed 2018 / Pigment on archival paper / The Taylor Family Collection. Purchased 2019 with funds from Paul, Sue and Kate Taylor through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / © Anne Noble

‘Still Life Now’ considers the way artists today are drawing on the ideas of the still life tradition to create contemporary commentary on the nature of life and existence — including the memento mori (the stoic visual reminder of the inevitability of death) and the vanitas still life (the use of elaborate spreads to highlight the transience of life and excess). 

By approaching the still life as a platform for transformative thinking and new conversations, the artists in ‘Still Life Now’ bring together themes of preservation, stillness, transformation and opulence across painting, sculpture and time-based media to engage with contemporary cultural and political issues and promote social change. 

‘Still Life Now’ was on display at GOMA from 9 October 2022 to 12 March 2023. The exhibition was accompanied by a screening program at the Australian Cinémathèque, GOMA. 

 

Feature image: Anne Noble / New Zealand b.1954 / Dead Bee Portrait #1 (detail) 2015, printed 2018 / Pigment on archival paper / The Taylor Family Collection. Purchased 2019 with funds from Paul, Sue and Kate Taylor through the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art Foundation / © Anne Noble

Collection artworks featured in ‘Still Life Now’

Artwork The lithographic studio (Griffith University) this artwork made of Watercolour pigment paint on carved woodblock, created in 1986-01-01

The lithographic studio (Griffith University) 1986
Artwork Garden this artwork made of SD video (DVD format), single channel projection: 14:45 minutes, stereo, colour, continuous loop, created in 2007-01-01

Garden 2007
Artwork Girndi (Bush plum) this artwork made of Acrylic gouache on cotton rag paper, created in 2007-01-01

Girndi (Bush plum) 2007
Artwork Albertosaurus dinosaur head (from 'Saved by science' series) this artwork made of Digital colour print on Fuji Crystal Archive Matte paper, created in 2004-01-01

Albertosaurus dinosaur head (from 'Saved by science' series) 2004
Artwork Blue triangle butterflies (Graphium sarpedon) (from 'Saved by science' series) this artwork made of Digital colour print on Fuji Crystal Archive Matte paper, created in 2004-01-01

Blue triangle butterflies (Graphium sarpedon) (from 'Saved by science' series) 2004
Artwork Cleared and stained tree agama and caiman (from 'Saved by science' series) this artwork made of Digital colour print on Fuji Crystal Archive Matte paper, created in 2004-01-01

Cleared and stained tree agama and caiman (from 'Saved by science' series) 2004
Artwork Trophies (from 'Saved by science' series) this artwork made of Digital colour print on Fuji Crystal Archive Matte paper, created in 2004-01-01

Trophies (from 'Saved by science' series) 2004
Artwork Yellow honeyeaters (Lichenostomus flavus) (from 'Saved by science' series) this artwork made of Digital colour print on Fuji Crystal Archive Matte paper, created in 2004-01-01

Yellow honeyeaters (Lichenostomus flavus) (from 'Saved by science' series) 2004
Artwork Nature Morte (Agriculture) (from ‘Natures Mortes’ series) this artwork made of Epson UltraChrome K3 inks on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Bright White 310gsm paper, created in 2021-01-01

Nature Morte (Agriculture) (from ‘Natures Mortes’ series) 2021
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Nature Morte (Blackbird) (from ‘Natures Mortes’ series) 2021
Artwork Espera (Waiting) this artwork made of Coloured pencil, charcoal and pastel on paper, created in 2011-01-01

Espera (Waiting) 2011
Artwork Possum with five birds (from ‘Australiana still life’ series) this artwork made of Archival pigments on cotton paper, created in 2003-01-01

Possum with five birds (from ‘Australiana still life’ series) 2003
Artwork Rhopography #24 (figs) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2002-01-01

Rhopography #24 (figs) 2002-03
Artwork Rhopography #39 (fish) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2002-01-01

Rhopography #39 (fish) 2002-03
Artwork Rhopography #42 (paw paw) this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 2002-01-01

Rhopography #42 (paw paw) 2002-03
Artwork Site/Recite (a prologue) this artwork made of Videotape: 4:05 minutes, colour, stereo, created in 1989-01-01

Site/Recite (a prologue) 1989
Artwork For the love of God, laugh this artwork made of Silkscreen print with glazes and diamond dust on paper, created in 2007-01-01

For the love of God, laugh 2007
Artwork Pharmacy matches this artwork made of Matchbox with matches, created in 1997-01-01

Pharmacy matches 1997-98
Artwork has not been digitised or not available due to pending copyright clearence, thus not currently available online

Beastliness 2011
Artwork Yam dreaming this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, created in 1995-01-01

Yam dreaming 1995
Artwork Yam dreaming this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, created in 1995-01-01

Yam dreaming 1995
Artwork Yam dreaming this artwork made of Synthetic polymer paint on canvas, created in 1995-01-01

Yam dreaming 1995
Artwork "MAYFAIR: 4,4,JOE BIRCH" 1999 this artwork made of Dulux Weathershield acrylic on Masonite, created in 1999-01-01

"MAYFAIR: 4,4,JOE BIRCH" 1999 1999
Artwork Work 19 - G this artwork made of Screenprinted and hand-coloured ceramic, iron, created in 2019-01-01

Work 19 - G 2019
Artwork Work 21 - C4 this artwork made of Screenprinted and hand-coloured ceramic, iron, created in 2021-01-01

Work 21 - C4 2021
Artwork Roots, B10 this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 1987-01-01

Roots, B10 1987-90, printed 1990
Artwork Roots, B12 this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 1987-01-01

Roots, B12 1987-90, printed 1991
Artwork Roots, D3 this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on paper, created in 1987-01-01

Roots, D3 1987-90, printed 1990
Artwork Dead Bee Portrait #1 this artwork made of Pigment on archival paper, created in 2015-01-01

Dead Bee Portrait #1 2015, printed 2018
Artwork Program 1 this artwork made of Videotape: 30 minutes, black and white and colour, silent, created in 1970-01-01

Program 1 1970
Artwork Portraits of landscapes 01 this artwork made of Pigment print on 330gsm Somerset Velvet Enhanced paper, created in 2007-01-01

Portraits of landscapes 01 2007
Artwork Portraits of landscapes 02 this artwork made of Pigment print on 330gsm Somerset Velvet Enhanced paper, created in 2007-01-01

Portraits of landscapes 02 2007
Artwork Portraits of landscapes 03 this artwork made of Pigment print on 330gsm Somerset Velvet Enhanced paper, created in 2007-01-01

Portraits of landscapes 03 2007
Artwork Portraits of landscapes 04 this artwork made of Pigment print on 330gsm Somerset Velvet Enhanced paper, created in 2007-01-01

Portraits of landscapes 04 2007
Artwork Portraits of landscapes 05 this artwork made of Pigment print on 330gsm Somerset Velvet Enhanced paper, created in 2007-01-01

Portraits of landscapes 05 2007
Artwork Portraits of landscapes 06 this artwork made of Pigment print on 330gsm Somerset Velvet Enhanced paper, created in 2007-01-01

Portraits of landscapes 06 2007
Artwork Portraits of landscapes 07 this artwork made of Pigment print on 330gsm Somerset Velvet Enhanced paper, created in 2007-01-01

Portraits of landscapes 07 2007
Artwork Portraits of landscapes 08 this artwork made of Pigment print on 330gsm Somerset Velvet Enhanced paper, created in 2007-01-01

Portraits of landscapes 08 2007
Artwork SL447 this artwork made of Oil on linen, created in 2021-01-01

SL447 2021
Artwork Green hypermarket (series) this artwork made of Digital prints on aluminium and 150 digital files, created in 2011-01-01

Green hypermarket (series) 2011-12
Artwork [Mineral-05-2007] from 'Flowers, fruits & portraits' series this artwork made of Type C photograph on aluminium, created in 2007-01-01

[Mineral-05-2007] from 'Flowers, fruits & portraits' series 2007
Artwork [Schaedel-01-2007] from 'Flowers, fruits & portraits' series this artwork made of Type C photograph on aluminium, created in 2007-01-01

[Schaedel-01-2007] from 'Flowers, fruits & portraits' series 2007
Artwork [Schmetterling-34-2009] from 'Flowers, fruits & portraits' series this artwork made of Type C photograph on aluminium, created in 2009-01-01

[Schmetterling-34-2009] from 'Flowers, fruits & portraits' series 2009
Artwork [Stilleben-22-2008] from 'Flowers, fruits & portraits' series this artwork made of Type C photograph on aluminium, created in 2008-01-01

[Stilleben-22-2008] from 'Flowers, fruits & portraits' series 2008
Artwork [Stilleben-31-2009] from 'Flowers, fruits & portraits' series this artwork made of Type C photograph on aluminium, created in 2009-01-01

[Stilleben-31-2009] from 'Flowers, fruits & portraits' series 2009
Artwork [Tulpe-01-2009] from 'Flowers, fruits & portraits' series this artwork made of Gelatin silver photograph on aluminium, created in 2009-01-01

[Tulpe-01-2009] from 'Flowers, fruits & portraits' series 2009
Artwork [Voegel-08-2009] from 'Flowers, fruits & portraits' series this artwork made of Type C photograph on aluminium, created in 2009-01-01

[Voegel-08-2009] from 'Flowers, fruits & portraits' series 2009
Artwork Skull video (from ‘Sometimes you make me nervous’) this artwork made of Single-channel HD video: 7:30 minutes, colour, silent, looped, 16:9, created in 2015-01-01

Skull video (from ‘Sometimes you make me nervous’) 2015

Related digital stories

Installation view of a dark gallery space, with two visitors viewing an artwork depicting a sparkling skull.
ESSAY

‘Still Life Now’: Anything but still

Read ESSAY