ANNEMIEKE MEIN: A LIFE’S WORK—A RETROSPECTIVE

The art of Annemieke Mein OAM is an international phenomenon. Based in Sale, in the heart of Gippsland, Annemieke is famed for her extraordinary depictions of native Australian wildlife in three-dimensional textile. On the occasion of Annemieke’s 80th birthday, Gippsland Art Gallery is proud to host 'A Life’s Work', a never-to-be-repeated retrospective spanning sixty years of her astounding artwork.

A Life’s Work will be a unique exhibition that will pay tribute to this greatly loved textile artist, who has inspired and influenced vast audiences over many decades. Drawing together over 200 original artworks created over a sixty-year period, from private and public collections nationwide (some of which have never been exhibited), this unforgettable retrospective will explore all facets of Mein’s life and career. Occupying all five spaces at the Gallery, the exhibition will present key works from her major wildlife themes, and will include a recreation of her art studio within the Gallery.

A Life’s Work will span from Annemieke’s first experiments with textile in the 1960s, through to the masterworks from the 1980s that catapulted her to international acclaim. The exhibition will showcase the full range of Annemieke’s artmaking with three-dimensional sculptural works, drawings, sketches and bas-relief bronzes presented alongside the extraordinary wall-based relief textiles that established her reputation, in which the objects are given sculptural form and appear to project forward from the surface of the canvas.

A defining characteristic of Annemieke’s work has been her boundless passion for Australian native wildlife. She writes:

All my textiles whether freestanding sculptures, wall panels or ‘wearables’, portray the endless diversity of Australian flora, fauna and landscape, both climatically and seasonally. Occasionally, I have depicted human involvement related to environmental issues or historical events.

Each individual work is a statement of respect and love for my environment and it is through this work that I hope to make people more aware of the importance of preserving our natural heritage.

A Life’s Work will coincide with the publication of a new book on Annemieke Mein—the first since 1992’s The Art of Annemieke Mein: Wildlife Artist in Textiles, which has sold almost half a million copies—together with a complete range of new merchandise. The book A Life’s Work will provide a comprehensive overview of her work, with contributions from fourteen writers who will explore every facet of her life and career.

Tickets for the exhibition will go on sale 2 December 2023 and will be available exclusively from the Gallery’s website. Please note that pre-booking will not be a requirement, and visitors will be able to purchase tickets on arrival at the Gallery.

Tickets:
$20 Adults
$18 Seniors
$16 Concession
$12 Friends of the Gallery
Children under 12 free

Wellington Shire Residents receive half price on all tickets.
(proof of residency required)

To be kept informed about this exhibition please join the Gallery’s Enews List via the website’s homepage (scroll to the bottom) to receive updates, or email us at annemieke@wellington.vic.gov.au.

(more images and information to come soon, including an online ‘Annemieke Shop’)