Manly Art Gallery and Museum (MAG&M) is proud to present a dynamic exhibition of multi-disciplinary works by mother and daughter artists Heather and Kate Dorrough, exploring their personal and creative bond.
The exhibition will be opened by Anne Ryan, Curator of Australian Art at the Art Gallery of NSW, on Friday 1 September at 6pm.
Heather + Kate Dorrough: Lineage explores the connection between the arts and crafts movements, female creative lineage, body and landscape, river and fertility, and environmental issues and activism.
The exhibition encompasses fibre art, paintings, prints, ceramics, sculpture and video, showcasing the dynamic and diverse practices of both artists.
Northern Beaches Council Mayor Sue Heins said the exhibition was a rare opportunity to see the works of two talented artists who forged distinctive names for themselves in multi-disciplinary art.
Heather + Kate Dorrough: Lineage shares the story of a family devoted to art making and visual expression and is part of MAG&M’s ongoing series exhibitions exploring intergenerational creativity.
“The exhibition celebrates the artistic legacy of Heather Dorrough, who was a trailblazer in her field and a valued member of Sydney’s arts community.
“It also showcases the contemporary work of her daughter Kate Dorrough, who continues to explore new forms of expression and engage with environmental issues.
“I invite everyone to visit MAG&M and experience this inspiring exhibition,” Mayor Heins said.
Heather Dorrough (1933 – 2018) was a pioneer of fabric and fibre art in Australia, creating innovative works that challenged the boundaries between craft and art.
She later developed large bodies of prints and paintings inspired by the Hawkesbury River landscape, where she lived on Dangar Island for the last 20 years of her life.
These prints and paintings will be seen together for the first time in Lineage.
Her work is represented in national, state and regional galleries, as well as in significant public commissions.
Kate Dorrough (b.1964) is a Sydney-based artist who works across painting and ceramics, explores the dynamics that exist between paint and clay.
Her recent work examines the river as a metaphor for fertility, renewal and destruction.
She has exhibited widely in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra, and has received several residencies and prizes.
In Lineage, her work will directly respond to her mother’s, creating a dialogue, exploring memory and the personal in recognition of her mother as mentor.
“Mum approached everything she did with such integrity, focus and commitment, she really was an inspiration and my mentor,” Kate said.
“Her studio was lined with walls of beautiful rainbow- coloured and textured fabrics, her home studio was like a jewel box, full of energy, dedication and life.”
A book on Heather Dorrough’s extensive career, featuring essays by art writers and curators Christine France, Julie Ewington, Dr Peter Emmett, and Anne Brennan, will also be launched at an artist talk by Kate Dorrough on Sunday 17 September at 2pm.
Exhibition dates
1 September – 8 October 2023
Manly Art Gallery & Museum
PROGRAMS
Exhibition Opening: Friday 1 September, 6 – 8pm to be opened by Anne Ryan, Curator, Australian Art at the Art Gallery of NSW
Friends of MAG&M and Volunteers’ Preview: Friday 1 September, 10 - 11am
Meet the Artist and Book Launch: Sunday 17 September, 2 – 3:30pm
Kate Dorrough talks about the ideas and works in Lineage at this informal opportunity to meet and engage with the artist. As well, we will launch a timely book on Heather's extensive career spanning sixty years. Including essays by art writers and curators.
Workshops with Kate Dorrough
Family ties - Wall Hanging: Tue 26 September, 10am – 12pm
School Holidays - Hanging Mobile: Tue 26 September, 10am – 12pm