Long-term exhibitions

This Too Shall Pass

Henry Hunter Gallery 6

One of the great strengths of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery's Art Collection is the number and quality of portraits and self-portraits. The exhibition This too shall pass focuses on portraits, self-portraits, as well as artworks that reflect on mortality, vanity and the inevitable transience of life, beauty and material things.

The portraits in the Art Collection provide insights into the people living in Tasmania and beyond over time and reveal changing attitudes. The expression of identity through artwork has been practiced by people of all cultures and religions since the beginnings of art history. As well as traditional colonial paintings the rehang will integrate a range of interpretations, including modern and contemporary artworks.

TMAG’s Art Collection holds many paintings that allude to the idea of memento mori such as WB Gould’s still-life paintings of flowers, fruit, dead fish, pheasants and hares. Gilt framed mirrors and a few selected artefacts which suggest reflection, vision, transience and mortality will be integrated into the installation.

Image details: James Gleeson (1915-2008), Nest of premonitions, 1987, oil on canvas. Purchased with funds provided by the Art Foundation of Tasmania and the Friends of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.