Aphrodite, Medusa, Lakshmi and Eve have taken up residence in the nation’s capital in a celebration of female power, resilience and representation through history.
In Australia’s post-Me-Too era and following a year where women have made their voices heard politically, the National Museum in Canberra is showcasing the many faces and strengths of femininity across cultures and ages.
Feared and Revered displays representations of women’s power and authority throughout the ages, as well as female spiritual beings who were celebrated in ancient and modern times.
More than 160 objects including masks, coins, weapons, statues, paintings and headpieces from six continents are featured, some more than 5000 years old.
The ancient features alongside the modern, with Kylie Minogue’s iconic costume from her Aphrodite: Les Folies tour – including the knee-high, sparkling golden heels – on display.
But First Nations artists steal the show with the Yawkyawk fibre sculptures and fabrics from Western Arnhem Land.
Yawkyawk are young, female ancestral beings who inhabit freshwater pools and streams and are strongly associated with fertility and conception.
“It seems only fitting that in a cross-cultural exhibition with a focus on feminine power that visitors will encounter a strong, female ancestral being created by women in the oldest continuing culture on the earth,” National Museum curator Cheryl Crilly said.
Former Governor-General Dame Quentin Bryce told AAP the exhibition brought to life female experiences from across Australia and the world.
“It brings tears to my eyes to think of having the opportunity in our national capital to see these great pieces of art and the beauty of so many aspects of humanity,” she said.
National Museum director Mathew Trinca said the importance of cultural institutions contributing to national political and social conversations was not lost on him.
“We wanted to be able to contribute to debate that people in the country, and indeed around the world, are having at the moment,” he told AAP.
“In recent years we’ve been thinking about the relationships between men and women in our society and the place of women in society.
“This show absolutely contributes to that discussion but it does so with a kind of subtlety and nuance as well.”
He said the exhibit aimed to encourage people to think diversely and deeply about their understanding of femininity.
“Women have been associated with representations of power and might in societies around the world for a long period of time,” he said.
“As we look now to the place of women in Australian society, more broadly in societies around the world, this show encourages us to feel deeply about the place of art and beauty in coming to a greater understanding of the world.”
Human rights lawyer Rabia Siddique – whose voice features as part of the exhibition – said the display shone a light on social issues and women’s rights.
“More than ever, open discussion is needed to rethink notions of power, of feminine strength and to agitate for meaningful and lasting change to lift up women everywhere,” she said.
“Strong women who have proven to be just too powerful for our patriarchal societies’ liking are publicly vilified … the exhibition challenges us all to redefine how we view power and strength.”
The National Museum in Canberra is the only Australian venue to host the exhibition by the British Museum on the first leg of its international tour.
It will be on display from Thursday to August 2023.
By Maeve Bannister in Canberra
