Kaylene Whiskey<br/> <em>Seven Sisters Song</em> 2021 <!-- (recto) --><br /> enamel paint on road sign<br /> 120.0 x 180.0 cm irreg.<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2021<br /> 2021.549<br /> © Kaylene Whiskey. Courtesy of the artist, Iwantja Arts and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney <!--147970-->

Fabulous Females: Celebrating unsung heroines with Bern Emmerichs

Wed 16 Nov 22, 10am–2pm

Kaylene Whiskey<br/> <em>Seven Sisters Song</em> 2021 <!-- (recto) --><br /> enamel paint on road sign<br /> 120.0 x 180.0 cm irreg.<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2021<br /> 2021.549<br /> © Kaylene Whiskey. Courtesy of the artist, Iwantja Arts and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney <!--147970-->
Past program

The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square

Ground Level
Booked out

Levels 5 & 6

Meet Melbourne artist Bern Emmerichs and discover how she creates ceramic paintings inspired by early Australian stories. Discover the hidden stories of figures in the NGV Collection. Get creative and make your own portrait using ceramic tiles as your canvas.

Cost: Free
Duration: 4 hours

Learning Objectives

  • Learn about Bern Emmerich’s creative practice and how she finds inspiration.
  • Explore NGV artworks and discover hidden narratives.
  • Use artworks in the NGV Collection as inspiration to create your own artwork.
  • Practice using ceramic painting techniques to paint a portrait of a heroine.

This program links to the following content descriptions in the Victorian Curriculum: VCAVAE029, VCAVAV030, VCAVAP031, VCAVAR032

About the Artist
Bern is a highly celebrated artist both in Australia and internationally and has been exhibiting her work for over 40 years. Painting mostly on ceramic tiles her works have included mosaics, public artworks, design, as well as six children’s books and a jigsaw puzzle. She is an avid researcher, focusing on early Australian colonial history, unravelling many truths and myths. Her rambling graphic narratives are often depicted with a subtle and often humorous slant, inviting the viewer to ‘read between the lines’.

Primary The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square

The National Gallery of Victoria is a proud partner of the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series, an initiative of the Department of Education and Training (DET) that provides opportunities for high-ability Victorian government school students.