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Writer's pictureSpike Deane

Fairy Tales at GOMA

I caught the last weekend of Fairy Tales in Art and Film curated by Amanda Slack-Smith at QAGOMA.


I was delighted to see such a huge exhibition devoted to Fairy tales and their representation in art and film.


Fairy Tales began with a walk through the woods. Henrique Oliveira's installation Corupira (2023) twisted and entwined, the branches seemed to emerge out of walls, part of the gallery structure and not, leading you and your fellow travellers onward.


I particularly responded to Jana Sterbak's Inside (1990), a mirrored coffin inside a glass coffin - this reflects some of my thoughts on the Snow White story. Rachel Feinstein's Puritan's Delight, (2008) - A Cinderella-style carriage deconstructed -as though the magic has just fled. The Nightwatch (2004), Francis Alỳs' silent film of a Fox wandering through London’s National Portrait Gallery, the animal helper perhaps taking a moment to sneak into a gallery. Timothy Horn's Glass Slipper (Ugly Blister), (2001) - cast glass, lovely yet revolting and Mother Load, (2018)- a carriage formed from Rock sugar looked golden Carsten Höller's Flying Mushrooms (2015) made you feel very small but powerful at the same time - while having fun. Patricia Piccinini's The Couple, (2018) - A tender moment of the uncanny.


As a Fairy Tale nerd, I was thrilled to see some of Hans Christian Anderson's papercuts in person, one of Lotte Reiniger's films projected, the Sky, Moon and Sun costumes from the 1970 French film Peau d'Ane, the Cottingley Fairies photographs and Gustav Doré's Little Red Riding Hood painting.


Even though I love costumes - they did take up a lot of space. That could have been replaced with more contemporary art. A small quibble.


Snaps L-R

Outside the Gallery

Fairy Tale remixed and remade

Fairy Tales sign

Corupira (2023). Henrique Oliveira

Inside (1990). Jana Sterbak

Puritan's Delight, (2008). Rachel Feinstein

Mother Load detail (2018). Timothy Horn

Mother Load (2018). Timothy Horn

Glass Slipper (Ugly Blister). (2001). Timothy Horn

Cinderella (1922). Lotte Reiniger

Cinderella (1922). Lotte Reiniger

Djinn bottle from the Film Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022). Fabricated by Canberra Glassworks.

The Couple, (2018). Patricia Piccinini

Flying Mushrooms, (2015). Carsten Höller

Peau d'Ane, (1970). Sky, Moon and Sun dresses. Agostino Pace (designer) Jacques Demy (director).

Traveler 314 (2016) Walter Martin & Paloma Muñoz

Post exhibition Aperol Spritz.



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