Fairy Tales Resources

Henrique Oliveira, Brazil b.1973 / Corupira 2023, commissioned for ‘Fairy Tales’, Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) Brisbane 2023-24 / Plywood, tapumes veneer and tree branches / © Henrique Oliveira

Henrique Oliveira, Brazil b.1973 / Corupira 2023, commissioned for ‘Fairy Tales’, Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) Brisbane 2023-24 / Plywood, tapumes veneer and tree branches / © Henrique Oliveira / View full image

When

2 Dec 2023 – 28 Apr 2024

Where

Gallery of Modern Art, Foyer, Gallery 1.1 (The Fairfax Gallery), Gallery 1.2 & Gallery 1.3 (Eric and Marion Taylor Gallery)

‘Fairy Tales’ draws on tales old and new, celebrating their contemporary retellings through an artistic lens. The exhibition brings together a selection of contemporary artists, designers and filmmakers who explore the fairy tale through a range of media.

Well-known visual motifs are highlighted throughout, with images of woods and trees, mirrors and blood, impossible shoes and clothing for royalty, castles, coaches and a pumpkin. ‘Fairy Tales’ considers themes of journeys and transformations, love and beauty, reality versus fantasy, and resilience in the face of adversity.

Learning Resources

Teacher Notes

The Teacher Notes explore the three chapters of the exhibition and include curriculum links for both primary and secondary levels across the Australian Curriculum (Version 9.0) and Queensland Senior Visual Art syllabus. ‘Fairy Tales’ provides opportunities to explore connections across the subject areas of Visual Arts, Media Arts and English.

Deconstructing Fairy Tales

To deconstruct the fairy tales presented in the exhibition, the characters, settings and symbolic objects associated with these well-known stories are examined. The final section discusses selected themes found in both traditional and contemporary retellings.

Fairy Tales in Film

Explore the use of Languages, Technologies and Representations in the texts featured in 'Fairy Tales'. This resource features discussion questions for before, during and after visits to the exhibition and provides links to units in the FTVNM General Senior Syllabus (v1.2).