Peter Milne - When Nature Forgets

Exhibition: 23 April to 24 May, 2003

Peter Milne

Peter Milne presents the viewer with a different take on identity. There are 2 components to When Nature Forgets, one is a wall size grid of old-fashioned doll faces. Scarred by love or neglect, these faces seem to reflect something about ourselves back to us.

There is also a slide show featuring a comic and somewhat tragic re-enactment of great moments in Australia's history. Milne has visited many small museums throughout the country and photographed the re-creations of these historical scenes. Our history appears dusty and flyblown, acted out by shop dummies who have seen better days with their 1960's make-up and hair-do's (if they're lucky enough to have hair). The presentation is both very funny and also a pointed lampooning of the grand narrative of "History" and the construction of a national identity.