Women and War

Just three women worked as Official War Artists during World War Two – Nora Heysen, Stella Bowen and Sybil Craig. They each made a
significant body of work, bringing a fresh vision to the official expression of Australia at War. Nora Heysen, first woman to win the Archibald Prize, captured the dignity of service personnel with warmth and technical mastery. Stella Bowen brought her modernist eye to the transformed home front, while Sybil Craig preserved scenes of everyday heroism that might otherwise have been lost. This talk explores how these three artists navigated a male-dominated military establishment and created an invaluable visual record that challenges our understanding of Australia’s wartime experience.

Gavin Fry is a writer, artist and museum professional with fifty years experience in Australian museums, galleries and educational institutions. He is the author of twenty-five books on Australian art and history, plus numerous catalogue and journal essays. In retirement he has returned to painting and exhibiting in Newcastle and Melbourne, while continuing to write and design books for other artists and writers. He holds degrees from Monash University (BA Hons, MA) and Leicester University (MPhil).