NSW State Archives and Records has launched an exhibition on love and the law, exploring the laws, beliefs and social attitudes that have shaped and reshaped marriage in Australia over three centuries.
Marriage: Love and Law comprises stories of marriage told through case studies of people, places and events—including the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer.
Letters, Acts of Parliament, convict records, court documents, photographs, films, plans and reports sourced from the State Archives Collection will be on display, many for the first time.
To stage the exhibition, NSW State Archives and Records has commissioned works by four visual artists.
Danie Mellor, Blak Douglas, Raquel Ormella and Freya Jobbins have each responded to stories and records about marriage sourced from the State Archives Collection.
Specially commissioned pieces by writers Tara Moss, Kiera Lindsey and Judith MacCallum, and baritone Simon Lobelson – who performs Governor Lachlan Macquarie’s 1810 proclamation encouraging ‘lawful marriage’ – contribute to the colour and variety of perspectives that make up the marriage history narrative.
Also featured are creative and documentary works by 16 current and 12 past film and photographic artists.
Many of the works are presented through a large-scale ‘marriage album’ encompassing documentary photographs of marriage ceremonies and celebrations over 140 years.
A public program of talks, workshops and events plus an exhibition catalogue will accompany the exhibition.
The exhibition is on at the Penrith Regional Gallery in Emu Plains until 16 June from 9am till 5pm daily.
A copy of the 148-page exhibition catalogue can be found at this PS News link.
