Anne Wallace

Anne Wallace (born 31 August 1970) is an Australian painter. Her works have appeared in major exhibitions and are held in major collections.

Early life and education Wallace was born in Brisbane on 31 August 1970, growing up in suburban Kenmore. She attended St Aidan's Anglican Girls' School in Corinda, Brisbane, and then graduated from Queensland University of Technology (QUT) in 1991 or 1990

She was awarded the Sir John Sulman Prize in 1999 by the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Her work is "influenced by a number of factors, including the various types of Queensland architecture she grew up with, the time period from roughly the 1920s to the 1980s, novels and films about mid-century America and music by musicians such as The Smiths, one of the most important rock bands to emerge from the British independent music scene of the 1980s. Many of the works refer to something – perhaps a poem or a line from a novel – and while it is possible to appreciate the painting without knowing the reference, knowing it does allow the viewer to appreciate the painting more fully." "In 2000, she attempted to clarify what her paintings are about, rejecting the frequently repeated links to film and narrative that have characterised commentary on her work over the course of her career: There are at least two things I regret having said about my work. The first is that my work bears a relation to film; the second is that the pictures are like ‘unfinished narratives’ ... The subject matter is such that this kind of semi-obfuscatory treatment of it is the only possible way I have of depicting it. It is the straining towards the meaning of something which is the emotion accompanying the actual experience of some of the things I am trying to depict — it is not just something arising artificially from the artwork, but this thing precedes it, in the experience of living."

That was long ago was (2005) purchased by the Queensland Art Gallery / Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in 2005, and has been exhibited at the QUT Art Museum, Brisbane and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney.

Biltmore Hotel Flower (2019) was purchased in 2019 by the Art Gallery of Ballarat with funds from the Joe White Bequest.

Career and Influences In 2015 Anne Wallace was interviewed in a digital story and oral history for the State Library of Queensland's James C Sourris AM Collection. In the interview Wallace talks to Sean Sennett, owner of Brisbane's Time Off magazine about her art, her studies at the Slade in London and her upbringing.

Exhibitions

Things visible and invisible (1998) Wallace exhibited as part of the things visible and invisible at Metro Arts in Brisbane alongside artists Annie Hogan and Christopher Howlett. Works included Evening shadows creep (1998), When music dies (1998), What lonely hours (1998) and Regret (1998).

Recent paintings (2001) Solo exhibition, Darren Knight Gallery.

Blur — Reality and Realism in picture making (2004) Wallace exhibited as part of the 'Blur' exhibition at the Redland Art Gallery in December 2004 alongside Madeleine Kelly, Julie Reeves, Jenny Watson and Paul Wrigley. Works exhibited were: Daphne (2003-2004), Eames Chair (2004), Rear Vision (2004), and Rehab (2004).

Darren Knight Gallery (2005) Solo exhibition at the Darren Knight Gallery in 2005 included artworks Consolation (2005), Reverie (2005), Dreaming of a song (2005), Sometimes (2005), The Lonely Nights (2005), I dream in vain (2005), When stars are bright (2005), I am once again with your (2005) and That was long ago (2005).

Strange Ways (2020) 'Strange Ways' was a major exhibition of Wallace's work at the QUT Art Museum in 2020. The exhibition featured rarely seen works from private collections along with works from institutional collections such as QAGOMA, Damage (1996), and the National Gallery of Australia, She is (2001). 'Strange Ways', which was curated by Vanessa Van Ooyen, was a touring exhibition and was to be shown at the Art Gallery of Ballarat between 28 March-21 June 2020, but did not go on public display at that venue owing to the Gallery's temporary closure owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.