Hannah Gadsby's Oz
Closet art-critic and standup comedian Hannah Gadsby is on a mission to debunk the myths of the Australian identity perpetuated by our national art.
Watch >> Hannah Gadsby on ABC iview | Screened Tuesdays, 11 - 25 March 10:00pm
Armed with a rapier wit and desire to pick beneath the paint, Hannah Gadsby travels across the continent on a mission to debunk the myths of the Australian Identity as defined by our art canon. If our great works are to be believed, the average Aussie is a bloke in a hat who is hell bent on conquering our gum-tree infested landscape single-handedly. Why has this mono-vision of Australia persisted for so long? Surely there is more to us than our most famous artworks suggest?
Knocking on the studio doors of some of this country�s most interesting contemporary artists, Hannah will engage with a new generation who are determined to break open the ideas of what it means to be Australian. Many of these artists� work speaks directly to our historical canon, challenging its point of view and re-interpreting it to ignite the issues still haunting our political and cultural landscapes.
About - Hannah Gadsby's Oz
The filming of Hannah Gadsby's Oz took us on a whirlwind two-week journey around Australia where we met and interviewed a diverse group of contemporary artists. Dressed like Dr Who in a tweed coat, bow tie and expensive Italian brogues, Hannah braved the January heat incongruously mixing with the crowds of Bondi Beach, picnicking on Mount Macedon and even climbing the Harbour Bridge. This standup comic-cum-art historian was hell bent on redefining summer sartorial boundaries while investigating what makes the Australian art identity such a one-dimensional beast.First stop Sydney. As a thunderstorm approached the Harbour, Hannah legged it up the Bridge in record time. Her mission was to talk turkey about the lost birds of Australian art � the ladies who ushered modernism into Australia.
Overcome with a twisted sense of national pride while visiting Les Rice�s tattoo studio, Hannah threatened to get inked with her version of an �Aussie Swazi� (Southern Cross). But after a visit from Lindsay �The Doctor� McDougal, who sports an inverted Southern Cross pentagram that bleeds pus - Hannah knew there was nowhere left to go with re-subverting this symbol.
Visiting Ben Quilty in Robertson proved to be a meeting of minds. The interview began with Ben offering Hannah a sniff of his favourite clag craft glue. This set the tone for the next few hours as the intellectual banter turned to late night drinking and an Aspro-Clear hazed morning. The boy can talk and drink � it must be the Irish in him.
Back in the home base of Adelaide to shoot a few days of green screen which would allow us to play with motion graphics, create animations and composite Hannah within canonical artworks. This shoot was a lot of laughs as we poked fun at the Heidelberg school with Hannah tickling rams testicles in Robert�s famous painting and generally treading all over the revered works of Australian art.
Hannah Gadsby & Matt Bate
HANNAH GADSBY � PRESENTER, WRITER
Hannah Gadsby is an award-winning Australian comedian who thinks quickly and moves slowly. She is sardonic, laconic and, after numerous bone crunching accidents, bionic. Her droll delivery, delightful wordplay and heart-breakingly funny, self-deprecating observations have delighted audiences all over the world. From 2011 to 2013 you could see her on Wednesday nights on ABC TV�s acclaimed Adam Hills Tonight. Desperate to make use of her art history degree, Hannah has written and presented two specials for ABC TV's Artscape and takes every opportunity to present her incredibly popular comedic art lectures at festivals around the world alongside her stand-up comedy shows.
MATTHEW BATE � DIRECTOR, CO-WRITER
Matthew Bate creates documentaries dealing with obsessive people, pop-culture and outsider artists. His 2006 film, What The Future Sounded Like, is a visual and sonic exploration into the genesis of British electronic music from Dr Who to Pink Floyd. Matt�s 2010 short film, The Mystery of Flying Kicks, was made entirely from contributions of imagery and phone messagebank stories from the global online public. It was in official selection at the 2010 SXSW Festival and won Best Short Documentary at the 2010 Melbourne Int'l Film Festival. Matt�s first feature-length documentary, Shut Up Little Man! An Audio Misadventure, premiered in the World Cinema Documentary competition at Sundance 2011, and was selected in the 40th New Directors/New Films at the MOMA and Lincoln Center New York. Matt is currently in production on the feature documentary Sam Klemke�s Time Machine and has just completed the hybrid dance-doc I Want To Dance better at Parties.
Credits
PRESENTED & WRITTEN BY: Hannah Gadsby
DIRECTED & CO-WRITTEN BY: Matthew Bate
PRODUCED BY: Rebeca Summerton
EDITOR: David Scarborough
COMPOSER & MUSIC EDITOR: Benjamin Speed
ART HISTORY CONSULTANT: Lisa Slade
PRODUCTION MANAGER: Matt Vesely
RESEARCHERS: Cheryl Crilly, Angela Dawes, Clare Cremin (ABC)
PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS: Felice Burns, Corinna Mclaine, Cate Elliott
COPYRIGHT MANAGEMENT: Debra Liang, Matt Vesely, Cate Elliott
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Nima Nabili Rad
SHOOTING DIRECTOR: Dimi Pouliotis
ABC EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Mandy Chang, Kath Earle
PRODUCED: In South Australia by Closer Productions
PRODUCED: In association with The Australian Broadcasting Corporation
DEVELOPED AND PRODUCED: With the assistance of the South Australian Film Corporation
ARTWORKS AND ARCHIVAL IMAGES EPISODE ONE COURTESY OF
Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of South Australia, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Bendigo Art Gallery, Bronwyn Wright, Peter Corlett OAM, Mitchell Library, State Library Of New South Wales, National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, National History Museum, London, National Library Of Australia, Newcastle Art Gallery, Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery, Tasmania, State Library of New South Wales, State Library of Victoria, The Kerry Stokes Collection, Daniel Boyd images courtesy of the Artist, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery NSW & Kalimanrawlins Art Gallery Victoria, Joan Ross images courtesy of the Artist, Michael Reid Gallery Sydney & Bett Gallery Hobart, Julie Gough images courtesy of the Artist, National Gallery of Australia & Bett Gallery Hobart, Ben Quilty images courtesy of the Artist, Tolarno Galleries Melbourne & Jan Murphy Gallery Brisbane, Liam Benson images courtesy of the Artist & Artereal Gallery NSW, Sue Kneebone images courtesy of the Artist, Rosemary Laing images courtesy of the Artist & Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne, Jason Wing images courtesy of the Artist
ARTWORKS AND ARCHIVAL IMAGES EPISODE TWO COURTESY OF
Ann Mills, Art Gallery of Ballarat, Art Gallery New South Wales, Art Gallery of South Australia, Australian War Memorial, Bronwyn Wright, Geelong Gallery, James & Barbara Jackson, National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, State Library of Victoria, National Portrait Gallery Canberra, State Library of Queensland, Viscopy Ltd, Ben Quilty images courtesy of the Artist, Tolarno Galleries Melbourne & Jan Murphy Gallery Brisbane, Sue Kneebone images courtesy of the Artist, Heidi Yardley images courtesy of the Artist & Jan Murphy Gallery
Brisbane
ARTWORKS AND ARCHIVAL IMAGES EPISODE THREE COURTESY OF
Manize Abedin, Art Gallery of Ballarat, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of South Australia, Chris Bell, Garrie Maguire, National Gallery of Australia, National Gallery of Victoria, David Olteneau, Margaret Stevenson-Meere, Jill White, Rosemary Laing images courtesy of the Artist & Tolarno Galleries Melbourne, Jason Wing images courtesy of the Artist, Raymond Zada images courtesy of the Artist, Liam Benson images courtesy of the Artist & Artereal Gallery NSW, Julie Gough images courtesy of the Artist, National Gallery of Australia & Bett Gallery Hobart, Daniel Boyd images courtesy of the Artist, Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery NSW & Kalimanrawlins Art Gallery Victoria, Joan Ross images courtesy of the Artist, Michael Reid Gallery Sydney & Bett Gallery Hobart, Sue Kneebone images courtesy of the Artist
ARCHIVAL FOOTAGE SUPPLIED BY
ABC Archival, Film Australia Collection, National Film and Sound Archive Australia
Comments (28)
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Tim Spinks :
09 Feb 2015 9:39:50am
Please, please, please, can we have this excellent series released as a DVD?
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Leigh Lee :
30 Mar 2014 1:26:33am
I thought this series was wonderful and informative and inventive and current, funny, clever, and insightful. However, I felt that the final episode was a bit heavy-handed in its criticism of australiam nationalism. Hannah is clearly a bright, funny and educated host, but nationalism is a complex subject and I don't feel that you can tackle it in 3 x 1/2 hour episodes. I guess I think that you tried to sum it all up in the final episode and it just came off looking a bit judgemental, and not very open-minded and insightful. An unfortunate end to a fun and exciting series.
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Carey McManus :
27 Mar 2014 10:36:09pm
I really enjoyed this series and I really liked the art that everyone in this series showed but I am seriously concerned that this show and the artists involved won't be seen by the people who most need to see it. I just wonder how do we get people who aren't already engage in these ideas to become engaged?
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Maria P :
27 Mar 2014 2:50:07pm
Really enjoyed this funny and thought-provoking series. Only wish it was longer
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Kez :
27 Mar 2014 11:18:52am
Whoa!! What a feast.
My brain was full at the end of each snappy ep.
Wish there were 5 eps, not just 3, I felt we were just warming up.
H & co, you've made me realise why I never bother with other art shows - they are way too slow and boring.
Your show made me want to go check out these artists.
PLEASE PLEASE come back ad do it again.
And for all you pikers who whinge about Hannah being a leftie.. well go watch fox news you boring knobs. -
Deb Hutchinson :
26 Mar 2014 10:55:04am
hi
really enjoyed the program but it made me very aware of the ignorance most Australians live in - even me. Your show was on at 10.30pm and I missed the first half of the first episode - who were those artists that you were talking to as though there were national identities - I didn't know any of them - kneebone,Laing, Quilty -- never heard of them. I have a university degree, I watch abc and sbs, I love art galleries. but I live in rural queensland and art is not a part of our daily experience. Anyway as a feminist, a grandmother, and a wannabe anarchist thank you enjoyed the show, the education and the opinions -
Tim :
25 Mar 2014 10:43:17pm
I only saw around 20 minutes of the show this this evening. That was all I could stand. I don't know how this radical left ideology has become so mainstream now... Oh hang on, I do. They derive ridiculous sentiments from the most mundane things, which widens their scope, thus hitting more targets.Lord help us if this brand of thinking keeps growing. It must be terrible waking up every day hating the skin you are in.
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Lorenzo :
25 Mar 2014 10:38:43pm
Really enjoyed the series. Thought-provoking, enlightening and pretty funny.
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ross hughes :
25 Mar 2014 1:50:52pm
What a great program this is. I look forward to it all week.
Let's have more of Hannah,in particular, and art(s) in general -
Angela B :
19 Mar 2014 11:28:24pm
Thanks ABC for a fantastic new series - Hannah is smart, sassy and sensitive. Hannah's presentation of Australian art as both a reflection and shaper of cultural identity is fascinating. I have basically set this program as the 'textbook' for a class I teach on on citizenship at university. Thanks!
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Siobhan :
19 Mar 2014 10:43:03pm
Hannah, Think your new doco is terrific. Am learning a lot from you, couldn't be more interested. Cheers, Siobhan
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Anna :
19 Mar 2014 9:46:22pm
Another Cracker show.Classic presentation. "Vunnerable" or not I look forward to the book!
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Mike :
19 Mar 2014 8:33:32pm
I just wish she could learn to pronounce the word vulnerable. In the 18th March program she said
"vunnerable" three times. -
Ricardo :
19 Mar 2014 12:21:12pm
Gadsby reinterprets Australian art from a feminist perspective (very ABC!). She could take the same approach to art from any other place from any era and reach the same conclusion. I suspect the art will continue to age well and Hannah's perspective will quickly become as dated as her tweed jacket.
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Peter :
19 Mar 2014 1:44:22am
Just wanted to insert a bit of information regarding women and art and war. Norma Bull (Australian) was an official Australian/British war artist.
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Jenny :
19 Mar 2014 12:11:18am
Once again Gadsby reinterprets Australian art history to fit a radical ideological fantasy. This is a comedy show isn’t it?
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Stephanie radok :
18 Mar 2014 11:26:40pm
Hi Hannah
I really enjoyed your program. My advice - stop listening to Ben Quilty and keep asking around for off-mainstream (aka marginal) voices on Australian art. we are out there. I will send you my book - An Opening: twelve love stories about art. Watch out for it. -
Kathryn Powderly :
18 Mar 2014 10:44:29pm
Go Hannah!!
I am still laughing! What fabulous irreverence of our Blokey Bloke dominated art history.
You so succinctly depict what I've thought for years. Love the manipulation of artworks, animation and you in and out of the art. Can't wait for next week!
Kathryn from Wagga Wagga (Bloke Central) -
Krispy :
13 Mar 2014 5:28:17pm
I have been studying Art History at uni for a few years now so I know Hannah has it right. But she took it to a new level! She wasted no time uncovering colonisation myths, looking at fabulous new art and making us laugh. Her sitting and commenting in the Arcadian gardens painted by the advertising gurus of the past were genius! More more more!!
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Des :
13 Mar 2014 1:47:10pm
outstanding work Hannah; thanks a lot. Intelligent, witty, and thoughtful. what more could you ask from television?
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Catherine :
12 Mar 2014 9:11:01pm
We feel lucky that we stumbled across this incredibly thoughtful, challenging and yet an un-angry exploration of what has happened in Australia as seen through our art. Nourishing and excellent brain food, Can't wait till the next episode.
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Roxanne :
12 Mar 2014 3:00:03pm
Very insightful! as an amateur Aboriginal artist from central Australia working with Aboriginal people who still endure the effects of colonisation and mythology, this program made total sense about the representation of Indigenous people in history- so can't wait for the next episode.
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Adrian :
12 Mar 2014 1:21:30pm
Wow, that was very challenging and informative. Definitely going to tune in to the next episode. Well done Hannah and all involved.
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Meaghan C :
12 Mar 2014 12:35:30pm
More, more, MORE!! Interesting, intelligent, informative and witty. I can't wait for the next episode!
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Karl :
12 Mar 2014 11:35:40am
racist, sexist, leftist , nonsense...possibly the worst attempt at a show on Australian Art I have ever seen.
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Anna :
11 Mar 2014 11:19:16pm
Hannah's show is creatively smirkable and seriously educational. She has brought Aussie art into a whole new light. Looking forward to the next program.
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mick chisnall :
11 Mar 2014 10:51:04pm
Hi
The episode this evening was one of the finest pieces of Australian television I have seen. Huge congratulations Hannah and crew and thanks ABC.
Mick
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