Anne Ferran facts for kids

Anne Ferran (born 1949) is an Australian photographer. She is known for her unique art that often explores history, especially the lives of women and children from Australia's past. Her work includes photographs, videos, and textile art.

About Anne Ferran

Anne Ferran was born in Sydney, New South Wales, on May 10, 1949. She started showing her photographic artwork in the early 1980s.

In 1986, Anne moved to Europe after receiving a special grant. She spent six months living and working at the Cité internationale des arts in Paris. After returning to Sydney, she completed her Masters of Fine Arts degree. In 1995, she moved to Melbourne. Later, in 2003, she received another grant for a residency in London. Anne Ferran now lives in Sydney. She recently retired from her job as a professor at the University of Sydney.

Anne Ferran's Education

Anne Ferran studied at several universities. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Sydney. She also has a Bachelor of Arts from Sydney College of the Arts (1985). Her Master of Fine Arts degree is from the College of Fine Arts, University of New South Wales.

Anne Ferran's Art Career

Anne Ferran became known as a modern photographic artist in the 1980s. This was thanks to her works like "Scenes on the Death of Nature." Besides film and digital photography, Anne also uses other art forms. These include video and textile works.

Her photographs have been shown in many places. They have been displayed all over Australia. Her art has also been shown internationally. Galleries in New Zealand, Japan, and the United States have featured her work. Some major Australian galleries that have shown her art include:

• The Art Gallery of New South Wales
• Art Gallery of South Australia
• Monash University
• National Gallery of Australia
• National Gallery of Victoria
• Queensland Art Gallery

What Inspires Anne Ferran's Art?

Anne Ferran's art is often inspired by Australia's early colonial period. She is very interested in exploring the lives of women and children from that time. These are often people whose names are not well-known in history. More recently, Anne has also become interested in the history of birds. She explores how their natural homes are changing. In 2014, a special exhibition of her work traveled around. It came with a detailed book about her art.

Notable Artworks by Anne Ferran

Scenes on the Death of Nature (1986)

"Scenes on the Death of Nature" was first shown in Melbourne in 1987. It was also part of an exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales in 1993. This exhibition was called 'Points of view: Australian Photography 1985-95'.

The series included five large black and grey prints. These prints showed young women draped over each other. The women wore long, plain white clothes. Their faces looked serious, like old sculptures. This was to make them look like neoclassical statues. One of her works from this series, Scenes on the Death of Nature I, 1986, was featured. It was part of the Know My Name exhibition. This exhibition celebrated Australian women artists in 2020-21. It was held at the National Gallery of Australia.

Lost to Worlds (2008)

The "Lost to Worlds" project includes over ten years of Anne Ferran's photographic work. She created this project in Tasmania. She visited the remains of two old prisons for women convicts. These prisons were called "female factories." This artwork explores Australia's difficult colonial past. It is part of a wider art trend that uses historical records and archives.

One of these female factories was in Hobart. The other was near the town of Ross in Tasmania. Today, only one building and some old stones remain of the Ross prison. The images in this series mostly show the landscape. They rarely show the horizon or sky. There are thirty images in the series. They are printed digitally onto large sheets of aluminum. When people walk around the gallery, the reflections from the aluminum make the images look like they are moving slightly. Anne Ferran uses the large, empty fields in these pictures. She finds beauty in the quietness of these powerful images. The series represents a past that is broken or incomplete.

Tamworth Textile Triennial: Tension(s) (2020)

Anne Ferran's work was shown at the Tamworth Regional Gallery. This exhibition ran from August 1, 2020.

Other Exhibitions

Here are some other exhibitions where Anne Ferran's work has been shown:

• Box Of Birds
• Female House Of Correction
• Birds Of Darlinghurst
• Rydalmere Vertical
• Songbirds Are Everywhere
• Soft Caps
• Lost To Worlds 2008
• Scenes On The Death Of Nature
• Backwater
• Untitled Photograms
• Twice Removed
• Insula
• 1-38