Noela Hjorth facts for kids

Noela Hjorth (born December 5, 1940 – died February 17, 2016) was an Australian artist. She was famous for her paintings, sculptures, and especially for building houses she called living sculptures. Her art often showed the female form and its spiritual side. She explored ideas from ancient cultures, nature beliefs from Celtic and Druid traditions, and the spiritual ideas of Eastern religions.

Noela Hjorth's Life and Art Journey

Noela Hjorth was born in Melbourne, Australia. She studied art there and also at the Chelsea Art School in London. She became an important printmaker (an artist who makes prints). She helped set up printmaking workshops in Melbourne in the 1970s and 80s.

At first, Noela's art often featured female figures. Later, she started using old, discarded materials in her work. These artworks had a strong message about the environment and how we use things. She called these special structures living sculptures.

You can find Noela Hjorth's art in many places across Australia. Her works are in the National Gallery in Canberra and in many State and regional galleries. She had over 30 solo art shows in Australia and other countries. Her art was also shown in big international group exhibitions, like at the Whitechapel Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Many art books and reviews have mentioned Noela Hjorth. Two main books were written about her life and art. The first was called Noela Hjorth (1984). The second, a larger book with many colorful pictures, was named Noela Hjorth: Journey of a Fire Goddess (1989). She also made special limited edition art books, like Flights of Fantasy.

From the 1980s, Noela became very interested in combining art with anthropology (the study of human cultures). She often traveled to countries like Indonesia and India. There, she would learn about different rituals and ceremonies. In Australia, she preferred to connect with Indigenous people. She visited Arnhem Land and Kakadu National Park to see ceremonies and ancient cave paintings. She loved working with different cultures.

In the 1990s, Noela started showing her art in unusual places, like cathedrals. The year 1994 was very busy for her. She had big exhibitions, including older works and new sculptures, at St Peter's Cathedral during the Adelaide Festival. She also had shows at other galleries in South Australia and Victoria.

After 2000, Noela's art became even bigger. She had spent the 1990s making sculptures from recycled materials. Now, she brought together her love for art, anthropology, and architecture. She started building houses that she called 'living sculptures'. These houses were made entirely from recycled materials. People sometimes thought they were very old heritage buildings. Her last 'living sculpture' was finished in 2011 in Semaphore. She dedicated it to her son, Greg Hjorth, who was a chess champion and mathematician. This house even won an award for its design.

Noela Hjorth's Family Life

In 1962, Noela married Bob Hjorth in Melbourne. Their son, Greg Hjorth, was born in 1963. After they moved to London, their daughter Larissa was born in 1971. Noela's first marriage ended. She then married John Olsen, who was also an artist. They moved to Clarendon, South Australia. After her second marriage ended, Noela stayed in Clarendon. Later, she reconnected with Graham Webb, an old boyfriend. They spent over 20 years together in Adelaide, South Australia, until Graham passed away in 2015.

Selected Artworks by Noela Hjorth

• Mother and Son, 1960, Woodcut, 25 x 15 cm.
• Marooned People, 1967, Oil on board, 100 x 76 cm.
• Image 1, 1978, Lithograph, 155 x 105 cm.
• The Barong and Fire Signs, 1985, Pen and ink on paper, 81 x 64 cm.
• Spiral Dancing and Mythological Figures, 1986, Mixed media on paper, 173 x 123 cm.
• Black and White Mandala, 1987, Collage and assemblage on canvas, 155 x 266 cm.
• The Return of Sophia – Kali's Alter- St Peters Cathedral, 1994, Mixed media installation.
• Sophia and the 7 Serpents – The Church of St John the Evangelist, 1998, Mixed media installation.
• Sophia's Underground Carnival – Brougham Place Uniting Church, 2000, Mixed media installation.

Selected Exhibitions

Solo Exhibitions

• Hawthorn City Art Gallery, Melbourne, Australia (1980)
• Wagga Wagga City Art Gallery, Wagga Wagga, Australia (1981)

Group Exhibitions

• Victorian Printmaking Travelling Exhibition (All States of Australia 1981)
• Whitechapel Gallery, London, UK.
• Contemporary South Australian Painting, Art Gallery of SA, Australia (1988)
• Victoria & Albert Museum, London, UK (1992).

Selected Collections

• National Gallery of Australia
• Art Gallery of New South Wales
• Art Gallery of South Australia
• National Gallery of Victoria
• Art Gallery of Western Australia
• Queensland Art Gallery
• Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory
• Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
• Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
• Wagga Wagga City Gallery
• Araluen Art Centre
• Swan Hill Regional Gallery
• Christensen Foundation