The Australian: No fan of the royals

The Australian: No fan of the royals

By Bronwyn Watson

Karla Dickens had not been born when the Queen visited Australia in 1954, but such was her interest in the monarchy that 60 years after that royal tour she decided to create four artworks and a poem based on the visit. Dickens’s works, all titled Bottom feeder, allude to the English monarchy spreading what Dickens describes as its “sucking tentacles” around the world:

“Noble opportunists / aristocratic sponges / blue-blooded suckers / cold-blooded leeches / self-seeking predators / We welcome you …”

Dickens is a Wiradjuri artist who trained at Sydney’s National Art School and is now based in Lismore in regional NSW. In 2016, her images, along with those of other indigenous artists, lit up the sails of Sydney’s Opera House. She had little money for paint while at art school, so she turned to collage art. She would pick up discarded items on the way to classes and source materials from op shops and the local tip.

 

Image: Detail from Karla Dickens’s Bottom feeder 1, 2018. Picture: QUT Art Collection.

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Got a young artist at home?

Art Club Term 3 is now open for enrolment — and we’ve got an exciting painting program lined up. This term, kids will explore styles like Expressive Acrylics and Contemporary Watercolour, all while building their confidence and creativity.

Monday afternoons, led by artist and educator Grant Bellamy. 

Visit the link in bio to learn more and enrol.
Thank you to everyone who attended the opening night and weekend celebrations for The Neighbour at the Gate. 

The Neighbour at the Gate is now open until Saturday 18 October 2025
11am – 5pm Monday to Saturday
NAS Gallery
Free admission, all welcome

Plan your visit at the link in bio.
Led by art educators and inspired by James Nguyen’s new installation work 'Homeopathies_where trees grow' (2025), join us for a free drop-in artmaking workshop to make your own incense holder out of clay which will become part of the evolving artwork in the NAS Gallery, commissioned for The Neighbour at the Gate. 

Next Saturday, 12 July, between 11am – 3pm.

Visit our website to view the full program (link in bio).

The Neighbour at the Gate has been made possible with the generous support of the NSW Government through its Blockbusters Funding initiative.
Next Saturday, join us for a fun-filled day of family friendly, free creative activities. There will be sound baths, drop-in artmaking, children's activities, an artists and curators panel talk, followed by dj sets and food trucks. Stick around for after-hours access to the gallery and the Shared Skies Music Concert with BARKAA, Rainbow Chan and DJ Rocky Stallone (ticketed, 18+). 

Visit our website to view the full program (link in bio).

The Neighbour at the Gate has been made possible with the generous support of the NSW Government through its Blockbusters Funding initiative.
Just over a week to go until the 'Shared Skies' music concert featuring BARKAA, "The New Matriarch of Australian Rap" (GQ), and Rainbow Chan, Artist of the Year at the 2022 FBi SMAC Awards. But who’s counting? 👀

🎫 Concession tickets just $25 — link in bio.

@barkaa__
@chunyinrainbowchan

The Neighbour at the Gate has been made possible with the generous support of the NSW Government through its Blockbusters Funding initiative.
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