Souvenirs of the 20th century

Artists:
Roseanne Bartley, Lisa Carroll, Susan Cohn, Karen Ferguson, Tony Hanning, Hamish Hill, Ruth Hutchinson, Sharon Muir, Miyuki Nakahara, Humphrey Poland, David Ray, Alex Selenitsch

Curator: Kevin Murray

Writers: Peter Burke & Robyn Annear

RMIT Gallery, Melbourne
11th Oct - 13th Nov 1999

Is it a kind world, where we could trust that the state might protect those unable to look after themselves?  Do we think of public transport, economic subsidies, state-owned utilities and friendly faces across the counter?

Or is it a cruel world, where a patriarchal state interfered with the affairs of its citizens, locking up those it deemed unusual, and propping up overweight bureaucracies with taxpayer's money?

REASONING:

The past two decades have seen radical changes to life in Melbourne.

The city certainly hasn’t been shy of progress. Consider Crown Casino, Docklands, Grand Prix, City Link and Federation Square. Melbourne is undergoing changes that will strengthen its claim as one of the great world cities.

But this progress comes at a cost. Traditionally, Melbourne has distinguished itself from other Australian cities by its appreciation of the past. Writers like Barry Dickens, Robert Manne, Helen Garner and Martin Flanagan consider it just as important to conserve memories as to find new ground. Has Melbourne sold its soul?