Anne Bennett’s art encompasses painting, drawing, prints, artist books, curation, and the making of site specific translucent paintings, sometimes soaring seven metres high. 

In response to escalating environmental pressures brought about by human induced climate change, Anne’s recent practice focuses firmly on our relationship to our environment, in particular Melbourne’s waterways and forests. Informed by her PhD research into Western dualist thinking that symbolically stems from the Garden of Eden origin myth, Anne seeks to collapse artificial dichotomies between nature and culture, and deep rooted belief in human dominance and dominion that have underscored an era of the anthropocene and global ecological degradation. 

Through the materiality of her tactile imagery, gestural mark making, pigment, and the shifting light and shadows that flicker through her translucent surfaces, Anne invites awareness of human interconnectedness with our natural surrounds, engendering a sense of awe and humility.

Anne who holds qualifications in visual art and curatorship from The University of Melbourne, Monash University, University of Tasmania and RMIT, has participated in over 100 exhibitions throughout Australia, UK, Lithuania, Korea, and China, staged numerous temporary public art installations and collaborations with musicians and projection artists. She has also received numerous awards and residencies, been a finalist in many prizes and is represented in State Library of Queensland, Monash University, University of Tasmania, Swan Hill Regional Gallery, National Gallery of Victoria.

CUrriculum Vitae

  • Doctor of Philosophy MADA, Monash University.

    Master of Art Curatorship, The University of Melbourne

    Listed on the 2016 Dean’s Honours List for Academic Excellence

    Master of Fine Art, University of Tasmania.

    Bachelor of Art (Fine Art), Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (now RMIT University)

    Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (TAE 40110), MRWED/ NMIT

  • 2022 Forest of Hope Performance Night with Jutta Pryor (projections), Megan Kenny (flute), Scott Dunbabin (bass) Ivanhoe Library & Cultural Centre (ILCH)

    2022 Deluge/ Paradise Transplant at Banyule Open Studios Light after Dark Performance Night with Jutta Pryor (projections), Megan Kenny (flute), Scott Dunbabin (bass) and others, Dimension Art Project Space, Bundoora

    2018 Yarra Yarra Project, Testing Grounds, in collaboration with sound artist Alice Bennett & accompanied by Nat Grant

    2020 Revitalise Warringal: The remaking of Banyule’s wetlands, Warringal Shopping Centre, Heidelberg

    2019 Waterways, WaterMarc, Banyule City Council, Greensborough

    2016 Formation & Reformation, Tilde New Music & Sound Art Festival, Testing Grounds

    2015 Reiterating Paradise, Tilde New Music & Sound Art Festival, Testing Grounds

    2014 The Making of Meaning: rapture and rupture in the garden, Post Office Gallery, Federation University, Ballarat

    2014 The Making of Meaning: precedents and precincts, The Front, Docklands

    2011 Fall Out From Eden Faculty Gallery, Monash University, Caulfield

    2005 Re-coil Cardinia Cultural Centre

    2001-02 Federation Dreaming Swan Hill Regional Gallery

    2001 Federation Dreaming Walker Street Gallery, (touring Victorian Regional Galleries & ACT)

    2000 Paradise Unreal Estate 8 metre shop front installation, 24 Langtree Ave, Mildura for Mildura Palimpsest #3 1999 Packaging Paradise Civic Centre Art Space, City of Casey

    1991 Passages from Paradise Pinacotheca, Richmond

    1988 Descent into Paradise Tolarno Galleries, South Yarra

    1986 Imposition and Disposition, Plimsoll Galleries, Centre for the Arts, Hobart

  • 2021 Winter Days, Off the Kerb, Collingwood

    2021 Land, Off the Kerb, Collingwood

    2020 Liminal // a shared distance, , Hatch Contemporary Arts Space (online)

    2017 States of Being: the elemental importance of water, Hatch Contemporary Arts Space

    2016 Pinpoint Contemporary Art Fair, Hatch Contemporary Artspace, Banyule City Council

    2015 f generation: feminism, art, progressions, George Paton Gallery, The University of Melbourne

    2013 Drawing the Line, Chapman and Bailey

    2013 Change within Change, Transdisciplinary Studio, Northern Exposure, Northcote Town Hall

    2012 Seeing Artists Books as Research Royal Society of Victoria, Heritage Library

    2012 Guarda…PRATO! Atrium Gallery, Monash University, Caulfield

    2012 Transdisciplinary Studio on Yarra Bend Road, Red Gallery, Fitzroy

    2011 Impact Of/n Nature 69 Smith Street Gallery, Fitzroy

    2010 Greater Than One Faculty Gallery, Monash University

    2009 Women, Art and Politics Swan Hill Regional Gallery

    2007 ABC Book exhibition Northampton University, United Kingdom

    2007 Paper Animals: animals as metaphor East Gippsland Art Gallery & Albury Regional Art Gallery

    2007 3rd International Collage Exhibition Vilnius 2006 Gallery Arka, Vilnius, Lithuania

    2006 Hey-Li Printmedia Festival Sung Shin Women’s University, Seoul, Korea

    2006 Swan Hill Print and Drawing Acquisitive Awards Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery

    2006 Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize South Australian Museum

    2006 Robert Jacks Drawing Prize Bendigo Art Gallery

    2004 Paper Animals: animals as metaphor, Maroondah Art Gallery

    2004 Environment Matters: science in art, Royal Society of Victoria

    2004 Search: aspects arising from postgraduate research, Cusp Melbourne

    2001 Art Animals: animals as metaphor Walker St Gallery, Dandenong, Horsham Regional Art Gallery, Switchback Gallery, Monash Uni.

    2001 Mildura Palimpsest #4 Packing Sheds, Mildura

    1999 Mildura Palimpsest #2 Mildura Arts Centre

    1992-3 Margaret Stewart Endowment National Gallery of Victoria

    1992 Recently Seen, (NGV recent acquisitions),  McClelland Gallery, Langwarrin, VIC.

    1990 Art Angels Blaxland Gallery, Myer Melbourne

    1987 Gallery Artists Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne

  • 2017 States of Being: the elemental importance of water, Hatch Contemporary Arts Space

    2012 Seeing Artists Books as Research Royal Society of Victoria, Heritage Library

    2011 Impact Of/n Nature 69 Smith Street Gallery, Fitzroy

    2007 Paper Animals: animals as metaphor Albury Regional Art Gallery

    2007 Paper Animals: animals as metaphor East Gippsland Art Gallery

    2004 Paper Animals: animals as metaphor, Maroondah Art Gallery

    2004 Environment Matters: science in art, Royal Society of Victoria

    2004 Search: aspects arising from postgraduate research, Cusp Melbourne

    2001 Art Animals: animals as metaphor Horsham Regional Art Gallery

    2001 Art Animals: animals as metaphor Switchback Gallery, Gippsland Campus, Monash University.

    2001 Art Animals: animals as metaphor Walker St Gallery, Dandenong

    1986 Work on Walls, co-curator Hugh Wilbur-Ham in conjunction with Fringe Furniture Show, Ufitzi Galleries, Spoleto Fringe Festival, Melbourne

  • 2020 Awarded Banyule City Council Community Grant, Banyule City Council

    2019 Awarded Pinpoint Art In Public Spaces Grant, Banyule City Council

    2018 Awarded Artist-In Residence, Testing Grounds, Melbourne with Sound Artist Alice Bennett

    2016 Awarded Dean’s Honours List for Academic Excellence in Art Curatorship, The University of Melbourne

    2012 Awarded Artist in Residence, University of Ballarat

    2008 Awarded Postgraduate Travel Scholarship, Monash University

    2008 Finalist Libris Awards Artspace, Mackay, QLD

    2007 Awarded Postgraduate Equity Travel Scholarship, Monash University

    2007 Awarded Search For The Impossible, Books 07 Acquisition Award

    2007 Finalist She Walker Street Gallery, Melbourne

    2007 Finalist Search For The Impossible, Books 07 Noosa Regional Art Gallery, QLD

    2006 Finalist Swan Hill Print and Drawing Acquisitive Awards Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery

    2006 Finalist Waterhouse Natural History Art Prize South Australian Museum

    2006 Finalist Robert Jacks Drawing Prize Bendigo Art Gallery

    2006 Finalist Silkcut Award Glen Eira City Council Gallery

    2006 Finalist 10+ Beyond Books 06 Noosa Regional Gallery Qld

    2006 Finalist Libris Awards Artspace, Mackay

    2006 Finalist Southern Cross University Aquisitive Artists’ Book Award Next Contemporary Art Space, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW

    2006 Finalist Image as Text as Image Noosa Regional Gallery Qld

    2005 Finalist Black and White Books Artisan Books, Gertrude Street, Fitzroy

    2005 Finalist Southern Cross University Acquisitive Artists’ Book Award Next Contemporary Art Space, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW

    2005 Finalist Smorgon Steel Contemporary Art Prize Williamstown Festival

    2002 Finalist Heart Walker St Gallery, Dandenong

    2000 Awarded Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery Acquisition Award

    2000 Awarded Artistcare Art Award

    2000 Finalist Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award Touring Show

    1999 Finalist Shell Contemporary Art Prize Williamstown Festival

    1999 Finalist She Walker Street Gallery, Dandenong

    1999 Finalist Jacaranda Acquisitive Drawing Award Grafton Regional Gallery

    1998 Awarded Walker Street Gallery Award, She Walker Street Gallery, Dandenong

    1987 Awarded Desiderius Orban Award, Australia Council

  • National Gallery of Victoria

    Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery

    University of Tasmania

    Monash University Library Artists Books

    State Library of Queensland Artists Books Collection

    f generation Collection, The University of Melbourne

    Private Collections in Victoria & Tasmania

  • Member Banyule Open Studio (BOS) Committee 2018-2023

    Member City of Banyule Arts & Cultural  Advisory Committee 2014-2020

    Member of Advisory Committee and Cultural Vault Reference Group, City of Banyule  2011-13

    Member of City of Yarra Visual Arts Advisory Committee 2014-2016

    Member of City of Darebin Women’s Advisory Committee 2014-2015

    Collections Management Intern, Ian Potter Museum of Art, The University of Melbourne 2014- 2015

    Heide Museum of Modern Art (Visitor Services) 2012 – 2014