A major retrospective exhibition at the Gallery of Modern Art will explore the evolution of the work of Australian artist Howard Arkley.

Arkley's obsessive portraits of suburban Australian houses are among the most dedicated and serious studies of Australian popular culture in postwar painting. Despite their satirical humour and parody, his works are a careful portrayal of subject matter which fascinated the artist for more than two decades.

The exhibition surveys Arkley's oeuvre from the early 1970s to the final major works shown at the Venice Biennale in 1999, just before his death the same year.

'Howard Arkley' is a National Gallery of Victoria touring exhibition.

Public Programs

Curator's Talk
2.00pm Saturday 7 July

Presented by Jason Smith, Curator of Contemporary Art, National Gallery of Victoria.
Gallery 1.1, GoMA

Weekend Design Talks
1.30pm Sunday 29 July

Presented by Lasse Kinnunen, principal furniture designer, Deka Furniture, and Arts Queensland Smart State Designer of the Year 2006.
Gallery 1.1, GoMA

Panel
'Contemporary Australian Art through Music, Architecture and the Work of Howard Arkley'
2.00pm Saturday 25 August

Presented by 'Howard Arkley' curator Jason Smith, Melbourne-based architect Peter Corrigan, Brisbane artist Jenny Watson and Chris McAuliffe, Director of the Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne.
Gallery 1.1, GoMA

Exhibition Talk
2.00pm Saturday 8 September

Presented by John Gregory, Faculty of Art and Design, Monash University, and author of Carnival in Suburbia: The Art of Howard Arkley 2006.
Gallery 1.1, GoMA

Look Out Teacher Program
'Howard Arkley and Contemporary Australian Art'
10.00am Saturday 14 July

A discussion of Howard Arkley's influence on contemporary Australian art with Julie Ewington, Head of Australian Art, QAG, and Dr Rex Butler, Senior Lecturer, Art History, The University of Queensland; and a workshop with Brisbane-based artist Gemma Smith to inspire school projects. Bookings required. Telephone (07) 3840 7255 or email
schoolbookings@qag.qld.gov.au
Cinema B, GoMA

New Wave Tertiary Program
'Howard Arkley' Exhibition Viewing
4.30pm Friday 17 August

Tertiary students are invited to enjoy a special viewing of the Howard Arkley exhibition with drinks and refreshments. Book online at www.qag.qld.gov.au/newwave or telephone
(07) 3840 7061
Gallery 1.1, GoMA

Weekend Design Talks
1.30pm Sunday 26 August

Presented by Margie Fraser, Queensland-based editor of Vogue Living.
Gallery 1.1, GoMA