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ClosedReopening 30 May 2025

Rosalie Gascoigne

The players, 1981

Rosalie Gascoigne is well known for her unconventional rise to prominence in the arts. She had no formal training and came into her practice later in life, holding her first exhibition at the age of 57. A master of assemblage, in The Players (1981) Gascoigne uses a key material element of her practice—two repurposed drink-crates—as a frame for a selection of objects. A piece of wood with a photograph of Pablo Picasso pasted to it, a wooden sphere, and a doll-like wooden figure are placed on the inside edge of the boxes. Picasso is referenced elsewhere in her work and becomes emblematic of artistic identity and commitment to creative experimentation. However, the overall piece is open-ended. Gascoigne offers the viewer a glimpse of her sense of self as an artist and a contemplation on artistic practice in general, in turn inviting the viewer to enter this contemplative space.

Artist / Maker
Rosalie Gascoigne (1917—1999)
Creation Date
1981
Collection
University Art Collection
Subjects
Art and design - sculpture - stone
Materials used
wood, paint and photography
Dimensions
(H x W x D)
55.7 x 75 x 16.5 cm
Credit line
The University of Melbourne Art Collection. Purchased, 1982
Accession number
1982.0174.000.000
Copyright
© Rosalie Gascoigne/Copyright Agency, 2025
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