It is hard for us to imagine the oppressed lives of single women in the first half of the twentieth century. Yet a few Australian women took a leap into the unknown and carved careers for themselves in Paris. They studied, painted, and haunted galleries and salons. They had a little fun too, at social gatherings or at cafes in Montparnasse. They were brave, and very determined young ladies. They exhibited in the Paris Salons and in private galleries on the Left Bank, and received prizes and awards out ofall proportion to their numbers. They bought back home not only greatly enhanced skills but also Modernism, to a country that had barely heard of it. This book examines a selection of some of the best of them, including some who have been all-but forgotten. They were pioneers, role models, fine artists - and they have been neglected. Not any longer. Clem Gorman pioneered experimental theatre in Australia before working as an arts administrator in London. Nine of his plays have been staged professionally and he has written nine books of non-fiction. He has taught at universities in Australia and the US and now writes on the visual arts. Therese Gorman wrote stage plays in the 1970s with her late husband, and with her husband Clem has co-authored Sydney Harbour: A Guide from North Head to South Head and this book. She and Clem are currently working on a biography of Sydney artist Wendy Sharpe.
It is hard for us to imagine the oppressed lives of single women in the first half of the twentieth century. Yet a few Australian women took a leap into the unknown and carved careers for themselves in Paris. They studied, painted, and haunted galleries and salons. They had a little fun, too, at social gatherings or at cafes in Montparnasse. They were brave and very determined young ladies. They exhibited in the Paris Salons and in private galleries on the Left Bank, and received prizes and awards. They brought back home not only greatly enhanced skills, but also Modernism to a country that had barely heard of it. This book examines a selection of some of the best of them, including some who have been all-but-forgotten. They were pioneers, role models, fine artists&;and they have been neglected. Not any longer.
