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Artists unearth mysteries of Old Hobart
Hobart artists looking into the history of Battery Point for an art exhibition have uncovered more mysteries than they’ve solved. They’ve unearthed secrets and legends from Hobart’s earliest days, including an elicit love affair, smuggling rings, and the suspicious death of a relative of one of Hobart Town’s most infamous officers.
Although some of the show’s art is inspired by well-known people, places and events from Hobart’s history books, the truth behind other works remains less clear. “Our art is telling stories about some of Hobart’s earliest gardens and buildings, colonial characters and their work and passions” said Bec Donaldson, one of the nine local artists featured. “But we haven’t been able to confirm all the legends. We’ve tried to be detectives, searching the old records, but some stories are in the grey zone between fact and myth. We would love historians to come along and see what they think!”.
“Histories and Mysteries of Battery Point”, a printmaking exhibition, also depicts local heroes and villains, daring escapes, tragedies and natural history. The show runs Fridays-Sundays between 25th October and 3rd November, at the Battery Point Community Hall, cnr Hampden Road & Francis St, Battery Point.
Well known Tasmanian author and journalist Michael Tatlow is opening the show at 6pm on Sunday 27th October.
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