Vanishing Melbourne

Project Description:

Vanishing Melbourne is the working title of a project that explores through drawing and storytelling select buildings and spaces of Melbourne. The aim is to weave together new or hidden aspects of life within the Hoddle grid, that has contributed in distinctive ways to the development of social and creative fabric since Melbourne’s founding.

Katherine’s project draws inspiration from an exhibition in 2018 at the National Gallery of Ireland of illustrations by artist Flora Mitchell. Flora was an American-born Irish artist who painted historic Dublin architecture in the early twentieth century during a time of substantial change. A collection of her paintings entitled Vanishing Dublin was published in 1966.

Sketches record Katherine’s curiosity about the buildings and laneways surrounding her home studio in Guildford Lane. They are part of an ongoing investigation and interpretation of history through the lens of desire and loss.

Simple paper objects, bookmarks, postcards, and posters initially developed to support the greening of Guildford Lane, seeded the drive to do more. Katherine has embarked on a more comprehensive study and hopes to publish a companion book entitled Vanishing Melbourne.