Lace: The art of adornment

Lace: The art of adornment draws on the Gallery’s collection of bobbin and needle laces spanning over four hundred years. A fashionable and expensive European commodity, the status afforded to lace on garments also ensured its frequent representation in historical portraiture.

The history and rich patterns of lace continue to fascinate and have resonated with contemporary Australian fashion designers and artists whose responses are presented in a variety of media.

Lace, portraiture and new creative visions come together in this unique exhibition coinciding with the 16th World Lace Congress, held in Australia for the first time.