Australian modernism

The Sock Knitter
Artist	Grace Cossington Smith
Year	1915
Medium	oil on canvas
Dimensions	61.8 cm × 51.2 cm (24.3 in × 20.2 in)
Location	Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney

Australian modernism, similar to European and American modernism, was a social, political and cultural movement that was a reaction to rampant industrialisation, associated moral panic of modernity and the death and trauma of the World Wars.^[1]

In art, the movement included female artists who reacted against the male-dominated art style of naturalism.^[2] It is also important to note the presence of Indigenous Australian art during this time. Indigenous modernism refers to the unique experience of modernity of Aboriginal Australians, that is vastly different to the white Australians' experience of modernity. Albert Namatjira was the first Indigenous modernist to be recognised. It was not until the 1960s and 1970s that scholars began to call Indigenous art modern, as there was a distinction made between modern and contemporary Indigenous art to traditional Indigenous art.^[3]

Modernist architecture was also expressed in many buildings in Australia. Modernist architects such as Harry Seidler, Sydney Ancher, Robin Boyd, Roy Grounds and John Morphett were some of the best known names, and the iconic Adelaide Festival Centre is a fine example of modernist architecture.

The mainstream modernist movement began in Australia approximately in 1914 and continued until 1948.^[4] Throughout these years tensions continued between the conservative and the avant-garde schools of thought. The years following the Second World War is when Australian modernism gained notability in the art world of Australia. Nationalistic pastoral painting of the Australian landscape were superseded by abstracted, colourful distorted images of modernist works. After the World Wars the dynamics of society in Australia and overseas changed dramatically, causing increased acceptance and attraction towards modernism. Social and political unrest continued due to the devastation of war and increased immigration occurred. This led to a number of European artists moving to Australia, which contributed to the introduction of further art styles, such as surrealism, social realism and expressionism. Additionally, continued technological progress in the later 20th century contributed to an increase in cubism and print making.^[1]