Florence celebrates the iconic designer Florence Broadhurst, and her strong ties to the Mount Perry and Bundaberg regions.
This exhibition, curated by Gallery Director Rebecca McDuff, with the generous support of the Mount Perry Arts Society Inc., tells the story of the early years of Florence Broadhurst and how the cultural tapestry of the region in the early twentieth century influenced the creative, independent, successful woman that Florence became.
Born at Mungy Station, near Mount Perry in 1899, Florence went on to live an extraordinary life, renowned for her flamboyance and creative approach to reinventing herself, up until her death in 1977. Her strongest legacy is her wallpaper patterns, which are still being used in interior design on an international scale to this day.
These patterns have also influenced fashion designers such as Akira Isogawa, Nikki Zimmermann, Kate Spade and Karen Walker, and examples of this cross-over into the fashion world will be a highlight of the exhibition, through collaboration with fashion anthropologist and owner of the Darnell Collection, Charlotte Smith.
Alongside these garments, will be the iconic wallpapers, portraits of Florence from the National Portrait Gallery, photographs, and a portrait of her father, William Broadhurst, painted by Florence herself, and rarely seen.
