Robert O'Connor: Cyanide

During a 3-month residency at the Rosamond McCulloch Studio, Paris, Robert O’Connor spent his time researching the symbolism of French Baroque and Rococo animaliers, particularly the still lifes and hunting scenes of Jean-Baptiste Oudry (1686-1755). The resulting watercolours, form the fieldwork of this project – “The stuff that happened while I was researching the other stuff. The result is part-daily reportage, part-fever dream, part-touristic flagposting.”

Robert O’Connor is a multidisciplinary artist living and working in Lutruwita / Tasmania. His work explores the idea of the archive through processes of mania and collage. Since graduating from the University of Tasmania, O’Connor has undertaken numerous international residencies in France, the USA, Chile, and China. He was awarded the 2011 Tasmanian Portraiture Prize, was the winner of the 2020 Glover Prize, and awarded the 2025 Archives of Tasmania Creative Fellowship.

Accompanying  this exhibition is 'Cyanide', a 64-page booklet of watercolours and journal entries by Robert O'Connor, published by Stray Pages .  You can purchase the book via the gallery or at Stray Pages