Join bestselling children’s author Morris Gleitzman for the first in a series of talks unpacking challenging ideas through art. Gleitzman’s talk Children’s Literature, Adult Anxieties will draw on his experiences exploring challenging subjects, including HIV/AIDS, the Holocaust, and contemporary refugee experience. He will explore the role of humour, love, friendship, and kindness in allowing his young readers to safely and compassionately encounter these serious topics. Following his talk, Gleitzman will be joined by Vault editor Alison Kubler to discuss the ways adult anxieties are played out through children’s perspectives in art. The talk is presented in response to Marianna Simnett’s exhibition Creature. It includes AUSLAN interpretation.
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Morris Gleitzman is a bestselling Australian children’s author and the previous Australian Children’s Laureate. He lives in Meanjin/Brisbane and Sydney. His books explore serious, confronting subjects in humorous, unexpected ways. His titles include Two Weeks with the Queen, Grace, Toad Rage, Bumface, Give Peas A Chance, Extra Time, Loyal Creatures, Help around the House, the series Once, Then, Now, After, Soon, Maybe, and the forthcoming Always. His books are published in more than twenty countries. In 2019, he appeared on an Australia Post stamp.
Alison Kubler has over twenty years’ experience working as a curator in museums and galleries in Australia. She has held curatorial positions at QUT Art Museum, Gold Coast City Art Gallery, and UQ Art Museum, and has developed programs for Art Gallery of South Australia. She has worked as Arts Adviser to the Federal Minister for the Arts and Sport. She is a regular contributor to art journals on art and fashion and is editor of arts magazine Vault.
