A remarkable collection of photographs, long overlooked and now brought to light, is casting a new perspective on the artistic dynasty of the Boyd family. The images, captured by painter and potter Mary Nolan, form the heart of a new exhibition at the Bundanon art museum in New South Wales, Australia.
Unearthing a Hidden Archive
The exhibition, titled 'The Hidden Line: Art of the Boyd Women', runs at the Bundanon gallery until 15 February. It focuses on the female artists within the famed Boyd family, whose own careers have often been overshadowed. Central to this rediscovery are 48 photographs by Mary Nolan, unearthed from the archives of the National Library of Australia.
Mary Nolan, originally Mary Boyd, was the sister of renowned Australian artist Arthur Boyd. She was first married to artist John Perceval, with whom she had four children, before moving to London and marrying the celebrated artist Sidney Nolan in 1978. While known for her painting and pottery, her photographic work has remained largely unseen until now.
A Visual Chronicle of Artistic Life
The photographs offer an intimate, evocative glimpse into the family's creative world. Sophie O'Brien, the exhibition's curator, notes that Nolan had an extraordinary capacity to capture striking visual moments. "Nolan was clearly always at the ready," O'Brien says, highlighting how the archive contains hundreds of images of family members engaged in art as an everyday activity.
The images primarily feature Nolan's four children with Perceval – Matthew, Celia, Alice, and Tessa – all of whom became artists. One poignant shot shows a young Alice painting over one of her father's pictures around 1966. O'Brien explains that the children were immersed in art from childhood, painting alongside their parents in studios and outdoors, an education that led most of them to creative careers.
Evocative Moments Frozen in Time
Among the most powerful images is one of Tessa in Arles, France, in 1964, selected as the exhibition's hero image. O'Brien describes it as hugely evocative, showing Tessa in motion, actively moving into her future, while two men in suits from "another time" look on from a monument.
Other photos document the family's life in Europe during the 1960s and 70s, from camping trips through France to picnics under sweet chestnut trees near Anduze. The curator points out that these scenes reflect a lifestyle where makeshift meals and simple living were favoured, with greater energy devoted to the creative life.
The exhibition also includes photographs of other Boyd women, such as Hermia Boyd, who married Arthur's brother David, shown decorating pots in Islington, London, in 1964. Images of Yvonne Boyd, Arthur's wife, are noted for capturing her "thoughtful reflectiveness."
A Legacy of Encouragement and Insight
O'Brien emphasises that Nolan's intimate portraits of her daughters are both loving and clear-eyed. They show young women forming their identities as creative people at a time when female artists were frequently overlooked. According to the curator, these photographs served as a "vote of confidence" and encouragement for the next generation.
The exhibition at Bundanon – a 1,000-hectare estate once home to Arthur and Yvonne Boyd – now stands as a testament to this overlooked chapter of artistic history. By bringing Mary Nolan's extraordinary photographic eye to the fore, it finally gives the Boyd women the recognition their work deserves.
