‘Alice’ invites us into her parlour. She wants the audience to immerse themselves in her world and engage in conversations about her garden (circa 1887) – why were these gardens so important to women like her? What impact did they have on native biodiversity? What was gained and lost by their cultivation? Through art, food, flowers, and scent, she invites you to consider these topics at your leisure.

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‘Alice’ is a fictional character based on the first chatelaine of Roselyn, Alice Hancock. Unlike Mrs Hancock, Alice emigrated to Australia to begin her married life at Roselyn, but like Mrs Hancock, her garden and parlour would have been the focus of her life, as the only two places where women of the Victorian era had autonomy.

This body of work was part of ongoing research by the artist Annie Kavanagh about the history of her garden at Roselyn, a farm located in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia. 

Alice – Conversations with flowers tells the story of Alice’s rose garden through the roses typically grown in the era. Using only flowers grown by the artist, Alice’s florilegium was recreated with a series of floral portraits and multi-layered images.

The exhibition at Gallery 152, York, saw the gallery transformed into a Victorian parlour. Guests were invited to engage with the space, and for a while, immerse themselves in Alice’s world, contemplate what life was like for women like her in the 1880s, question why their gardens were cherished, and the importance of these flowers to them.

Throughout the exhibition, Alice’s parlour played host to guest speakers, immersive events, and sensory experiences. From experts on garden history and perfumery, artist talks, and an alcohol-free botanic bar, to a unique dinner celebrating flowers and farm, many joined us in the parlour as we weaved flowers into stories.