Wonderland: Themes

26 September - 10 January 2010, Upper Galleries

Folklore, myths, legends and fairy tales are a cauldron of a culture's deepest hopes, beliefs and anxieties symbolically expressed through storytelling and passed on through generations. The exhibiting artist's works are loosely themed Cautionary Tales, Fantasy, Good versus Evil, Love and Friendship, Myths and Folklore and The Heroic Quest.

Cautionary Tales

These tales present a moral message, warning of the consequences of certain actions or character flaws. They are often told to children, establishing taboos which are designed to keep them safe from dangerous activities and encourage them to obey the rules. Most cautionary tales come in three sections. In the first, a boundary or taboo is established. In the second, someone ignores the warning and performs the forbidden act. In the third, the rule breaker comes to an unpleasant fate, usually described in grisly detail.

Fantasy

Fantasy stories have fantastic elements that are treated as if they are normal in the real world. Fantasy worlds can be very complex, with new rules outside the real world. Ordinary objects can become extraordinary - such as a magic wand, a flying carpet or a talking rabbit. These stories are often considered children's stories and not serious adult literature. Popular examples include Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Hobbit and The Chronicles of Narnia.

Good versus Evil

Fairy tales are often thought of as sweet children’s stories ending with the prince and princess living ‘happily ever after’. Yet, this was not always the case. Originally the spoken stories were often dark with gory descriptions. A popular theme was good battling against evil – such as the children, Hansel and Gretel, defending themselves against the evil witch. As with the witch, the evil character usually comes to a sticky end.

Love and Friendship

Fairy tales often tell the story of the hero or heroine searching for and in the end finding love. These dreams of love and friendship are usually fulfilled with a little help from magic. This has become known as the classic ‘fairy tale ending’. Not all the stories end this way – the little match girl tragically dies in the snow, though with a smile on her face.

Myths and Folklore

Myths usually feature gods and supernatural heroes. There are many theories explaining the origins of myths. One suggests that real historical events were distorted and exaggerated over time resulting in figures gaining the status of gods, in order to help explain the universe. Folklore stories express the culture and traditions of a particular group of people. These can take place at any time and place and are not considered true accounts of actual events.

The Heroic Quest

The hero going on a perilous quest or journey to make their fortune or right a wrong is a popular theme in the traditional stories of many cultures. Heroic qualities include courage, self sacrifice and protecting others. The quest is a journey towards a specific goal that requires the hero or heroine to overcome many trials and dangers.