During our recent trip to Hobart we took the kids to check out the exhibition on banned books Revolution & Silence. It sparked some interesting conversations about why books are banned, censorship and freedom of speech. The eldest has now got a new list of books to read. Sadly it’s now finished in Hobart, but if you get a chance to see it elsewhere, do go and check it out.
Revolution & Silence includes an installation by Tasmanian artist Brigita Ozolins in the gallery of the Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts. The exhibition considers George Orwell’s 1984, exploring the forces that try to silence free speech and the revolutions that rise in response. These works contextualise Orwell’s novel amongst contemporary political upheaval, AI, fake news, and the unchecked power of social media.
The State Library and Archives of Tasmania has curated and displayed a collection of books that have been challenged throughout history, and today. This exhibition represents and interprets diverse points of view through a collection of banned, restricted and controversial books. Read some of these books and more during your visit in the ‘Silenced Reading’ library.
