If 2021 is the year for *anything* it’s outdoor events. And do Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne have the outing for YOU!

As part of the biennial photography festival PHOTO 2021, Melbourne Gardens will present Garden Variety: Photography, Politics and the Picturesque – a new exhibition of photographic works dedicated to exploring the political and social resonances of its site. The exhibition is plotted throughout the Gardens, creating a winding pathway and cultivating moments for pause and reflection.

Working with curator Isobel Parker Philip, artists Grace Wood, Yvonne Todd, Emmaline Zanelli, Luke Parker, Steven Rhall and James Nguyen will each present a site-specific, commissioned work designed to challenge the idea that gardens are politically neutral spaces. From its use as a backdrop for subtle displays of soft-power to its status as a constructed landscape, the exhibition presents new perspectives on the cultural history of the iconic Melbourne space.

Garden Variety: Photography, Politics and the Picturesque
Thursday, February 18th – Sunday, 7th March
Free

Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
Birdwood Ave, Melbourne
Everyday 9am – 5pm

For the lowdown on upcoming events at Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, click here! See here for more information about ‘Garden Variety: Photography, Politics and the Picturesque’, and here for more information about PHOTO 2021.