Marriage: Love and Law exhibition catalogue - Flipbook - Page 11
Marriage: Love and Law is a NSW story until 1959, when the responsibility
for laws concerning marriage shifted from a state to federal level. From then,
it becomes part of a broader Australian narrative. Much of the State’s work
in this realm has been reactive, responding to societal change and citizens’
challenging laws, strictures and conventions. Religion is fundamental to many
people’s beliefs and experiences of marriage. But it is not the focus here.
Religious customs and practices do, however, have a presence throughout the
exhibition and publication.
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The State Archives Collection lies at the heart of Marriage: Love and Law,
and a broad range of items have been sourced, examined and interpreted
to develop the story. From letters to Acts of Parliament, administrative records,
court documents, photographs, films, plans and reports, this material provides
evidence of the State’s shaping and regulating of marriage. And it relates
to all sections of society: from convicts to post-Second World War migrants
to British royalty. To supplement the stories that have emerged from the
State Archives Collection it has been useful to engage also with material from
elsewhere such as the State Library of NSW, Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney Living
Museums, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, Newcastle Region Library,
Penrith Regional Gallery, Home of the Lewers Bequest, National Art School,
National Archives of Australia, National Gallery of Australia, National Museum
of Australia, Australian War Memorial, National Film and Sound Archives
of Australia, National Library of Australia and private collections.
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3 Sam Hood collection
Wedding of musical
stars Madge Elliott and
Cyril Ritchard, St Mary’s
Cathedral, 1935
Black and white negative
1935
State Library of NSW,
ON 204 Box 27/46
4 Jack Hickson
Khoury family wedding,
Sydney
Black and white negative
1973
Archival sources provide a factual basis to historical inquiry, but they do not
necessarily represent the full picture. Unauthorised accounts that contain
emotive, personal and imagined perspectives are needed to fully appreciate
stories that involve human relationships. Therefore, Marriage: Love and Law
has included creative responses to the archives. Visual artists Danie Mellor,
Blak Douglas, Raquel Ormella and Freya Jobbins have all created new works for
the project. Each artist spent time in the State Archives Collection during 2018,
working with project researchers to identify and access material that was most
compelling for them and their practice. The artists’ works and accompanying
statements can be found at key points throughout this publication.
State Library of NSW, Australian
Photographic Agency – 37704
5 Raquel Ormella
Always the bridesmaid …
Cotton, G-clamp, second
hand bridesmaid dresses
from late ’60s to present
2019
Commissioned by
NSW State Archives
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