Dr Anne Bennett is a visual artist and a drawing and illustration theory lecturer at Melbourne Polytechnic. Her visual art practice encompasses drawing, print media, works on paper, painting, artists’ books, installation, curatorial projects and writing. She is an experienced arts educator and guest lecturer. Ann’s ongoing research interests include a critical engagement with animals as metaphor and the legacy of Western thought in visual culture.
Anne has been teaching at Melbourne Polytechnic since 2012, focusing on drawing, illustration methods, media and context and narrative in history in our unique Bachelor of Illustration. Anne shares her extensive experience in both fine arts techniques and industry involvement with her students.
Anne has held 13 solo exhibitions since 1986 including Tolarno Galleries, Pinacotheca, numerous institutional galleries around Australia and most recently the Faculty Gallery at Monash University. She has also participated in excess of 60 group exhibitions, including curated shows at the National Gallery of Victoria and galleries in Korea, China, Lithuania and the UK. She has curated numerous touring exhibitions, including "Federation Dreaming" 2001-2, "Art Animals: animals as metaphor" 2000-1, Paper Animals: animals as metaphor" 2004-7. Her most current curatorial project is "Seeing Artists Books as Research" at the Royal Society of Victoria. She has also authored a number of catalogue essays and papers for various national and international conferences. Anne holds a PhD from Monash University, an MFA from the University of Tasmania and a BA (Painting) from RMIT.