Annie Wu – New Australia

By Annie Wu | 09 Jun 11
Close-up of the text of journal 'New Australia'

Annie Wu’s New Australia, part of the NEW 11 exhibition at ACCA earlier this year looked back on the past. New Australia is a breakaway Australian socialist journal that was published over three years in the early 1890’s. The work provides documentation of an ideological movement that encouraged members to rediscover their conception of utopia through a Settlement program in Paraguay, where an emphasis on collectivism would override the predominant dictum of individualism. The timing of this ambitious project and its ultimate failure provides an interesting basis upon which to explore aspects of Australian culture. Presented in its material form, the journal is also an exploration of the residual aesthetic influences independent publications like this have had on design.

Limited copies of the Newspaper are still available for collection at World Food Books and at the ACCA bookstore, or for viewing at the State Library of Victoria and other University Libraries.

 

Two free standing stacks of the journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu 2011

 

Close-up of the text of journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu 2011

 

Close-up of the text of journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu 2011

 

The following posters were rotated out the front of ACCA in wire newsstands weekly. They have been co-designed by Zigna Testen.

 

Headline poster for the journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu & Ziga Testen 2011

 

Headline poster for the journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu & Ziga Testen 2011

 

Headline poster for the journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu & Ziga Testen 2011

 

Headline poster for the journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu & Ziga Testen 2011

 

Headline poster for the journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu & Ziga Testen 2011

 

Headline poster for the journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu & Ziga Testen 2011

 

Headline poster for the journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu & Ziga Testen 2011

 

Headline poster for the journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu & Ziga Testen 2011

 

Headline poster for the journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu & Ziga Testen 2011

 

Headline poster for the journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu & Ziga Testen 2011

 

Headline poster for the journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu & Ziga Testen 2011

 

Headline poster for the journal 'New Australia'

Copyright Annie Wu & Ziga Testen 2011

 

A discussion with Annie Wu and director of The Narrows, Warren Taylor is available on the ACCA website here. You can see Annie’s website here.