Lieutenant James Cook's expedition to the east coast of Australia aboard the Endeavour in 1768, sponsored by the Royal Society and Royal Navy, marked a significant shift in Australian history. Initially conceived as a scientific endeavor reflecting the Enlightenment's emphasis on exploration and inquiry, Cook's voyage ultimately catalyzed colonial expansion.

Also on board were Joseph Banks and his party of scientists and artists, including fellow botanist Daniel Solander and natural history artists Sydney Parkinson, Herman Spöring and Alexander Buchan.

The exhibition, titled "The Butterfly Effect and Antipodes," delves into this complex narrative. Through artworks responding to botanists' illustrations of native flowers, the exhibition explores the transition from Enlightenment ideals to colonization. Paintings of Rorschach native flower still lifes evoke the transient and paradoxical aspects of beauty, life, and decay, reflecting on the cyclical nature of existence.

Amidst social upheaval following the American War of Independence, Britain's interest in Cook's discovery of Australia's east coast in 1770 was reignited. The title of the exhibition, derived from this historical event, underscores the interconnectedness of seemingly unrelated occurrences.

Central to the exhibition is the hero work, depicting Captain Cook as both an esteemed explorer and a symbol of colonisation's darker aspects. Symbolism such as skulls, representing the toll of maritime expeditions and violence against indigenous populations, and butterflies and flowers, referencing a lithograph depicting the arrival of Irish women to populate the colony, serve to highlight the complex interplay between enlightenment ideals and colonisation.

Overall, "The Butterfly Effect and Antipodes" invites viewers to contemplate the implications of historical exploration and colonisation, prompting reflection on the legacy of Enlightenment ideals and their impact on indigenous peoples.

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