When a woman makes art, what does she see? Or when she picks up her brush and looks in the mirror? When she takes off her clothes and paints herself naked, or raises her camera towards another woman? And how is she seen when she turns to face the men, the artists, her colleagues, her friends, her lovers?
In the richly illustrated book A Woman’s Eye, Her Art, acclaimed writer Drusilla Modjeska directs her gaze towards six extraordinary female artists of the 20th century. She examines how they reframed artistic and cultural narratives, why their work still matters and — echoing her seminal and bestselling work Stravinsky’s Lunch — how their pasts connect to our present.
Drusilla will be in conversation with Nicole Abadee.
Drusilla Modjeska is one of Australia's most acclaimed writers. Her books have won the NSW Premier's award-winning, the Nita B. Kibble, Australian Bookseller's Book of the Year, the ALS Gold Medal, and have been shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award, the Western Australia Premier's Award and the Barbara Jefferis Award. Her latest book, A Woman's Eye, Her Art, comes out September 2025.
Nicole Abadee is an interviewer, facilitator and journalist who writes for Good Weekend Magazine, Harpers Bazaar, Spectrum and Australian Book Review. She has been a regular interviewer at writers’ festivals including Sydney Writers Festival, Adelaide Writers Week and Canberra Writers Festival. She was the curator of the Woollahra Writers’ Festival 2025. Nicole has been a literary judge, podcaster and a guest on ABC Radio to discuss books. She is a board member of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
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This event is part of the Main Program and included as part of Platinum, Gold, Silver and Saturday Bronze Passes.
Subject to availability, a limited number of single tickets may become available 9 September.
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This venue is wheelchair accessible. Please visit our Accessibility page or email hello@bluemountainswritersfestival.com.au if you have any other accessibility requirements.