Artworks pictured: 1. Eugene von Guérard, North-east view from the northern top of Mount Kosciusko, 1863, purchased 1973
2. Fiona Foley, Badtjala people, HHH #1, 2004, National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, purchased 2009

An ekphrastic poem is a vivid description in response to a visual work of art.

This learning resource is divided into two sections, primary and secondary, while educators may value all content and consider their cohorts unique interests. Content within this resource emphasises the relationship between creative writing and the visual arts through a selection of ekphrastic poems alongside the works of art poets have chosen.

The nature in which poets have interpreted the works of art, leads to an expansion through creative writing. This positioning invites students to form their own responses to works of art in an ekphrastic framework.

This resource discusses each work of art and poetic response alongside each other with:

• Artist and poet quotes, centring their voices.
• Provocations to invite observation, interpretation, discussion and reflection.
• Contextual information introducing artists and works of art.
• Prompts to encourage artmaking and poetry writing, supporting students to develop concepts and connect themes to their own lives and experiences.
• Structured activities for artmaking and poetry writing.

Poets and artists include;

Barrina South alongside Eugene Von Guérard (Primary)
Andrew Geoffrey Kwabena Moss alongside Fiona Foley (Secondary)

This Learning Resource is developed in partnership with the National Gallery of Australia as part of Poetry Month 2023.