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Australia’s Bohemian Carnival

Beginning in Europe in the early nineteenth century, bohemianism was one way that artists made sense of the practice of art under capitalism. Australia has a long bohemian tradition beginning with Marcus Clarke in the 1870s and lasting well into the late twentieth century. This paper examines the style of bohemian formation and activity in Melbourne and Sydney from the 1870s to the 1920s, with an emphasis on the bohemian clubs and gatherings of the writers and visual artists of the 1890s. Using Bakhtin’s idea of “carnival” I argue that bohemianism helped artists make sense of the cultural market place by forging bonds, delivering valuable contacts from across the social divide, and offering transgressive experiences that enhanced creative work. Bohemianism also provided distinctive styles which helped writers, painters and cultural producers to make their mark and sell their product. This article has been peer-reviewed.