Category: ART

Unmissable Ramses Exhibition at Australian Museum set to break records

Ramses 2A2A7638 hi res scaled

Ramses & the Gold of the Pharaohs has come to the Australian Museum in Sydney and it’s already broken records, and is on track to break more. Featuring 182 exquisite and rare artefacts from Ancient Egypt, with the most precious being the coffin of Ramses the Second (AKA Ramses the Great), which has never been displayed anywhere in the world outside of Egypt and Paris. Record breaking on it’s own for Sydney to house such a prestigious cultural exhibition, the ticket sales are also on set to impress. Over 100,000 pre-sale tickets have been sold as people flock to see this once in a lifetime showing. With treasures spanning over 3000 years of Egyptian history, the grandeur of the Ramses Era is on full display and showcases perfectly why the Pharaoh behind famous world wonders like Abu Simbel, was able to inspire such awe. “Ramses the Great was a phenomenon, ” Director and CEO, Australian Museum, Kim McKay AO explains of the ruler who lived to over 90 years of age and ruled for 67 of those, “He was a beloved father, incomparable warrior, and prolific builder whose legacy is both political and cultural. Responsible for countless temples, pyramids and statues, the first ever Peace Treaty, and an enormous, influential family, the stories of Ramses have been retold through generations”. Besides the sarcophagus of Ramses ii, there are many other breathtaking pieces to behold. Alabaster amphoras with their handles intact, the priceless golden masks of Amenemope, the exquisite carved sarcophagi of Sennedjem, the extraordinary necklace… Read More

Salote Tawale: I remember you – A Major Solo Exhibition at Carriageworks

Art Carriageworks

Carriageworks, Sydney, is excited to reveal the first major solo exhibition by Sydney-based Australian-Fijian artist Salote Tawale. Titled I remember you, the exhibition is set to open to the public on Friday, 17 November 2023, and will be on display until Sunday, 28 January 2024. Tawale’s expansive exhibition explores the concept of memory through various mediums such as installation, painting, sculpture, and an intriguing component of karaoke. It is curated across two spaces within Carriageworks, and each space offers a unique exploration of how memory shapes identity. Bay 21 hosts Tawale’s interpretation of Carriageworks’ architecture, transformed into a ‘memory bank’. This immersive environment includes artworks like hanging masks, plywood cut-outs of people and plants, and a unique installation of the artist’s Fijian family home. The gallery also features a karaoke booth, inviting visitors to engage through song. This intriguing installation of partially formed memories, with missing panels and fading flowers, reflects the unpredictability and fallibility of memory. In the Public Space, a stunning 14-meter long bamboo raft titled No Location (2021) is anchored, originally presented at the 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art. This piece, based on a childhood memory of a traditional Fijian watercraft, reinterprets the process of making a raft, symbolising Tawale’s experience of displacement. I remember you draws from Tawale’s personal experience as part of the Pacific diaspora in Australia. It embodies her exploration of the relationship between the individual and the collective, materialising memories into tangible forms. The exhibition is accompanied by a variety of public programs, including art-making workshops,… Read More

Your trip to Turkey: Ephesus Experience Museum is a journey through time

Ephesus museum

Nestled within the sacred grounds of Selçuk, Turkey, the Ephesus Experience Museum transports you back in time to the thriving city of Ephesus. Designed by the renowned ATELIER BRÜCKNER, the museum curates an immersive experience that transcends the conventional museum visit, encapsulating the sights, sounds, and even smells of Ephesus of antiquity. Sprawled across a significant 2400 square metres, the museum is designed to cater to a staggering 2200 visitors per day, offering an enticing mix of history, culture, and tradition. Its striking architecture represents an astounding visual spectacle, further enhanced by state-of-the-art audiovisual technology. Here, history unfolds in three distinct chapters, each narrated by a storyteller and complimented by a harmonious soundscape and large-scale 360-degree projections. As you step into the first room, you embark on an odyssey that takes you back to the origins of the city. The prophecies of the Oracle of Delphi, the foundation of the city by Athenian prince Androclos, and the influence of the city’s patron goddess, Artemis, are brought to life. In the second room, you are transported to the city at the height of its glory. From the Arcadian Way to the terraced houses, you bear witness to the city’s rise under Roman rule and the advent of Christianity, with St Paul’s teachings and the construction of the Basilica of St John. The final room is a vivid tribute to Artemis. Providing an immersive, multisensory experience, it majestically brings the goddess to life through intricate light and sound effects, coupled with life-size representations and monolithic screens. The… Read More

Luna Park Sydney Unveils Dream Circus: A Mesmerizing Immersive Experience

Dream Circus

Prepare to be awestruck and captivated as Luna Park Sydney, the iconic amusement park, embarks on an ambitious transformation. The $15 million reimagination project kicks off with the unveiling of Sydney’s Immersive Big Top, home to the spectacular Dream Circus launching on December 22nd, 2023. This grand multi-generational spectacle is set to mesmerise over 50,000 people throughout the summer. Luna Park’s Dream Circus is not your ordinary circus experience. It is a world-first immersive attraction that will take guests on a narrative journey, introduce them to lovable characters, and immerse them in a sensory spectacle like never before. Created by a team of specialist creatives and technicians in Sydney, including the talented Artists in Motion, TDC, and Auditoria, this unique experience promises to leave visitors spellbound. The venue for this extraordinary adventure is Sydney’s Immersive Big Top, a state-of-the-art 3,000sqm multi-purpose entertainment space equipped with cutting-edge technology. With Barco projection technology, spatially mapped audio systems, hologram technology, motion-activated LED screens, and the latest in lighting technology, the Immersive Big Top offers a 360-degree visual and audio immersion across its vast surface area of more than 3,500sqm. But the excitement doesn’t end there. Luna Park’s Immersive Big Top will also serve as a state-of-the-art training facility for future technologists in Sydney. The advanced environment will provide a unique skill development opportunity, offering a vocational pathway into the rapidly growing immersive experience industry. “We are proud to create one of the most technically advanced environments in the country,” says John Hughes, CEO of Luna Park Sydney. “The… Read More

Celebrate the National Gallery bicentenary this year

People gathered around front door of National Gallery Trafalgar Square

As the National Gallery prepares to celebrate its bicentenary, art enthusiasts across the UK are set to be treated to an extraordinary range of exhibitions, events, and interactive experiences. Titled “National Treasures,” the commemorative programme will see twelve of the National Gallery’s most cherished paintings journey to museums and galleries in each region of England, and each nation of the UK. The programme, generously supported by the Garfield Weston Foundation and other donors, promises to engage local communities in a celebration of art and heritage. Digital content will also be readily available on Bloomberg Connects, ensuring that these treasures can be appreciated by a global audience. From Turner’s “The Fighting Temeraire” centring a major exhibition at the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle, to Monet’s “The Water Lily Pond” inspiring a contemporary commission at York Art Gallery, each masterpiece will serve as a catalyst for exploration and learning. The projects vary widely in theme and approach; the Leicester Museum and Gallery, for instance, will utilise Renoir’s “Umbrellas” to create a digital installation that will transport viewers to the bustling streets of 1880s Paris. The programme also seeks to engage young audiences, as evidenced by Brighton Museum and Art Gallery’s innovative project. Utilising Rembrandt’s “Self Portrait,” local 13–16-year-olds will be invited to contemplate their future selves, culminating in a compelling photography display. Meanwhile, the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham will showcase a contemporary response to Artemisia Gentileschi’s “Self Portrait as St Catherine of Alexandria,” demonstrating the ongoing influence of these historical works. In an exciting addition to the… Read More

Captivating Artistry: Exploring History and Culture with Vincent Namatjira’s ‘Desert Songs’

Namatjira Art Yavuz

Yavuz Gallery, a prominent figure in the contemporary art scene in the Asia Pacific, is excited to announce the major debut exhibition Desert Songs by Western Aranda artist Vincent Namatjira OAM. The exhibition will run from the 5th to the 28th of October, 2023, at the Yavuz Gallery, located in Surry Hills, Sydney. This significant event coincides with the upcoming monograph published by Thames and Hudson, as well as a substantial survey, Australia in colour, which will be presented at the Art Gallery of South Australia in 2023 and the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, in 2024. To commemorate the launch of the exhibition, Yavuz Gallery will host a complimentary artist talk featuring Vincent Namatjira in an engaging conversation with Alexie Glass-Kantor, the Executive Director of Artspace, on Saturday, 7th October at 2pm. Desert Songs will comprise thirteen new paintings, providing a profound look into the themes of leadership, power, and legacy. The exhibition allows Namatjira to delve into his own deeply personal histories through portraits of influential figures who have shaped his life and journey in art, music, and politics. Namatjira’s bold and unashamedly political paintings challenge viewers to contemplate what it means to be Indigenous in Australia, or indeed, the world. The Yavuz Gallery presentation will also showcase celebrated works by Namatjira, including Vincent and Vincent, Charles on Country, and Desert Songs (Albert Namatjira). Born in Alice Springs, Northern Territory, and currently residing in Indulkana on A?angu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, South Australia, Namatjira is an astute observer of national and international politics…. Read More

Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers Exhibition Coming to the National Gallery in Autumn 2024

Van Gogh Starry Night

Get ready for an extraordinary art experience as the National Gallery celebrates its 200th anniversary with a major exhibition dedicated to the brilliant works of Vincent Van Gogh. “Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers” will take center stage in Autumn 2024, marking the centenary of the Gallery’s acquisition of two of Van Gogh’s most famous paintings, Sunflowers and Van Gogh’s Chair. This eagerly anticipated exhibition will be the first of its kind, focusing on Van Gogh’s imaginative transformations. With over 50 works and loans from museums and private collections worldwide, including iconic pieces from the Kröller Müller Museum in the Netherlands, the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam, and the Musée d’Orsay in Paris, visitors will have the opportunity to delve into the artist’s creative process and his sources of inspiration. One of the exhibition’s primary focuses will be Van Gogh’s time in Arles and Saint-Rémy in the South of France from 1888 to 1890. Here, the artist masterfully transformed the places he encountered into idealized spaces in his art, creating a deeply resonant and poetic framework for his oeuvre. The exhibition will unveil how portraits played a vital role in Van Gogh’s artistic universe, assigning symbolic meaning to his models, such as the Poet and Lover. “Van Gogh: Poets and Lovers” will reveal the evolution of the poetical imagination and the ideas associated with love as central themes in Van Gogh’s work. In Arles, for instance, Van Gogh envisioned the public park in front of the Yellow House, where he rented four rooms, as a Poets’… Read More

Bell Shakespeare Announces 2024 Season

Bell Shakespeare actor man

For the first time in over a decade, Bell Shakespeare presents a thrilling new production of King Lear. Staging this epic work in an intimate setting promises Australian audiences a fresh and captivating experience unlike any before. Bell Shakespeare’s 2024 season also sees the triumphant return of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, set to tour at over 23 venues throughout the nation. This ambitious undertaking aims to reach areas it failed to visit in 2021 due to the pandemic-related disruptions. Artistic Director Peter Evans adds a thought-provoking dimension to the season with In A Nutshell: The Poetry of Violence, exploring Shakespeare’s depictions of violence. In an energetic statement, Artistic Director Peter Evans said, “Welcome to Season 2024, where we relish Shakespeare’s highest achievements in the ridiculous and the sublime: A Midsummer Night’s Dream and King Lear. The season promises a unique blend of the familiar and the new, comedy and tragedy, the ridiculous and the sublime.” Kicking off the season at the Sydney Opera House from 6 – 30 March, Shakespeare’s classic comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream promises magic, mirth, and mayhem. This production, which had already toured to several regional venues in Australia in 2021 before COVID border closures disrupted remaining dates, is set to return in 2024 at 23 venues across New South Wales, Western Australia, Victoria, and the ACT. After a lengthy hiatus since 2010, King Lear, directed by Peter Evans and starring Robert Menzies (Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet) in the titular role, is set to make a grand comeback. Premiering in Sydney… Read More

See Pesellino’s work at the National Gallery, London

Pesellino renaissance art

The art world is abuzz with anticipation as the National Gallery prepares to host the first-ever career-spanning exhibition dedicated to Renaissance painter Francesco Pesellino, set to open in December 2023. Active in Florence during the mid-15th century, Pesellino’s early demise at just 35 years of age and the subsequent misattribution of his surviving works have resulted in him being somewhat of an unsung hero of the Renaissance period. Born Francesco di Stefano in 1422, Pesellino was raised by his grandfather Pesello, a proficient painter in his own right, who likely sparked the young artist’s passion for the craft. Despite Pesellino’s untimely death, his legacy in the art world is undeniable, with chroniclers and historians noting his exceptional talent, especially in painting ‘cose picole’ or small things, and his propensity for collaboration. His commissions from the ruling Medici family of Florence solidified his standing within the artistic community. The National Gallery is in a unique position to present Pesellino’s work to a wider audience, with two of his undisputed masterpieces forming part of their collection. The Story of David cassone panels and the Pistoia Santa Trinità Altarpiece provide a showcase of the breadth and depth of Pesellino’s talents, from complex narratives and ceremonial splendour to meticulous detail and a keen observation of animals. Recent conservation efforts have further highlighted the intricacies of Pesellino’s work, allowing viewers to appreciate these incredible art pieces as they were intended. Dr Laura Llewellyn, Curator of Italian Paintings before 1500, opines, “Works by Pesellino are rare indeed, but at the National… Read More

The Sydney Fringe Festival: A Celebration of Independent Arts

Front row the Marvellous Elephant Man adelaide fringe 2023 © IMAGE CONSTRUCTION 242

Sydney is about to burst with colour and creativity as the Sydney Fringe Festival, the city’s largest independent arts festival, gets underway this week. With a staggering array of over 400 events spread across 12 festival hubs, the city will be taken over by a dynamic program until the 30th of September. The festival kicks off with Fringe Ignite on the 2nd of September, featuring an electrifying lineup headlined by the iconic Rogue Traders, along with live performances by The Great West, False London, MUNGMUNG, PEPTALK and DJ Victoria Anthony. Spanning theatre, music, comedy, visual art, film, musical theatre, dance, circus, street festivals, literature and poetry, the Sydney Fringe Festival is set to deliver an unforgettable offering of art and entertainment. The Spiegeltent Festival Garden is set to transform the Entertainment Quarter from the 31st of August to the 1st of October, with its centerpiece being the much-anticipated comedy, The Marvelous Elephant Man the Musical. The Sideshow will activate The Rocks with intimate shows of comedy, theatre, music, and immersive performance. The Sydney Fringe Cabaret Club returns with a program of fabulous cabaret shows, featuring Australian cabaret legend Naomi Eyers’ show GlamourPussy & The Hip Replacements. The festival’s first-ever Dance Hub will be hosted at the Neilson Studio at Sydney Dance Company from 14 – 16 September, while the Music Hub will transform the basement of the Marrickville Town Hall into a cosy listening haven across the month. The lineup includes Billie McCarthy, Green Mohair Suits, The Versace Boys x Gimme Gimme, Godriguez, and Bower…. Read More