FOOD & DRINK, ARTS & CULTURE, LIFE & TRAVEL
A celebration of Renoir’s most iconic works, featuring over 50 masterpieces, Renoir and Love will explore the artist’s most experimental and ambitious period, spanning the mid-1860s to the mid-1880s. This will be the first Renoir-focused exhibition at the National Gallery since 2007.
Closed since February 2023 for an ambitious transformation, the Sainsbury Wing now re-emerges as a more welcoming and beautifully redesigned main gateway to one of the world’s greatest art collections.
The National Gallery has made an extraordinary addition to its collection with the acquisition of the early 16th-century Northern Renaissance altarpiece, The Virgin and Child with Saints Louis and Margaret. Shrouded in mystery and bursting with vivid detail, this masterpiece will go on display on 10 May, as part of the Gallery’s ambitious C C Land: The Wonder of Art exhibition and the reopening of the transformed Sainsbury Wing. Dating to approximately 1510, this captivating work, acquired for £16.4 million through a private treaty sale brokered by Sotheby’s, is as enigmatic as it is wondrous. Its authorship remains unknown, with scholars debating whether the painter was Netherlandish or French. Despite its anonymity, the painting’s quality and inventive details firmly cement its importance within the Northern Renaissance canon. A Blend of Beauty and Playfulness At the center of the altarpiece, the Virgin Mary and Child are enthroned in an open-air chapel, surrounded by two music-playing angels, Saint Louis, and Saint Margaret. Margaret, magnificently dressed, emerges unscathed from the dragon that had swallowed her, a symbol of triumph over adversity. Above her, one angel plays a rare mouth harp, while the other holds a songbook with inscribed lines from a Marian hymn, Ave Regina Caelorum. But this painting offers more than solemn devotion; it’s also peppered with playful quirks. A bawdy child on a column capital cheekily exposes his derrière, and the dragon slathered at Margaret’s feet is both fearsome and faintly comical. The wooden steps and nails in the painting hint at Christ’s future sacrifice, adding… Read More
The Royal Academy of Arts’ Summer Exhibition is a unique celebration of contemporary art and architecture, providing a vital platform and support for the artistic community. Each year, the Royal Academy presents a number of prizes for outstanding works within the exhibition. This year proves to be no exception, with a remarkable slate of winners reflecting exceptional talent and creativity. The Charles Wollaston Award The prestigious £35,000 Charles Wollaston Award, one of the most significant art prizes in the country and now in its 26th year, is presented to the ‘most distinguished work’ in the exhibition. The 2024 award was judged by Stephen Farthing RA, Anna Moszynska, and Joana Neves. This year’s prize was awarded to Tracey Emin RA for her work Did it Ever Get Any Better (Cat. 399, Gallery III). The AXA Art Prize UK 2024 Awarded £10,000 for an outstanding work of figurative art, this prize honours exemplary talent in the depiction of the human figure. Judges Jennifer Schipf, Mark Hampson, and Gillian Wearing RA selected Wendy Freestone’s piece, IN THE QUIETEST MOMENTS (Cat. 2, Gallery I), as the winner. The Jack Goldhill Award for Sculpture Sculpture enthusiasts celebrate the £10,000 Jack Goldhill Award for Sculpture. This year, the judges Judy Goldhill, Tom Brent, Es Devlin, Georgia Kerr, Hew Locke RA, and Ina Sarikhani awarded the prize to Brigit Connolly for her work GIVE AND TAKE (Cat. 1581, Lecture Room). The British Institution Fund Award for Students Designed to promote excellence within student communities, The British Institution Fund Award offers £5,000 for… Read More
Namatjira celebrates his community in Indulkana, collaborating with composer Jeremy Whiskey and inviting artist duo Alec Baker and Eric Barney to present new paintings alongside his latest body of work King Dingo.
Bundanon has proudly launched WILDER TIMES: Arthur Boyd and the Mid-1980s Landscape, a compelling new exhibition and live program brimming with 80s-inspired events, running from now until 13 October 2024. This initiative offers a vivid glimpse into a period of rich cultural dynamism in Australia, marked by critical conversations around landscape, land ownership, and environmental protection. Exhibition Highlights The exhibition showcases works from over 25 distinguished Australian artists from the mid-1980s. Central to the exhibition are Arthur Boyd’s fourteen powerful landscape paintings, commissioned in 1984 by Arts Centre Melbourne. These monumental pieces have returned to Bundanon for the first time since their creation, now displayed alongside more than 60 significant works by other influential Australian artists of that era, including David Aspden, Vivienne Binns, and Rover Joolama Thomas, to name a few. Boyd’s commission was part of a broader initiative led by renowned designer John Truscott, aimed at incorporating new works within Arts Centre Melbourne’s interiors. These commissions were integral to Truscott’s vision of the theatres as a ‘secular cathedral to the arts’, resonating strongly with Arthur and Yvonne Boyd’s vision for Bundanon and reflecting the period’s vibrant cultural milieu. The Boyd Connection Arthur Boyd’s suite of paintings captures the essence of the Shoalhaven landscape from dawn to midnight, epitomising his deep respect for the natural world. These works record Boyd’s observations through rough paintings and sketches created in situ, before being realised on canvas in his Bundanon studio. The series now graces Bundanon’s Art Museum, underscoring Boyd’s commitment to environmental preservation and his profound… Read More
Ames Yavuz will open a second Australian gallery space at 114 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills to the public this month! Located near the first Sydney gallery on Reservoir Street, this marks a significant milestone for Ames Yavuz, amplifying its programming in Australia across two dynamic sites. Founded as Yavuz Gallery in Singapore in 2010 by Can Yavuz, the gallery expanded to Sydney in 2019, becoming the first commercial art gallery from Asia to establish a permanent space in Australia. This year, Yavuz Gallery was renamed Ames Yavuz, incorporating the surnames of Can Yavuz and Glen Ames to reflect their Asia-Pacific and European heritage, and their relationship both in life and business. Spanning an area of 300 square metres and featuring 3.5 metre-high ceilings, the new location has a rich heritage, formerly a petrol station and part of the bustling hub of the rag trade and textiles industry in Surry Hills. The raw interior of this historic warehouse provides a unique exhibition space for Ames Yavuz. The gallery’s inaugural presentation, MEMORY/MYTH features contemporary and historic films and video installations by 26 internationally renowned artists from across the world, including 20 works never-before-seen in Australia. Curated by London-based Director of Ames Yavuz, Ananya Mukhopadhyay, the program includes works by Thania Petersen (South Africa), Stanislava Pinchuk (Ukraine), Richard Bell (Kamilaroi, Kooma, Jiman and Gurang Gurang, Australia), Brook Andrew (Wiradjuri, Ngunnawal/Australia) and Joy Gregory (UK). The screening program explores experiences of indigeneity, diaspora and the intersecting global legacies of colonialism, and emphasises Ames Yavuz’s commitment to showcasing international artists… Read More
In 2025, the art world will witness a remarkable event at the National Gallery as “Siena: The Rise of Painting 1300?1350” opens its doors in spring, marking the 200th anniversary of the institution. This exhibition promises an unprecedented reunion of paintings by some of the most celebrated Italian artists of the 14th century, artworks that have been scattered across the globe for centuries. Highlighting this unique collection are masterpieces in gold ground, many originally part of larger compositions, offering visitors an opportunity to experience the innovative spirit of Western painting tradition from this era. The spotlight of the exhibition is the coming together of several panels from the revolutionary double-sided altarpiece, the Maestà, painted by Duccio di Buoninsegna for the cathedral in Siena. Recognized as the first double-sided altarpiece in Western art, this narrative shift in art will be showcased along with other significant pieces from the ensemble. Notably, the National Gallery’s panels from the Maestà will be reunited with works like “Christ and the Woman of Samaria” from the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, and “The Calling of the Apostles Peter and Andrew” from the National Gallery of Art, Washington DC. Another focal point is the reunion of the Orsini Polyptych by Simone Martini, a folding piece created for private devotion, likely for Cardinal Napoleone Orsini. Dispersed between prestigious institutions – the Louvre in Paris, the Royal Museum of Fine Arts in Antwerp, and the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin – the exhibition will bring together all six panels for a rare presentation. Besides these reunifications, the exhibition… Read More
Eser Gündüz, the Turkish contemporary expressionist artist, is set to captivate art enthusiasts once again with his upcoming exhibition titled ‘This is a Grey World, Nothing Good Happens Here’. The showcase, running from 16th to 28th February, is a profound exploration of the relationship between nature and urban life, challenging the conventional perception of the color grey and inviting viewers to uncover the hidden beauty within. Through 17 new works, Gündüz seeks to redefine the notion that the world is dull, desolate, and monotonous. The color grey, often associated with negative connotations in modern society, becomes a canvas for the artist to convey a powerful message of hope and beauty. Drawing inspiration from his recent move from urban Provence to rural France, Gündüz introduces a muted color palette that deftly captures the coexistence of nature and urban life. In a departure from his previous vibrant creations, the artist’s latest pieces reveal an innovative technical element, incorporating electronic components that illuminate his signature resin frames. This serves as a symbolic representation of the illumination of darkness, urging viewers not to be deceived by the mundane, but to seek out the hidden beauty that lies within. Gündüz’s journey to uncover the beauty in grey has been profoundly influenced by his newfound connection to nature. By witnessing its constant renewal despite human impact, he has embraced a new aesthetic that celebrates the harmony between the natural world and industrial elements. His works feature striking depictions of nuclear reactors and factory chimneys, emphasizing the inherent beauty that exists within… Read More
Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse, the spectacular drama of Alexander McQueen’s design genius and the late ‘90s London scene inspires the musical line-up and design of this season’s NGV Friday Nights. From 16 December, Melbourne’s favourite and famous gallery, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) will host its renowned Friday Nights sessions, opening up the gallery in a more accessible and entertaining way for guests from all over than ever before. This year, the 18-week live music series will feature some of Melbourne’s most creative musical minds spanning disco, glam rock, punk, jazz, and soul. Nai Palm’s magnetic neo-soul sound will fill the NGV’s Great Hall on opening night, with further highlights throughout the series including Electric Fields, Kee’ahn, Banoffee and Billy Davis. And if that’s not enough and you’re really hankering for a visit to the McQueen exhibition, then NGV Friday Nights offers late-night access to Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse, the first major Australian exhibition to explore the work of Alexander McQueen (1969 – 2010). The exhibition, organised by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), in partnership with the NGV, will showcase 60 garments and accessories drawn from LACMA’s holdings of important works by McQueen alongside more than 50 designs by McQueen from the NGV Collection, making this Australian-exclusive presentation especially rich and comprehensive. Go to the NGV website for more info and to organise your visit
