The Archibald Portrait Prize Gallery Of NSW
One of my favorite events of the year is visiting the Archibald at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. I think that when it comes to portraiture, I lean towards realism. However, I can appreciate the story that’s being told as in Mia Boe’s, Toe Knee Arm. My other favorites were Matt Adnates, Rhythm’s of Heritage, Angus McDonalds of Professor Marcia Langton AO and Zoe Young’s, Jill at Bills for the colour’s and the light. https://wwww.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2024/
The Archibald Portrait Prize Gallery Of NSW
Walking through the doors of the Art Gallery of New South Wales for the 2025 Archibald is always a bit of a sensory overload, but this year felt particularly charged with a mix of technical mastery and raw, narrative energy. The exhibition space hums with that familiar tension between tradition and innovation. I loved Fiona Lowry’s of Ken Done, Clare Thackway’s, With The Shadow and Jaq Grantford’s and Timothy Ferguson’s Keiran to name but a few. It’s so lovely to walk around this exhibition and see the myriad of different expressions peering back at you. https://wwww.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2025/
Afghan Girl (Sharbat Gula)
I enjoyed a trip out with the girls to see the Steve McCurry photograph exhibition. The exhibition was held in a great location, the historic pier 2/3 at Walsh Bay Arts Precinct Sydney. We had a leisurely stroll through The Rocks to get there and a cold wine upon arrival. Steve McCurry is responsible for one of the most famous photographs in the world to date, The Afghan Girl. This photograph is so compelling, so disturbing, so provoking that one can’t help but be moved by it. I have seen artists paint wonderful renditions of this photograph, however seeing the actual photograph up close is startling. www.stevemccurryicons.com/sydney;
Ron Mueck
“An afternoon spent between the minute and the monumental. Ron Mueck’s Encounter at the AGNSW is a profound exploration of what it means to be human. From the startling realism of a newborn to the quiet grief of an elderly figure, the exhibition captures those private, unspoken moments we all carry. The highlights? Definitely the debut of Havoc and the sheer, breathtaking scale of his larger-than-life sculptures. A must-see before it closes this April.” Ron Mueck | Art Gallery of NSW
The Big Apple & MOMA
I currently reside most of the year in Australia and the hardest part is that my beloved family is in Engand. When My sister informed me that she just booked to go to New York with my 11-year-old niece, I didn’t hesitate to jump at the chance to join them. It turned out to be a wonderful spontaneous decision. We woke up to see Central Park thick with fresh snow and went straight out to throw snowballs at each other and drink hot chocolate. Making memories with family is so precious. Because of the bitter temperature we did a lot of indoor pursuits including visiting the MOMA. It was the first time that I saw The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh and I was surprised how small it was. Small yet powerful. My niece was a little bored but patiently followed us around. She found rubbing shoulders with Kylie Jenner at Madame Tussauds much more entertaining! https://www.moma.org/collection/works/79802
Sculptures By The Sea
I feel so fortunate to live in a place that heralds the arts. I don’t take for granted that one can go for a beautiful coastal stroll whilst perusing amazing works of art. Sculpture by the Sea returned to Bondi as the world’s largest free to the public sculpture exhibition. The 2km long sculpture park featured 100 sculptures by artists from Australia and across the world. It must have taken an immense amount of effort to install the sculptures along the route and I couldn’t help thinking, that it also took the artists an immense amount of faith that their pieces would be looked after out in the open air. I particularly liked Mela Cooke’s, High Tide bronze of a bather sitting with her flippers. John Petrie’s, To The Sea Of Tranquility, Clancy Warner’s ethical sculptures and Sean Henry’s human forms to name a few. I highly recommend a note in your calendar and go when the weather is nice! https://sculpturebythesea.com/bondi/
Patrick Carroll & Manly Art Gallery
I went to my local Art Gallery recently. I should visit it more often as it’s only a short 500m roll down the hill from my home. I went because local artist Rachel Carroll, supported by her mum Anne gave a talk about the late artist Patrick Carroll. Patrick was Rachels Father who sadly passed away in 2019. I knew of his work, but I never knew of his life. I certainly did not know about his tragic end. Patrick Carroll became a member Peninsula Art Society in 1981 and served as the President of this society. Based in the Northern Beaches of Sydney, the Peninsula Art Society has been a long-standing hub for local artists to exhibit and develop their skills. These days the society is located in Victoria. I loved hearing about Patricks personal story and his relentless quest to paint. Above all else, he had to paint and sacrifices were inevitably made. It must have been rather emotional and somewhat painful for Rachel and Anne to sit on the podium answering questions about Patrick’s life. They were so gracious and so brave to keep his memory alive. I enjoyed every minute of it. Thank you ladies. Exhibitions | Northern Beaches Council https://www.patrickcarrollartist.com/
Julie Mehretu
Do you know artist Julie Mehretu? I went to see her exhibition at the MCA in Sydney together with my very vital and spritely Mother-In-Law. She is 83 years old and flew solo from The Netherlands to visit. How ashamedly presumptuous of me, but I didn’t expect her to appreciate the abstract style of art, so I was thrilled to see that she loved it. We were both in awe at the exhibition and took our time to absorb each artwork. Of course, every piece had so much more depth to it once we sat and watched the short film about Julie’s life and the creation of the work. You really do look at the art through a different lens once you know the story. It was so interesting. She is so interesting. Julie Mehretu | MCA Australia