www.nga.gov.au #nationalgalleryaus
Illustration by Indieguerillas
The NGA extends a special thanks to its Indigenous Arts Partner
2018 IS AN EXCEPTIONAL YEAR FOR ART IN CANBERRA. The NGA is pulling out all stops with four major exhibitions, special installations of the permanent collection, live events, contemporary projects and new art.
Reko Rennie Royal Flag 2013 24 carat gold on aluminium National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Purchased 2013 Unless otherwise noted, image copyright belongs to the National Gallery of Australia
Discover your place
THE NGA IS BUZZING ALL THROUGH THE YEAR.
Come and explore art from Australia and around the world.
CONTENTS
MAJOR EXHIBITIONS – 4 MEMBERSHIP – 14 FREE AND FABULOUS – 16 EXHIBITION CALENDAR – 43 TRAVELLING EXHIBITIONS – 44 STAY AND PLAY – 48 NGA EATS – 50 NGA SHOP – 51 PUBLIC PROGRAMS – 52 NGA LIVE – 56 KIDS AND FAMILY – 58 EDUCATION – 60 GIVING TO THE GALLERY – 62 VISITING THE NGA – 64 CANBERRA – 65 PARTNER WITH THE NGA – 66
2018 PROGRAM — 4
The NGA reveals worlds you never imagined possible. Our exhibitions and galleries provoke new ideas to challenge you and make you feel, deep down, that you have shared in something special.
EXPERIENCE DEFINING MOMENTS YOU WILL NEVER FORGET.
2018 PROGRAM — 5
Major Exhibitions
2018 PROGRAM — 6
HYPER REAL Sam Jinks Woman and child (detail) 2010 © Sam Jinks. Image courtesy of the artist, Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney and Institute for Cultural Exchange, Tübingen
— Visitor
Featuring astonishing life-like depictions of the human form in sculpture, video, digital art, virtual reality and bio-art, Hyper Real charts the evolution of hyperrealism since the early 1970s and invites visitors to experience the familiar in multifaceted ways.
Hyper Real goes beyond the genre’s traditional focus on extraordinarily life-like sculptural representations of the human body. Patricia Piccinini’s uncanny yet inviting fantasy world blends human and animal attributes, Shaun Gladwell’s virtual reality experience provides a disconcerting journey through the human skull, and Russian collective AES+F’s panoramic video installation turns the assumed natural order of society on its head. With almost 50 artworks by 32 artists, the exhibition pushes the boundaries of the genre in its exploration of what constitutes the contemporary hyperreal. Welcome to humanity amplified.
AES+F Inverso mundus (detail) 2015 Courtesy the artists, MAMM, Anna Schwartz Gallery and Triumph Gallery
2018 PROGRAM — 7
‘This is the most extraordinary exhibition I have ever seen. Disturbing and thought-provoking, it lingered with me long after I left the gallery.’
UNTIL 18 FEBRUARY TICKETS Tickets are on sale at the NGA and through
or 1300 795 012 $25 adults $20 NGA Members, with Membership prices for NGA Members' guests $22.50 concession/ students $7 audio guide hire TOURS Free exhibition tours depart daily at 11.00am and 2.00pm.
2018 PROGRAM — 8
CARTIER THE EXHIBITION Cartier Paris Crocodile necklace 1975 Photo: Vincent Wulveryck Cartier Collection © Cartier
Cartier Paris Tiger clip brooch 1957 Photo: Vincent Wulveryck Cartier Collection © Cartier
— Dame Elizabeth Taylor
Cartier: The Exhibition is a breathtaking display of some of the world’s most exquisite jewels, featuring loans from royal families, celebrities and the astonishing Cartier collection. Immerse yourself in over 300 spectacular items, including royal tiaras, necklaces, brooches and earrings. The Maison Cartier dominated 20th century jewellery design with its innovative approach to style and engineering, and the impact glamorous jewellery can make. Never before have so many incredible diamonds, pearls, sapphires, emeralds and other precious stones been seen in Australia. This exhibition explores Cartier’s glittering international clientele, with highlights including Dame Nellie Melba’s diamond stomacher brooch, the Queen’s ‘Halo’ tiara worn by Kate Middleton at her wedding to Prince William, Princess Grace of Monaco’s 10.48 carat diamond engagement ring, Dame Elizabeth Taylor’s diamond and ruby necklace, and a selection from the NGA’s exceptional Ballets Russes costumes.
In addition to an array of jewellery, timepieces and precious objects, Cartier: The Exhibition provides unprecedented insight into the history of Cartier through a selection of original preparatory drawings, portraits, historic photographs, film, advertisements, and jewellery-making tools and equipment. Step into the dazzling world of the Maison Cartier and its clients to discover concepts of glamour throughout the 20th century, accompanied by our rich program of talks, tours and events, and beautifully curated, fully illustrated catalogue.
2018 PROGRAM — 9
‘The jewellery was glorious, rippling red on blue like a painting.’
30 MARCH – 22 JULY TICKETS Tickets are on sale at the NGA and through
or 1300 795 012 $27 adults $20 NGA members $25 concession/ students $7 audio guide hire Premium experience: $55, $45 members TOURS Free exhibition tours depart daily at 11.00am and 2.00pm.
Cartier Paris Scroll tiara 1902 Photo: Vincent Wulveryck Cartier Collection © Cartier
2018 PROGRAM — 10
AMERICAN MASTERS 1940–1980 Jon Schueler The first day (detail) 1956 © Jon Schueler Estate
When the NGA acquired Jackson Pollock's Blue Poles in 1973, at the time the most expensive American painting ever sold, our emerging collection hit the global headlines. This exhibition tells the story of the formation of our incredible American collection and includes many major works not seen together for a long time.
2018 PROGRAM — 11
Drawn exclusively from our outstanding collection of American art, American Masters celebrates that nation’s artists from the 1940s to the 1980s.
From Abstract Expressionism, Colour Field, Pop, Neo-Dada and Photo-Realism, to Conceptual, Land and Performance Art, American Masters examines how a generation of young Americans challenged local traditions and reinvented modern art, inspired by European émigrés including Marcel Duchamp, Henri Matisse, Piet Mondrian and Josef Albers. The sensational international impact of the era’s major artists is captured in masterpieces by Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, Chuck Close, Donald Judd, Eva Hesse and Louise Bourgeois. Highlights include paintings and works on paper by the New York School, including Sol LeWitt’s huge Wall drawing No. 380 a-d 1982, specially re-made for this exhibition, and a selection of spectacular light works by Dan Flavin, Bruce Nauman, Keith Sonnier and James Turrell.
Robert Mapplethorpe Patti Smith (detail) 1976 © Robert Mapplethorpe Estate (1946–2039)
24 AUGUST – 11 NOVEMBER TOURS Free exhibition tours depart daily at 11.00am.
2018 PROGRAM — 12
LOVE AND DESIRE
PRE-RAPHAELITE MASTERPIECES FROM THE TATE William Holman Hunt The awakening conscience (detail) 1853 Image courtesy Tate Britain
— Shakespeare's Hamlet, Act II, Scene II
Enter a world of Love and Desire as the Tate Britain loans exclusive masterpieces from its unsurpassed collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings. In mid-19th century Britain, a group of rebellious young artists emulated the spirit of early Renaissance painting in protest against the art establishment of the era and society at large. Radically flaunting convention, these artists revelled in the use of brilliant colour, meticulous detail and exquisite layering. The Pre-Raphaelites drew inspiration from the great love stories of history and literature, the tempestuousness of lustful entanglements, and the wonder of religious icons. They created a new artistic genre, sometimes poetic and sexy and sometimes raw, that combined medieval romanticism with modern life to produce literary scenes, portraits and landscapes rich in symbolism.
Love and Desire features 50 of Tate’s most famous and best-loved works, alongside 40 loans from British and Australian collections. With masterpieces such as John Everett Millais’ Ophelia 1851–52, William Holman Hunt’s The Awakening conscience 1853 and Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Aurelia (Fazio’s mistress) 1863–73, this exhibition is a stunning survey of the Pre-Raphaelite movement. These masterpieces have never been seen in Australia before, and the exhibition truly represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. For the duration of the exhibition, the themes of Love and Desire sweep through our galleries, filling them with romance.
John Everett Millais Ophelia (detail) 1851–52 Image courtesy Tate Britain
2018 PROGRAM — 13
‘Doubt thou the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move, Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love.’
14 DECEMBER – 22 APRIL 2019 TOURS Free exhibition tours depart daily at 11.00am.
2018 PROGRAM — 14
MEMBERSHIP BECOME PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER
MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS
MAJOR EXHIBITION EVENTS
MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES
• Complimentary tickets to a major exhibition for first time Members • Discounted tickets to all events and exhibitions • Invitations to Members Exhibition Opening Parties • 10% discount at the Gallery shops and cafes • Receive the quarterly NGA printed magazine, Artonview, full of NGA and art world news • Exclusive annual program of events including visits to artist studios, tours and after hours viewings • Access to the online Members News for Gallery updates, insights and offers • Entry to the Members Lounge with complimentary coffee and tea • Reciprocal benefits at all state galleries, the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Powerhouse Museum
• Hyper Real Breakfast: Sunday 21 January • Hyper Real Members Viewing: Thursday 1 February • Cartier: The Exhibition Members Opening Party: Thursday 29 March • Cartier: The Exhibition Curator’s Dinner: Friday 1 June • American Masters Exclusive: Thursday 6 September • Love and Desire: Pre-Raphaelite Masterpieces from the Tate Members Opening: Friday 14 December
Category Individual local Concession Individual national Concession Joint local Concession Joint national Concession Student**
COFFEE WITH THE CURATOR Enjoy coffee and exhibition tours with the Curators of David Hockey: Prints, Arthur Streeton: The Art of War, The National Picture: the Art of Tasmania's Black War, Picasso: The Vollard Suite and more.
HOW TO BECOME A MEMBER If you wish to join the NGA or renew your Membership, go online at nga.gov.au/members or call the Membership office on 02 6240 6528. You can also gift a Membership to friends and family.
1 Year $80 $70* $70 $60* $100 $90* $90 $80* $60
2 Year $150 $130* $130 $110* $190 $170* $170 $150*
Membership categories explained Individual – Any individual art lover Joint – Two adults living at the same address Student – Full-time student under 30 Children – Add up to three children 17 and under for free to any single or joint Membership Young adult *** – Add up to three adults aged between 18–26 for $20 per person, per year to any single or joint Membership Conditions National Member living further 100km from the NGA * Available to pension cardholders only. For joint Memberships both Members must have pension cards ** Students must provide student number and institution *** Young adult $20 per person, per year to any single or joint Membership
2018 PROGRAM — 15
An NGA Membership is your gateway to a world of breathtaking art, exciting events, and behind-the-scenes experiences. Enjoy priority access and exclusive offers while discovering the stories and secrets behind our major exhibitions and constantly evolving permanent collection.
2018 PROGRAM — 16
Appreciate a passing moment. Experience the emotion of history. Pause in an ever-changing world. Explore, think differently and find something that defines you. Feel free and fabulous at the NGA.
OUR COLLECTION IS INCREDIBLE
Jean Baptiste Apuatimi and Greg Orsto Tutini 2008 © the artist, Licensed by Aboriginal Artists Agency Pty Ltd
2018 PROGRAM — 17
Free & Fabulous
2018 PROGRAM — 18
THE ART OF GIVING RECENT GIFTS OF AUSTRALIAN AND INTERNATIONAL ART
Paul Sèrusier La Savoyarde [Woman from Savoy] (detail) 1890
Highlights include: • James A. Whistler’s Harmony in blue and pearl: The Sands, Dieppe 1885. The NGA purchased this tiny American masterpiece, painted on a cigar box lid, in 2017 with the assistance of Allan and Maria Myers, Andrew and Tracey Sisson, the American Friends of the NGA with the support of the Dr Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable Foundation and the Neilson Foundation. Seeing Whistler's small oil sketches on panel in London inspired Tom Roberts’ idea for the avant-garde 9 by 5 Impression Exhibition in Melbourne in 1889. • Frederick McCubbin’s early masterpiece, Bush Idyll 1893 is on loan to the NGA from a private collector. This work is placed near another recent addition, Arthur Streeton’s The Point Wharf, Mosman Bay 1893. These new works can be discovered in the Australian Impressionism gallery. • Paul Sérusier’s Post-Impressionist masterpiece, Woman from Savoy (La Savoyarde) 1890, recently added to the national collection, demonstrates his close association with his mentor Paul Gauguin.
• Five of Sidney Nolan works from his Antarctica 1964 series, purchased with the assistance of the NGA Foundation. Nolan’s Antarctica paintings show his work in a striking new light, evoking the vast, desolate emptiness of the world’s southernmost tip. • The NGA’s collection of David Hockney’s works on paper is one of the most extensive in the world. It now includes large coloured sketches made on an iPad, The arrival of spring in Woldgate, East Yorkshire and Yosemite II, October 5th 2011. • The exceptional donation of 57 Albert Namatjira watercolours by Gordon and Marilyn Darling allows this significant Indigenous painter’s work to be shared with generations to come. A beautiful and inspiring exhibition. • In Rosalie Gascoigne’s rarely seen Letting go 1991, generously donated by the artist’s daughter Hester Gascoigne, a torn assemblage of linoleum creates the feeling of natural phenomena, as well as a sense of personal freedom. • Tasmanian painter Philip Wolfhagen’s dramatic evocation of
cloud formations over the landscape in A litany of vapours 2007 was purchased with the assistance of the Foundation Gala Dinner Fund. It hangs in our main Art of giving gallery featuring major paintings by Brian Blanchflower and Ildiko Kovacs donated by James and Jacqui Erskine, as well as an impressive sculpture by Akio Makigawa gifted by Tom Lowenstein. • Created especially for the NGA’s contemporary Hyper Real exhibition, Sam Jinks’ emotive commission, The deposition 2017, is rendered in extreme life-like detail, with every hair individually placed. It is a triumph of the hyperreal genre. • Five early Papunya boards join the ATSI Galleries from the Allan Scott Collection, recently acquired with the assistance of a group of generous supporters. • Mugus, or Lord of the Pigs, an ancient ancestor figure from Papua New Guinea, joins the Polynesian Gallery. A superb carved figure, scientifically dated to the mid-17th century, of a fearsome man-eating god, from the Markham Valley in Papua New Guinea.
2018 PROGRAM — 19
Celebrate the ‘art of giving’ by following a new trail that recognises some of our generous donors and patrons.
2018 PROGRAM — 20
AUSTRALIAN IMPRESSIONISM UNTIL MARCH
Some of the finest masterpieces of Australian Impressionism are on show together, offering a great opportunity to experience the depth of the national collection.
In the final decades of the 19th century, the development of a new lighter, brighter, out-of-doors painting style was played out in the artistic centres of Britain and Europe, and crucially influenced contemporary practice in Australia. Artists who began their careers in Melbourne were influenced by Impressionism, Plein Air, Naturalism and Aestheticism, and paid close attention to representing modern life. Leading up to Federation in 1901, these artists also created distinctly Australian responses to the landscape.
Arthur Streeton Golden summer, Eaglemont 1889
In the 1920s, Australian artists rebelled against the austerity of World War I to create images of an abundant nation filled with strong, youthful figures, capturing the vitalism of a nation reborn.
Technological advancements and urbanisation influenced the emergence of Art Deco: a new aesthetic in art, architecture, design and fashion. Comprised entirely of works selected from our collection, Art Deco presents superb examples of Australian Vitalism, including Rayner Hoff’s architectural frieze Deluge – stampede of the lower gods 1927, Jean BroomeNorton’s Abundance 1934 and Napier Waller’s painting, I'll put a girdle round about the earth 1933, which captures Art Deco’s fascination with the meeting of art, architecture and technology.
Napier Waller "I'll put a girdle round about the earth" (detail) 1933
2018 PROGRAM — 21
ART DECO FROM 16 FEBRUARY
2018 PROGRAM — 22
NAMATJIRA PAINTING COUNTRY UNTIL 2 APRIL M — 22
In recognition of Gordon and Marilyn Darling’s great gift to the nation of 57 paintings by Albert Namatjira, the NGA presents a comprehensive survey of watercolours and painted objects by Namatjira and the artists he inspired.
This display of works of art gifted by the Darlings to the NGA, most of which have never before been seen in public, captures their immense appreciation of Namatjira’s impact and lasting influence. Painting Country looks at Namatjira’s early focus on people and animals and includes a series of watercolours that track the ancient path of one of the oldest waterways in the world, the Finke River, as it carves its way to the edge of the Simpson Desert. The NGA celebrates the recent return of copyright to the Namatjira Legacy Trust with the publication of a new catalogue illustrating his work, available online or in the NGA Shop.
Albert Namatjira Hermannsburg (detail) 1952 State Library of South Australia
One of Australia’s most significant moving image practitioners, Angelica Mesiti has long been fascinated by performance as a mode of storytelling.
Angelica Mesiti captures the artist’s exploration of non-verbal communication, especially sound and gesture. Visit our Contemporary Galleries to experience five of Mesiti’s major works, including our recent acquisition of the artist’s video installation, The calling 2013–14. The calling explores the use of whistling languages in communities in Turkey, Greece and the Canary Islands. Through cinematic tableaux which emphasise each sideways glance and minute gesture, Mesiti presents a moving picture of an ancient means of communication threatened by modern technologies.
Angelica Mesiti Nakh removed (detail) 2015 Courtesy of the artist and Anna Schwartz Gallery, Melbourne
2018 PROGRAM — 23
ANGELICA MESITI UNTIL 2 APRIL
2018 PROGRAM — 24
ARTHUR STREETON THE ART OF WAR UNTIL 29 APRIL
This survey of Arthur Streeton’s war art brings together key works from public and private collections around Australia and overseas.
Streeton made significant contributions to the Australian war effort, serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps at the Third London General Hospital in Wandsworth from 1915 to 1917 before leaving for the Western Front as an official war artist in May 1918. Arthur Streeton: The Art of War explores Streeton’s experience of the hard realities of warfare through paintings and sketches representing battlefield imagery, ranging from stranded war machinery and operations headquarters to dressing stations and field hospitals. This exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue by Curator Anne Gray, available online or in the NGA Shop.
Arthur Streeton Troops bathing, Glisy (detail) 1918 Private collection
This not-to-be-missed exhibition draws from our extensive collection of David Hockney’s works on paper from 1961 to now, highlighting the depth and scope of the artist’s printmaking output.
Inspired by sources ranging from Pablo Picasso to Pop Art, Walt Whitman to the Brothers Grimm, and the exhilarating experience of living and working in Los Angeles for much of his career, Hockney’s prints range from using lithography and etching, photocopiers and fax machines, and – most recently — iPhones and iPads. David Hockney: Prints is a thrilling insight into the mind of an iconic artist still searching for new ways of seeing and depiction.
2018 PROGRAM — 25
DAVID HOCKNEY PRINTS UNTIL 27 MAY
The accompanying illustrated catalogue by leading Hockney authority Jane Kinsman, NGA Head of International Art and Senior Curator of International Prints and Drawings, makes a highly important contribution to our knowledge of his printed oeuvre, and will become a standard reference for understanding this component of Hockney’s work. It is available online or in the NGA Shop.
Daniel B. Freeman David Hockney drawing on lithographic stone for one of his 'Weather' series prints, Gemini G.E.L., Los Angeles, 1973 (detail) 1973
2018 PROGRAM — 26
INFINITE CONVERSATIONS ASIAN-AUSTRALIAN ARTISTIC EXCHANGE
UNTIL 8 JULY
Infinite conversations delves into our collection to consider the creative practice of artists from mainland China and Hong Kong, a number of whom settled in Australia following the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests.
Using diverse modes of production, these artists confront and recount the challenges of making a new home with shifting degrees of grief, poetry and optimism. A second gallery examines the relationships between Asian and Australian artists, revealing a rich, sometimes disquieting dialogue as concepts of race and culture are provoked and explored.
Abdul Abdullah, Casey Ayres & Nathan Beard The ambassadors (detail) 2012
BLACK WAR
The National Picture: the Art of Tasmania's Black War examines one of the most remarkable and contentious expressions of Australian colonial art.
Focusing on colonial representations of Tasmanian Aboriginal people, the exhibition sheds new light on underexamined figures in this difficult narrative: colonial artist Benjamin Duterrau, the controversial ‘Conciliator’, George Augustus Robinson and the Tasmanian Aboriginal people upon whose land the British settled. The exhibition spans the long and bloody Black War, the beginnings of Robinson’s ill-fated ‘Friendly Mission’, and Duterrau’s death in 1851. Works from the 20th and 21st centuries reference and respond to the confronting issues that continue to arise from Tasmania’s colonial past. This exhibition is accompanied by a catalogue by Curators Tim Bonyhady and Greg Lehman, available at the time of the exhibition online or in the NGA Shop.
Benjamin Duterrau Mr Robinson’s First Interview with Timmy (detail) 1840
UNTIL 29 JULY
2018 PROGRAM — 27
THE NATIONAL PICTURE THE ART OF TASMANIA'S
2018 PROGRAM — 28
BALNAVES CONTEMPORARY INTERVENTION SERIES Sarah Contos Studio view with work in progress 2017 Image courtesy of the artist and Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney and STATION, Melbourne
Jess Johnson and Simon Ward Working drawing for Terminus 2018 2018 Image courtesy of the artists; Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney; Ivan Anthony Gallery, Auckland; and Jack Hanley Gallery, New York
Embrace the unexpected as exciting contemporary art disrupts and transforms spaces throughout the NGA. In partnership with the Balnaves Foundation, artists present daring, large-scale experiences and re-imagine the concept of an art gallery. Experience contemporary art with immersive interventions that engage, challenge and inspire.
BALNAVES CONTEMPORARY INTERVENTION:
SARAH CONTOS 4 May – 24 September
Sarah Contos transforms the NGA foyer into a cinematic universe in which film references are pulled apart and reinterpreted using a wild array of materials and mediums. Contos suggests her installation ‘has a 1980s nostalgic flavour and a 1920s fervour. The vibe is an overfilled raspberry coke slushy … a pillow fight in heels … an exquisite corpse.’ Be bombarded by unexpected structures and flamboyant mobiles dripping from the ceiling. Discover characters and props collaged with sparkling, suspended textiles and fleshy sculptural forms. Throw caution to the wind and lose yourself within Contos’ dramatic and provocative ‘motion picture’.
BALNAVES CONTEMPORARY INTERVENTION:
JESS JOHNSON AND SIMON WARD 4 May – 26 August
Login to Jess Johnson and Simon Ward’s Terminus — an immersive ‘world within a world’ where dimensional realities exist in both physical and virtual space. In Terminus, Ward collaborates with Johnson to reimagine her densely layered 2D artworks as hypnotic animated video and unique virtual reality experiences. Positioned within an elaborate floor map, five virtual reality stations act as portals into five different realms. Take a journey through a wormhole into worlds where the connections between language, science fiction, culture and technology are explored.
2018 PROGRAM — 29
BE SURPRISED
2018 PROGRAM — 30
CLUB ATE Club Ate (Justin Shoulder, Bhenji Ra and collaborators) Ex Nilalang (Balud) 2015 Image courtesy the artists. Photography: Gregory Lorenzutti
CLUB ATE (JUSTIN SHOULDER, BHENJI RA AND COLLABORATORS)
On display in the Contemporary galleries, Ex Nilalang is a cumulative moving image project by Club Ate, a collective founded by Justin Shoulder and Bhenji Ra. Across four episodes, the work transforms Filipino mythologies once used to demonise queer identities by colonial powers, reimagining the possibilities for a fantastical future folklore in the process.
NGA LIVE On 4 May, celebrate contemporary art with a spectacular night of live performance and immersive experiences. Alongside the opening of contemporary projects by Sarah Contos, Jess Johnson and Simon Ward, Club Ate presents a live work extending on the hybrid term ‘Nilalang’, which means both ‘to create’ and ‘creature’. Together with musician Corin Ileto and other collaborators, they combine sound, costume and movement to create new connections between queer, migrant, spiritual and inter-cultural experiences. Refer to nga.gov.au for updates.
2018 PROGRAM — 31
CONTEMPORARY ART LIVE
2018 PROGRAM — 32
NGA
Sally Smart Staging the Studio (The Choreography of Cutting) 2017 Installation view. Photography: Jeff Busby. Image courtesy the artist
Whether you’re young or young-at-heart, NGA Play is a whole lot of fun.
NGA Play is possible through the generous support of Tim Fairfax in honour of Betty Churcher. Open 10.00am – 5.00pm daily Free, no bookings required (all ages, children to be accompanied)
‘NGA Play lets the creative juices flow! 10/10, highly recommend. We will return!’
INDIEGUERILLAS Until 13 May
Join Indonesian duo Indieguerillas on a cultural journey through their home-city Yogyakarta. Inspired by the NGA’s collection of batik and traditional cloths, Indieguerillas’ interactive installations embrace the importance of imagination. Hop on a bicycle to bring a giant Beber puppet to life, while a second bicycle triggers the sound of a Javanese Wayang performance. Explore the value of harmony through an interactive video, or make your own digital avatar using the NGA Play app. Dive into a world of colour and joy as you play with Javanese puppets and create 3D paper toys to take home or leave for display in the YEAH GALLERY.
KELLIE O'DEMPSEY: SALLY SMART THE NEVER-ENDING LINE
10 November – June 2019
26 May – 28 October
Kellie O'Dempsey creates a living sketchbook filled with moving marks and dancing lines. Contribute your sketches to the daily journey as digital projections collide with traditional drawing. Watch as it explodes into a crescendo of colourful chaos.
Sally Smart takes over with enormous colourful cut-out assemblages and exciting activities. Part installation, part performance art, Smart reimagines the Ballets Russes production Chout (The Buffoon), its Javanese counterpart, Punokawan, and the figure of the trickster.
2018 PROGRAM — 33
— Visitor, Sydney
2018 PROGRAM — 34
PICASSO THE VOLLARD SUITE 9 JUNE – 24 SEPTEMBER
Pablo Picasso’s Vollard Suite is regarded as one of the greatest print series ever made. We are among the few cultural institutions in the world to hold the complete set of 100 engraved prints.
Picasso states, ‘It’s not what the artist does that counts, but what he is’. He aligned his creativity and sexuality with the mythical figure of the Minotaur, memorialising his connection to ‘the untameable beast’ in The Vollard Suite. This collection provides intimate insight into the mind of the 20th century's most celebrated and influential modern artist, capturing his reflections on ambition, immortality, fallibility, vitality, and obsession.
Jacques Henri Lartigue Cannes - Picasso. 1955
ARTISTS’ FACES AND PLACES Peek behind-the-scenes with this fascinating display of portraits of artists and their studios, drawn entirely from our collection.
Comprised of artists’ self-portraits, artists’ portraits of other artists, and representations of the places in which they work, the exhibition explores the way artists see themselves, the way they are viewed by their friends and contemporaries, the shared world artists inhabit, and the centrality of the studio to their creative endeavours. In particular, Roy de Maistre’s Studio Interior 1959, painted the year before his retrospective at the Whitechapel Art Gallery in London, captures the artist’s strong connection to the location of decades of work.
Roy de Maistre Studio interior (detail) 1959
FROM 30 JUNE
2018 PROGRAM — 36
PERFORMING DRAWING JULY – NOVEMBER
Bringing together drawings, photographs and audio visual works, this complex and considered exhibition reflects on contemporary drawing as both an action and an art form.
From Gosia Wlodarczak’s organic observational creations to the mechanical inventions of Cameron Robbins, Performing Drawing explores the expanse of artistic innovation in contemporary drawing. The exhibition extends the traditional boundaries of the artform by incorporating audio visual displays: in Drawing 1 2001, the Mangano sisters etch lines in a sequence of mirrored movements, while Ilka White films herself drawing her rhythmic breath as spilling lines of sand in Drawing breath 2008–2009.
David Moore Moon writing series (detail) 2001 © Lisa, Michael, Matthew and Joshua Moore
Featuring 100 works from the national collection, this exhibition provides fascinating insight into the minds of artists who used language, poetry, performance and film to expand and transform the nature of art.
From Sue Ford’s accumulating self-portrait to Joseph Kosuth’s exploration of the fragile link between word and object, experience art that resists material convention in favour of idea, experiment and unabashed imagination.
Giovanni Anselmo Entrare nell'opera [Entering the work] (detail) 1971
11 AUGUST – 4 NOVEMBER
2018 PROGRAM — 37
POWER & IMAGINATION CONCEPTUALISM 1966–1976
2018 PROGRAM — 38
WATERCOLOURS BY HRH THE PRINCE OF WALES 10 AUGUST – 18 NOVEMBER
During the annual Floriade festival, see garden and landscape watercolours by HRH, The Prince of Wales.
An experienced watercolourist and passionate patron of the arts, The Prince of Wales has been painting for most of his adult life. To celebrate his 70th birthday, the NGA displays a selection of 30 artworks. This display of garden and landscape works, selected by Prince Charles, coincides with Canberra's popular festival, Floriade, which celebrates the beauty of nature through both planned gardens and open country.
HRH the Prince of Wales Sandringham (detail) 1991 © AG Carrick. Image courtesy Belgravia Gallery
In 1959, art historian Bernard Smith wrote The Antipodean Manifesto championing ‘the image’ and figuration over abstraction, and calling for a local ethos in the face of what Smith saw as the rise of internationalism.
The manifesto was signed by Smith and the Antipodean group of artists including Charles Blackman, Arthur Boyd, David Boyd, John Brack, Robert Dickerson, John Perceval and Clifton Pugh. While a number of these artists were by no means committed to Smith’s ideas, his treatise sparked intense debate, making 1959 a landmark year in the history of Australian art. Drawn from the NGA collection, this exhibition includes key examples from the Antipodean group, as well as major abstract works by artists working around the same time including Peter Upward, Elwyn Lynn, Inge King, Yvonne Audette, Carl Plate and Janet Dawson. In many ways, 1959 represents the tale of two cities, with figuration dominating in Melbourne and abstraction in Sydney.
Arthur Boyd Dreaming bridegroom II (detail) 1958 Reproduced with the permission of Bundanon Trust (1920–2049)
1 SEPTEMBER – 18 NOVEMBER
2018 PROGRAM — 39
THE ANTIPODEAN MANIFESTO
2018 PROGRAM — 40
CALIFORNIA COOL PRINTS AND PHOTOGRAPHY FROM AMERICA'S WEST COAST
6 OCTOBER – FEBRUARY 2019
During the 1960s and 1970s, Los Angeles attracted a young generation of artists drawn to the West Coast’s eternal sunshine and gleaming artifice.
In this era, a new Californian aesthetic captured the look and aspirations of the American dream, with its promise of freedom and opportunity. However, even as they helped construct this post-war American mythology, LA-based artists unpicked the West Coast’s dark underbelly. California Cool draws on our collection of American prints and photographs to display images of sunshine, sex and liberation alongside those that laid bare the reality of life in contemporary America – a place of increasing social inequality, loneliness, civil unrest and constraint.
John Baldessari Throwing three balls in the air to get a straight line (Best of thirtysix attempts) (detail) 1973
Trained in Melbourne, Hugh Ramsay shot to fame after travelling to Paris in 1902 and having four works selected for the New Salon, an achievement almost unheard of in young expatriate circles.
An extraordinarily talented artist, Ramsay’s career was cut tragically short at the age of 28. Featuring paintings, drawings and works on paper, this exhibition highlights Ramsay’s remarkable insights as a portraitist. The NGA holds the majority of Ramsay’s sketchbooks, which reveal Ramsay’s abilities as a draftsman as well as his charisma and great sense of humour. This exhibition is accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue written by Curator Deborah Hart, available at the time of the exhibition online or in the NGA Shop.
Hugh Ramsay Miss Nellie Patterson (detail) 1903
2018 PROGRAM — 41
HUGH RAMSAY 1 DECEMBER – APRIL 2019
2018 PROGRAM — 42
ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ART The art of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia is the oldest continuous visual tradition in the world, complex in its meaning and imagery, and endlessly fascinating. It is as alive today as it was thousands of years ago.
Sandra Hill Double Standards 2015
Until the late 20th century, Australian Indigenous visual culture tended to be regarded only as ethnography, confined to museums rather than fine art galleries. Towards the end of the 1970s, at Papunya Tula in the central desert, an explosion of contemporary creativity occurred, leading to the establishment of a globally recognised contemporary art movement. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art collection at the NGA is the largest in the world and includes comprehensive collections of works by many of the most significant Indigenous artists in Australia. From rare, historical drawings to the dynamic Desert Painting movement and contemporary Indigenous art, these works are a testament to the expertise, rich cultural knowledge and ingenuity of their creators. In 2018, the NGA tours its major showcase of contemporary Indigenous art, Defying Empire: 3rd National Indigenous Art Triennial, around Australia. In addition, Indigenous Australia: Masterworks from National Gallery of Australia brings more than 100 of our finest works to the renowned me Collectors Room in Berlin (see Travelling exhibitions for further information).
RK TES M A DA SE THE
EXHIBITION CALENDAR The art of giving: new acquisitions and recent gifts of contemporary Australian
Until February
Australian Impressionism Art Deco
From 16 February
Hyper Real
Until 18 February
Namatjira: Painting Country
Until 2 April
Angelica Mesiti
Until 2 April
Arthur Streeton: The Art of War
Until 29 April
David Hockney: Prints
Until 27 May
Infinite conversations: Asian-Australian artistic exchange Cartier: The Exhibition
30 March – 22 July
The National Picture: the Art of Tasmania's Black War Balnaves Contemporary Intervention: Jess Johnson and Simon Ward
Until 8 July
Until 29 July
4 May – 26 August
Balnaves Contemporary Intervention: Sarah Contos
4 May – 24 September
Picasso: The Vollard Suite
9 June – 24 September
Artists' Faces and Places
From 30 June
Performing Drawing Power & Imagination: Conceptualism 1966–1976
July – November 11 August – 4 November
American Masters
24 August – 11 November
Watercolours by HRH The Prince of Wales
10 August – 18 November
The Antipodean Manifesto California cool: prints and photography from America’s west coast Hugh Ramsay Love and Desire: Pre-Raphaelite Masterpieces from the Tate
1 September – 18 November
6 October – February 2019 1 December – April 2019
14 December – 22 April 2019
2018 PROGRAM — 43
Until March
2018 PROGRAM — 44
TRAVELLING EXHIBITIONS Grace Crowley Abstract Painting (detail) 1947
The NGA’s Travelling Exhibitions program brings treasures from the national collection to the far flung corners of Australia and to the world.
In 2018, watch out for our carefully curated selection of ground-breaking and thought-provoking exhibitions, on display everywhere from Bundaberg to Berlin. Visit nga.gov.au/travex to find out which travelling exhibitions are in your area.
Through contemporary storytelling, Light moves invites viewers to consider the significance of the human body in a world where personal interactions are increasingly digitised. Wangaratta Art Gallery, NSW: Until 4 February
SILVER AND GOLD: UNIQUE AUSTRALIAN OBJECTS 1850–1910 Silver and Gold showcases exceptional 19th and early 20th century Australian silver and gold objects drawn from the NGA’s collection of colonial decorative arts and design. The cases which contain these pieces have been specially designed to function in smaller regional spaces without the facilities available in larger galleries. Royal Australian Mint, ACT: Until 1 April Tamworth Art Gallery, NSW: 20 April – 10 June Ipswich Art Gallery, QLD: 16 June – 26 August Bundaberg Art Galley, QLD: 11 October – 9 December
While women have been at the forefront of the development of abstract painting, their contribution is often hidden or obscured. This exhibition honours this contribution and acknowledges the important role women have played in Australia’s visual history. Tweed Regional Gallery, NSW: 2 March –27 May QUT Art Gallery Brisbane QLD: 1 June –26 August
RESOLUTION: NEW INDIGENOUS PHOTOMEDIA This exhibition creates an experience of photomedia and lndigeneity that is physical, embodied and thoughtprovoking and brings together work created since 2011 by some of Australia's most critically acclaimed artists from across the country. Lake Macquarie City Art Gallery, NSW: 10 February – 25 March
Champion of the outsider, or exploitative voyeur? You decide. Diane Arbus: American Portraits provides unsettling insight into post-war America through the lens of one of America’s most notorious photographers. Heide Museum of Modern Art, VIC: 21 March – 17 June Art Gallery of South Australia, SA: 16 July – 30 September
PICASSO: THE VOLLARD SUITE Don’t miss this rare opportunity to see the NGA’s full suite of this rare and famous print collection, travelling for the first time to venues around Australia. Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art, QLD: Until 15 April National Gallery of Australia, ACT: 6 June – 23 September Art Gallery of South Australia, SA: 10 November – 28 January 2019
2018 PROGRAM — 45
LIGHT MOVES: ABSTRACTION: DIANE ARBUS: CONTEMPORARY CELEBRATING AMERICAN PORTRAITS AUSTRALIAN VIDEO ART AUSTRALIAN WOMAN ABSTRACTION ARTISTS
2018 PROGRAM — 46
INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIA: MASTERWORKS FROM NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA The NGA is proud to partner with me Collectors Room in Berlin to present significant works produced by Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from the late 1800s through to today, drawn exclusively from the NGA’s extensive collection. me Collectors Room – Olbricht Foundation, Berlin: Until 2 April
DEFYING EMPIRE: 3RD NATIONAL INDIGENOUS ART TRIENNIAL Featuring diverse work by 30 Indigenous artists, Defying Empire surveys contemporary art by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists responding to the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum, which granted Indigenous peoples the right to be counted as Australian for the first time. Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, NT: 24 March – 15 July UQ Art Museum Brisbane, QLD: 28 July – 11 November
Jan (Djan Nanundie) Billycan All the Jila (detail) 2006
THE NATIONAL PICTURE: THE ART OF TASMANIA'S BLACK WAR The National Picture: the Art of Tasmania's Black War examines the work of colonial artists in Tasmania from the declaration of martial law in Van Diemen’s Land in 1828 and the beginnings of George Augustus Robinson’s ill-fated ‘Friendly Mission’, through to Duterrau’s death in 1851. Works from the 20th and 21st centuries explore the issues raised in these challenging artworks. National Gallery of Australia, ACT: 11 May – 29 July Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, TAS: 17 August – 11 November Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, TAS: 24 November –17 Feb 2019
2018 PROGRAM — 47 Archie Moore Aboriginal Anarchy (detail) 2012
Henry Steiner Mourning bangle (detail) c.1880
2018 PROGRAM — 48
THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS. Experience a multitude of moments defined by discovering, creating and connecting. Be part of something bigger and reimagine what the NGA means to you.
2018 PROGRAM — 49
Stay & Play
2018 PROGRAM — 50
NGA
EATS Visit the NGA Café on the lower ground floor to enjoy views of the Sculpture Garden, or soak in the sunshine at the NGA Street Café outside the main entry.
Start the day with coffee and pastries baked fresh by our in-house French pastry chef, or take a break from art adventures to sample our delicious sandwiches, salads and menu of lunchtime specials. Children’s meals, tempting cakes, the best scones in Canberra, and a selection of speciality teas are available throughout the day, served alongside a range of wines and beers.
SHOP No visit to the NGA is complete without a browse through the bright and beautiful NGA Shop.
Enjoy a curated retail experience filled with NGA publications, art books, design objects, collectibles, prints, homewares and children’s products. Discover quirky and irresistible items linked to the NGA’s permanent collection and major exhibitions. Take home a tangible reminder of the artists and works that inspire you, or pick up a special present you won’t find anywhere else. shop.nga.gov.au
2018 PROGRAM — 51
NGA
2018 PROGRAM — 52
PUBLIC PROGRAMS
SUMMER Flex your creative muscles with exciting summer workshops and masterclasses. Keep your eyes peeled for events emerging throughout the year. Bookings for workshops open seasonally at nga.gov.au ART EXPLORER: GUERRILLA UPCYCLING Spend a full day exploring the work of contemporary Indonesian duo Indieguerrillas as inspiration for your own creative art making from upcycled materials and bicycle parts. $60, $55 child members (ages 8+, includes materials) Thursday 11 January 10.30am – 4.00pm ART EXPLORER: HYPER REALITY BODY PARTS Inspired by the ultra-realistic human sculptures in Hyper Real, make a body part with special effects artist Stuart Payne. Cast your own finger with silicone and other materials. $80, $75 child members (ages 8+, includes materials) Friday 19 January 10.30am – 4.00pm
Visit nga.gov.au for further information.
HYPER REAL: FLESHY BITS (ages 18+) Create a mould of your own body part in this adults-only workshop! Embrace your fleshy bits with artist Stuart Payne, who creates realistic props and environments for blockbuster movies. $110, $95 NGA members/ concession (includes exhibition entry, materials) Saturday 20 January 11.00am – 4.30pm DAVID HOCKNEY: PRINTS PARTY AND A BIGGER SPLASH Cool off amongst David Hockney: Prints with colourful print people, music and food, before learning more about Hockney through our From Plate to Press to Paper workshop and ticketed screening of A Bigger Splash. Friday 2 February 6.00pm – 8.00pm Film screening: Saturday 3 February 2.00pm From Plate to Press to Paper workshop: Saturday 3 February 8.00am – 1.00pm HYPER REAL LIFE DRAWING Join artists John Pratt and Adriane Boag and learn how to simulate flesh in this life drawing workshop in the Gallery. $40, $35 members/concession (16+, includes materials) Sunday 4, 11 February 2.00pm – 4.00pm
AUTUMN NEON CIRCUS As the sun goes down, the NGA lights up with after-dark events. During Canberra’ Enlighten festival, visit the NGA to enter our Neon Circus of light, featuring a No Lights No Lycra dance pop-up, art experiences and roving neon performers. Free Friday 2 and Saturday 3 March 6.00pm – 10.00pm ARTHUR STREETON: ANNA GRAY AND VIRGINIA HAUSSEGER IN CONVERSATION Former journalist and academic Virginia Hausseger and Curator Anna Gray discuss the artist and his work. Sunday 25 March 2.00pm IN CONVERSATION: CARTIER Pierre Raniero, Style, Image and Heritage Director, Cartier, provides fascinating insight into Cartier’s glittering history, jewellery and clientele. Saturday 31 March 2.00pm
2018 PROGRAM — 53
Whether you’re splashing into summer, ready to be wrapped up in a winter adventure, or yearning for a spring fling, find activities and events to inspire your curiosity at the NGA all year round.
2018 PROGRAM — 54
MUSIC AND ART FOR LUNCH: STREETON IN FRANCE: A MEETING OF HISTORY, ART AND MUSIC Chris Latham, director of The Flowers of War, tells the history behind Streeton’s war paintings accompanied by recordings from The Diggers’ Requiem, the sequel to The Gallipoli Symphony, co-commissioned by the Australian War Memorial and the Department of Veteran Affairs. Thursday 8 March 12.45pm CARTIER LECTURE: MONSIEUR XAVIER GARGAT Join Monsieur Xavier Gargat, Director of the Ateliers of High Jewellery, Cartier, for an exclusive insight to the Cartier’s high fashion pieces. Visit nga. gov.au for details and booking. Friday April 20 6.00pm As Cartier: The Exhibition approaches, check nga.gov.au for more incredible events. NATIONAL SORRY DAY National Sorry Day is an important day for all Australians. Join us for commemorative events in honour of the Stolen Generations. 26 May 2018 RECONCILIATION DAY This year, the ACT is the first State or Territory to recognise reconciliation with a public holiday. The NGA celebrates Reconciliation Day with local and regional cultural performances, talks and workshops for the whole family to enjoy. 28 May
WINTER
SPRING
This winter, celebrate the art of living well at the NGA. Our program of workshops, talks and events will invigorate you with a dose of creativity.
With the sun shining and the flowers blooming, it’s time to head to the NGA for family friendly outdoor festivals, birthday celebrations, and springthemed screenings.
YOGA FOR LUNCH Warm up with art and feed your soul with yoga sessions throughout the gallery.
CONTEMPORARY AUSTRALIAN ARCHITECTS SPEAKER SERIES 2018 The ACT Chapter of the Australian Institute of Architects and the National Gallery of Australia present four engaging lectures by awardwinning Australian architects, sponsored by BCA Certifiers. Wednesdays 5 – 26 September 6.00pm
CREATIVE MEDITATION (All ages - children to be accompanied) Elevate your sense of wonder and wellbeing with a guided meditation session inspired by the works on display. WINTER FILM SERIES 2018 Catch the most exciting recent cinema about art and culture in a program specially curated by film writer and curator, Dr Simon Weaving. Wednesdays 13 June – 11 July 6.30pm NAIDOC WEEK 8 – 15 JULY During NAIDOC Week, the NGA hosts community-led talks and workshops that seek to maintain and enhance health, wellbeing and connectedness.
FLOURISH Fun for the whole family, Flourish is a free community event held in the gardens and throughout the NGA over two huge days. Enjoy the galleries and exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences, or head outside to enjoy creative workshops, live performances and installations. Bring a picnic to share under the eucalypts or purchase delicious food and drinks onsite. This event is possible thanks to the support of Tim Fairfax in honour of Betty Churcher. Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 October 10.00am – 2.00pm 30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF COMMISSIONING OF THE ABORIGINAL MEMORIAL Celebrate the 30 year anniversary of The Aboriginal Memorial 1987-88 Friday 12 October
RENDEZVOUS WITH ART Enjoy refreshments in the NGA café before joining Gallery guides to discuss selected works of art. Every second and last Monday, March – November 10.00am
INDIGENOUS ARTS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM Each year, the NGA and Wesfarmers join together to facilitate Indigenous Arts Leadership, a program that provides greater participation and leadership opportunities for Indigenous Australians in order to redress the imbalance of Indigenous representation in the visual arts sector. Visit nga.gov.au for details. November
DIVE DEEPER
DAILY DOSE Seasons come and go, but our guided tours run like clockwork. Each day, NGA guides are ready to provide you with fascinating insights into the incredible artworks on display. COLLECTION TOURS Enjoy a 60-minute tour with a Gallery guide daily, or ask us about our special access and private tours Daily, 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 1.30pm and 2.30pm EXHIBITION TOURS Daily at 11.00am during special exhibitions FAMILY TOURS A 45 minute family-friendly tour for all ages (children to be accompanied) Daily during school holidays, 11.00am
Gain a deeper understanding of the national collection with these talks, tours, curated playlists, and exclusive behind-the-scenes events. ART + SOUND Music tastemakers take over various galleries with specially curated playlists. In partnership with Yamaha. Fortnightly, Saturdays 1.00pm ART FOR LUNCH Drop into 30-minute weekly talks or creative activities interpreting works of art. Free Every Thursday, March – November 12.45pm OUT OF THE BOX Want to peek behind the scenes at the NGA? Join curators, conservators, artists and art historians for talks in the Collection Study Room. This is a rare opportunity to get up close and personal with selected artworks. Every second Tuesday, March – November 12.45pm
ALWAYS ACCESSIBLE The NGA supports people of all abilities to enjoy the works of art on display and become part of our community. Our range of access initiatives and assisted tours offer unique opportunities for people to feel included and engaged. For example, Art and Dementia encourages people living with dementia to have meaningful conversations in response to works of art, while Friday with a friend provides a unique supportive framework for people living with dementia and their carers to connect with the world in life-enhancing ways. Find out more at nga.gov.au/visiting
2018 PROGRAM — 55
EXHIBITIONS ON SCREEN Embrace Monet’s passions with a selection of films for lovers of fine art and flowers, screening over three Wednesday evenings in October. Wednesdays 3 – 17 October 6.30pm
2018 PROGRAM — 56
NGA
LIVE Club Ate (Justin Shoulder, Bhenji Ra and collaborators) Ex Nilalang Nilalang (Lolo Ex Machina) 2015 Image courtesy the artists. Photography: Gregory Lorenzutti
This is an evolving program. Look out for NGA events on the first Friday of the month, and check nga.gov.au for updates.
DANCING DEITIES
CONTEMPORARY ART LIVE
Padma Menon performs a mixture of Indian and contemporary western dance to connect with deities found in our Asian art collection. In partnership with Moving Archetypes. $20, $18 NGA members/ concession, children under 16 free Friday 23 and Saturday 24 February 6.30pm
A night of live performance and immersive experiences, featuring Balnaves Contemporary Intervention artists Sarah Contos, Jess Johnson and Simon Ward, accompanied by Club Ate (Justin Shoulder, Bhenji Ra and collaborators). Friday 4 May 6.00pm
KELLIE O’DEMPSEY: CANBERRA THE NEVER-ENDING LINE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL 2018: EXPERIENCE THE MUSIC ADVENTURE Kellie O’Dempsey kicks off her installation in NGA play with a performance drawing event accompanied by live music and dance. Free. Saturday 26 May 2.00pm
The Canberra International Music Festival comes to the NGA. Sunday 29 April 3.00pm and Sunday 6 May 2.00pm Art and music for lunch: Piano recital: Thursday 3 May 12.45pm Music in James Turrell’s Skyspace, Within Without 2010: April 30 to May 4, daily, 5.15pm and 5.30pm
THE LOST JEWELS: MASTERS AND MASTERWORKS LOST IN THE GREAT WAR To commemorate the end of World War I, listen to a concert of music by composers killed during the war, presented alongside the projected work of Gustav Klimt, Egon Schiele (Austria), Umberto Boccioni (Italy), Franz Marc, August Macke and Wilhelm Morgner (Germany). Directed by Christopher Latham, artist-inresidence at the Australian War Memorial. Friday 10 August 7.30pm and Saturday 11 August 2.00pm
2018 PROGRAM — 57
Celebrate the now. Featuring a diverse group of exciting artists, NGA Live includes talks, dance, theatre, live music and performance art, taking place in and around the Gallery.
2018 PROGRAM — 58
KIDS AND FAMILY
2018 PROGRAM — 59
The NGA is an awesome place to bring your kids and get creative. Big or small, there’s something for everyone.
Toddlers love stART with art’s interactive tours, creative activities, and live music. Kindle curiosity by picking up a digital storybook anytime you visit. Admire the results of your art-loving teenager’s Saturday morning creative workshop. School holidays are a breeze with the NGA’s School Holiday Programs. Come along for a family-friendly tour and join in on a drawing session. Get your kids involved in a fun day of gathering clues and solving art mysteries with the Art Scene Investigation squad, or enrol them in an all-day Art Explorer workshop, where they will discover incredible works to inspire their own artmaking.
Discover NGA Play and explore the artmaking options and colourful displays. Visit nga.gov.au/visiting/family for more information on the NGA’s extensive range of activities and programs for kids and families. Share your NGA experience online using #ngafamilies and #ngaplay
2018 PROGRAM — 60
EDUCATION
A WORLD OF CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES
‘NGA Education provides an outstanding gallery experience for students, with a thought-provoking focus on pivotal pieces and Australian themes’ — Teacher, WA
'Great engagement from the students. I have already planned more art activities at the NGA for next term’ — Teacher, ACT
Our highly trained team of expert educators and guides are dedicated to providing students with intimate access to the national collection. Drawing from the world’s largest collection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art as well as colonial, modern and contemporary artworks, we work with students and teachers to explore Australian history and identities. NGA Education also provides incredible insight into masterpieces from around the globe, including the breathtaking paintings of Claude Monet, the lively Pop Art of Andy Warhol, and Jackson Pollock’s famous Blue Poles. We offer professional learning for teachers throughout the year and a National Summer Art Scholarship in January each year for students commencing Year 12. From hands-on sessions to guided learning, our art education programs empower students and teachers to think critically and share openly.
ART DISCOVERY PROGRAMS
EXTENDED WORKSHOPS
The following programs are one hour long and free for Australian students and their teachers.
SEE + CREATE WORKSHOPS See works that inspire you to create your own art. 2 hours, $7 per student
ART DISCOVERY TOURS Discover our collection; look, talk and respond
DIGITAL DRAW + EXPLORE Use iPad drawing to respond to works of art in the collection. 1.5 hours, $7 per student
FOCUS TOURS A program tailored to a topic of your choice SPECIAL EXHIBITION PROGRAMS See the latest special exhibitions, free for booked education groups DRAWING TOURS Look at and discuss works and draw in response COLLECTION STUDY ROOM View artworks not currently on display
We offer a Professional learning for teachers throughout the year and a National Summer Art Scholarship in January each year for students commencing Year 12. Discover more about NGA Education at nga.gov.au/education
2018 PROGRAM — 61
The NGA’s passion for art inspires young people to open their eyes to a world of creative possibilities.
2018 PROGRAM — 62
GIVING TO THE GALLERY James Abbott McNeill Whistler Harmony in blue and pearl: The Sands, Dieppe c. 1885
JOIN US IN SHAPING THE FUTURE OF THE NGA ‘I feel quite proud when I’ve donated something. I can come to the National Gallery of Australia and see the Tony Tuckson I gave a few years back next to Jackson Pollock’s amazing Blue poles and I think, that Tuckson, it’s a bloody good painting! I’m glad it’s here and it was actually taken off my walls.’
'I donated last year and it feels good to make a small yet meaningful contribution to the nation's art collection.' — Member and donor
DONATIONS Cash donations are fully tax deductible and can be made to support the acquisition of a work of art, to help us present our celebrated exhibitions and to develop programs for adults, families and children.
GIVING WORKS OF ART You may wish to consider donating works of art directly to the NGA or by way of the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program, which will entitle you to a tax deduction for the market value of your gift.
BEQUESTS All bequests are welcome, and will be used solely to acquire works of art for the national collection or for your nominated purpose. The Bequest Circle acknowledges the role that benefactors play in supporting the NGA during their lifetime.
ANNUAL GIVING CAMPAIGNS Through our two annual giving campaigns — the Masterpieces for the Nation Fund and the Members Acquisition Fund, you can make a direct contribution to the development of Australia's national art collection by helping the NGA to acquire major works of art. Through the power of collective giving, the NGA has acquired many important national masterpieces that will be enjoyed for generations to come. These masterpieces include Arthur Streeton’s Ariadne 1895; Tom Roberts’ Shearing shed, Newstead c1894, Yirawala (Kuninjku people) Kundaagi— red plains kangaroo 1962, Nora Heysen’s Self Portrait 1932, Margaret Preston’s For a little girl 1929 and Roy de Maistre’s Studio interior 1959.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Donations of $1000 or more in cash or works of art entitle you to become a member of the NGA Foundation. You will be formally acknowledged in the Foundation’s Annual Report, in our quarterly magazine Artonview and, for donations of over $100,000, your support will be acknowledged on the NGA's honour boards, where we are able to publicly thank our donors and celebrate major gifts. Of course, if you wish to remain anonymous, the NGA is respectful of your choice. As a donor, you are part of the NGA family. Through your belief in us, you help us to grow and thrive and you motivate us to continue to do what we do to inspire and enrich the lives of all Australians through our collections, exhibitions and programs. For more information and to give now, visit nga.gov.au/giving, email foundation@ nga.gov.au, or call 6240 6408.
2018 PROGRAM — 63
— James Erskine, Foundation Board Director and donor
VISITING THE NGA
2018 PROGRAM — 64
National Gallery of Australia Parkes Place East, Canberra ACT Free admission 10.00am – 5.00pm nga.gov.au Enquiries (02) 6240 6502
FOLLOW US ON @NatGalleryAus #ngaevents #ngafamily @nationalgalleryaus nationalgalleryofaustralia Subscribe to nga.gov.au/artonline RELAX IN OUR CAFES NGA café for breakfast, lunch, coffee or sweet treats 10.00am – 4.00pm. Lower ground Street café for outdoor snacks, coffee or drinks Monday to Friday 8.00am – 2.00pm Saturday and Sunday 10.00am – 2.00pm Outside main entry
NGA APP Download our free app from iTunes to help you find your way around. BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL FOR ALL EVENTS All events free unless stated. Payment for ticketed events required at time of booking; tickets not refundable or transferable. All events subject to change. Visit nga.gov.au/whatson to confirm details. BOOKINGS nga.gov.au/whatson (02) 6240 6701 (Mon–Fri) or in person at the information desk groupbookings@nga.gov.au or (02) 6240 6519 (Mon–Fri)
ACCESS We offer assisted tours for people of all abilities and their carers. We have wheelchairs, motorised scooters and strollers. Accessible parking spaces are located in the Parkes Place underground car park. For more information visit nga.gov.au/assisted, email access@nga.gov.au or phone (02) 6240 6519. MEMBERSHIP ENQUIRIES 1800 020 068 (free call Mon–Fri) MEMBERS EVENTS nga.gov.au/members or (02) 6240 6528 (Mon–Fri)
ENLIGHTEN 2 – 18 March
The Parliamentary Triangle is transformed into a vibrant arts precinct set against a backdrop of stunning architectural projections that shine a light on some of Australia's most iconic attractions.
CANBERRA BALLOON SPECTACULAR 10 – 18 March
Held over nine days in Autumn, see more than 30 hot air balloons from across the globe inflate on the lawns of Old Parliament House at dawn before ascending into the sky, creating a spectacular scenery.
SKYFIRE
18 March
Skyfire 2018 delivers a magnificent display of fireworks set to a soundtrack simultaneously broadcast on Hit 104.7. Canberra lights up on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin's central basin.
NATIONAL FOLK FESTIVAL
CANBERRA TRUFFLE FESTIVAL
With over 200 acts from top Australian acts alongside international headliners, representing diverse styles such as acoustic, blues, roots, bluegrass, world, Celtic, traditional, gypsy and country.
The Truffle Festival is the ultimate foodie festival, and a fabulous celebration of winter in the Canberra region featuring over 250 individual events from truffle hunts to truffle degustation showcasing the local fresh Black Winter Truffle.
29 March – 2 April
CANBERRA DISTRICT WINE HARVEST FESTIVAL 6 – 15 April
Relax and celebrate the new vintage with cool climate wines, entertainment and great food at renowned local wineries, meet some of the makers and enjoy guided tours of vineyards by their owners.
1 June – 31 August
FLORIADE
15 September – 14 October Floriade has become Canberra’s most iconic annual tourism event and Australia’s premier spring festival. Stroll through a floral display of more than a million bulbs and annuals planted across 8,000 square metres of inner city parkland.
2018 PROGRAM — 65
When it comes to Canberra, you never know what unexpected wonders wait around the corner. Canberra’s jam-packed calendar of annual events offers something to suit every taste. Scratch the capital’s surface and be rewarded with a city full of surprises.
2018 PROGRAM — 66
PARTNER WITH THE NGA The NGA’s Corporate Partners actively contribute to the cultural enrichment of Australia through promoting art and culture to our substantial and diverse national and international audiences.
Corporate Partners invest in a range of ways, from helping us to present our exhibitions program and directly supporting artists’ projects, to funding innovation and investing in our extensive education and access programs to grow creative engagement. The NGA’s Partnership team can also work with you to create tailored bespoke events and marketing activations, including product integration, content generation, national competitions, and special promotional events. To discuss a partnership with the NGA, email partner@nga.gov.au
Our spirit flies further
2018 PROGRAM — 67
Introducing Qantas Dreamliner
Subject to government and regulatory approval. ABN 16 009 661 901
2018 PROGRAM — 68
The NGA extends a special thanks to
The NGA extends a special thanks to its Indigenous Arts Partner
2018 IS AN EXCEPTIONAL YEAR FOR ART IN CANBERRA. The NGA is pulling out all stops with four major exhibitions, special installations of the permanent collection, live events, contemporary projects and new art.
Reko Rennie Royal Flag 2013 24 carat gold on aluminium National Gallery of Australia, Canberra Purchased 2013 Unless otherwise noted, image copyright belongs to the National Gallery of Australia
www.nga.gov.au #nationalgalleryaus
Illustration by Indieguerillas