#ngvi

[chrismbr]

Some of the 22 digital works on the #ARTrail. At #NGVI: Ron Mueck, Head Space & Bjarne Melgaard, Octo With Ostrich Egg; at #FedSquare Nina Chanel Abney, Imaginary Friend; Alicja Kwade, All At Any Time; Julie Curtiss, Lune & Olafur Eliasson, Uncertain Cloud. #melbournelife (at Melbourne, Victoria, Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CjbvcApPtya/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[chrismbr]

#NGVI The Picasso Century 2/2. Between the wars Picasso explored the human form, especially with his revolving door of partner-muses, many of whom were talented artists in their own right; his works seem to become more grotesquely self-violent. But it was the Spanish Civil War that focussed that ferocity and the privations of WWII that gave a sombre grandeur and darkness to his work. Later attempts at anti-war gestures are less successful (Massacre in Korea pales against its inspiration, Goya’s 4th of May) though the peace dove is masterful. In old age he mourned Matisse, reworked old masters, and produced loose variations on his earlier works; though I find these hard to connect with it shows him creating to the end. (at National Gallery of Victoria) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChOMtm0JeGU/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[chrismbr]

#NGVI The Picasso Century 1/2. 82 works by Picasso (from 1901 to 1971!) are given context with over 100 artworks by his contemporaries. The young Spaniard settled into Montmartre life and began exploring: Gaugin, Van Gogh… but it was the ‘primitive ethnic’ works that fired him up. Then he and Georges Braque perspired over Cubism - only for it to be taken up as a decorative style, even during WWI. But a return to exquisite realism and classicism in the ‘20s led to his most enduring partnership: his friendly rivalry with Matisse. And despite being welcomed by the Surrealists he was surreal-adjacent, but there are many fascinating paintings by others. (at National Gallery of Victoria) https://www.instagram.com/p/ChOMiSBJVuO/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[chrismbr]

#NGVA Australian collection rehang: there is a mini-reunion of work from the #NGVI’s seminal opening exhibition in 1968, The Field, which presented a world of hard-edged geometric abstraction. One of Ian Fairweather’s Bribie Island works is complemented by contemporary Wawilak ceremony paintings by Mathaman Marika, and at the end an astonishing conjunction: intense works by Turkey Tolson Tjupurrula & Maggie Napangardi Watson are near similarly colourful paintings by Virginia Cuppaidge & (!) Pro Hart. (at Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/CgYK8xepPj5/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[chrismbr]

#NGVI Being at the #Queer exhibition for #ArtAfterDark - including promenading performance by #TheHuxleys (at National Gallery of Victoria) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeNxnkiLBGj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[chrismbr]

#NGVI’s #ArtAfterDark facade projections highlighted works from their Queer exhibition (at National Gallery of Victoria) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeFmSyzrrrn/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[chrismbr]

#NGVI facade getting the projection treatment for #ArtAfterDark (at National Gallery of Victoria) https://www.instagram.com/p/CeFl5YTrRz5/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[chrismbr]

#ArtAfterDark #NGVA’s ‘Who Are You’ portraiture exhibition is great, pulling from their collection as well as the National Portrait Collection, Canberra. 3D works include Sam Jinks (Piccinini’s former modeller) & Ron Mueck’s tiny gossiping women; an old favourite is Peter Corlett’s 1984 The Connoisseur II which used to stand in the #NGVI pre-renovation foyer, and Peter Booth’s terrifying 1977 ‘Painting’. Vincent Namatjira’s cheeky black & white famous faces is a delight, and a bonus sculpture half-way up the escalator is Rosalie Gascoigne’s ‘Parrot morning’, 1976. (at Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd45gO3Lggq/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=