GRACE COSSINGTON SMITH
3 November 2005 - 15 January 2006  

Often hailed the Van Gogh of Australian art, Grace Cossington Smith is one of this nation's most important artists. A brilliant colourist, she was renowned for her iconic urban images and radiant interiors which have played a vital role in the development of modernism in Australia.

This retrospective exhibition traces Grace Cossington Smith's artistic development through paintings and drawings, as well as through her many sketchbooks, to reveal an artist of considerable depth, insight and spirituality. A National Gallery of Australia Touring exhibition.

Grace Cossington Smith
3 Nov 2005 - 15 Jan 2006
$8 / $6 concession

EXHIBITION TALKS
Grace Cossington Smith  

5 Nov, 2.30pm Dr Deborah Hart, Senior Curator Australian Painting & Sculpture, National Gallery of Australia

10 Nov, 3pm Sheona White, Senior Coordinator of Public Programs 

12 Nov, 2.30pm Associate. Professor Diana Wood-Conroy, University of Wollongong

17 Nov, 3pm Samantha Littley, Curator Australian Art, Queensland Art Gallery

Exhibition talks
5, 10, 12, 17 Nov
Free with exhibition entry

EXHIBITION LECTURE
Grace Cossington Smith  

11 November, 1pm Vivienne Webb, Curator Museum of Contemporary Art. The Lacquer Room

More guest speakers in our Art After Hours section including Kylie Kwong, Julie McCrossin and Bill Leak.

Exhibition lecture
11 Nov, 1pm 
Free

SPECIAL EMAIL COMING SOON
Pissarro: The first Impressionist 

Look out this month for an interactive e-postcard previewing the major summer exhibition Pissarro: The first Impressionist. This is the largest Impressionist exhibition ever to come to Australia. To purchase express-entry tickets and learn more about this leading artist, visit www.pissarro.com.au

Pissarro:
The first Impressionist
19 Nov 2005 - 19 Feb 2006.
Express entry tickets
www.pissarro.com.au

STUDY PISSARRO
International Symposium

This is a great opportunity to hear world experts on French Impressionism. Speakers include: Pissarro's great grandson Joachim Pissarro, MoMA, New York; Richard Brettell, University of Texas, Dallas; John House, Courtauld Institute, London, Richard Shiff, University of Texas, Austin and Virginia Spate, University of Sydney.

International Symposium
Sat 19 Nov, 9am - 4pm
$80, $70 mem, $50 conc
Includes lunch & exhibition entry. Bookings: (02) 9225 1878 or online

PISSARRO BRUNCH
Alliance Française Brunch

Joachim Pissarro and Claire Durand-Ruel Snollaerts discuss, in French, their major collaborative project, the Critical Catalogue of Camille Pissarro's paintings. Includes the talk, brunch, film and exhibition entry

Pissarro Brunch
Sun 20 Nov 10am - 1.30pm
$35, $30 Members.
Bookings (02) 9225 1878 or online

FILM PROGRAM
The Poetic Mandarin

These feature films explore the turbulent cultural and political changes in China in the 20th century. Titles include: Balzac and the little Chinese seamstress (dir: Sijie Dai) 2002, 2 & 6 Nov and Hibiscus town (dir: Xie Jin 1986) 9 & 13 Nov. 

Film Program
Wednesdays 2pm & 7.15pm
Sundays 2pm, Free
See Full program >

AWAKEN THE GREEN FAIRY
Contempo end-of-year party

There's an absinthe renaissance and bohemian revival at the Gallery - so join Contempo as we dance with the green fairy! We've recreated 19th century Montmartre, mesmerising world of French cafes, street performers, artist, musicians and of course, absinthe cocktails - made famous by the likes of Van Gogh, Oscar Wilde and Toulouse Lautrec. Dress for the time, whatever you imagine it to be, and indulge in food, wine and a sense of delicious unreality.

Contempo Party
Sat 10 Dec
7.30pm - 11pm
$75/$65 members
Call (02) 9225 1878 or online

BARBARA BLACKMAN TEMENOS FOUNDATION LECTURE
Diane Cilento Sainthood in Sufism

Diane Cilento, teacher, director and author hopes to reveal in part the three journeys that each individual makes towards 'sainthood' and in so doing uncover some of the mysteries of the passionate and sublime poetry that various different Sufi saints from the Middle East have written on their way to union with oneness.

Lecture
Sun 27 Nov, 10.30
Free

SPECIAL LECTURE - VISASIA
The Mughal painting at its zenith:
the life of the Indian Emperor Shah Jehan

Oliver Everett, Librarian Emeritus of the Royal Library at Windsor Castle, speaks on the Padshahnama, a volume of the finest Indian paintings in the world presented to King George III in 1797. Mr Everett worked for 17 years on the Royal Collection at Windsor, and was also Assistant Private Secretary to Prince Charles and Private Secretary to Diana, Princess of Wales.

Lecture
Wed 30 Nov, 6pm.
Refreshments follow the talk.
$35 / $30 members
Bookings online

ART AFTER HOURS
Wednesdays until 9pm

Art After Hours celebrates the exhibition Grace Cossington Smith with a range of inspired celebrity talks and more!

GALLERY TALKS
Join curators and educators for talks on the Gallery's temporary exhibitions.

Gallery talks
Wednesdays 5.30pm
Free

CELEBRITY TALKS

9 Nov - Julie McCrossin, Broadcaster. Thoroughly Modern Women of Sydney.

16 Nov - Bill Leak, artist & author, Life Stories of Sydney Artists.

23 Nov - Kylie Kwong, chef, author & TV personality, The Lacquer Room and other Sydney Cafés.

Celebrity talks
Wednesdays 6.30pm
Free

Film program 7.15pm
Guided tours* 7.30pm
Live Music in the ArtBar 7.30pm
 
For more information: www.artafterhours.com.au
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Art After Hours
Wednesdays 5-9pm
All events free
except guided tours -
*Free with exhibition entry

REFLECTIONS IN TIME: 19TH CENTURY PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY

Reflections in time explores the changes that occurred to international photographic portraiture from 1839 to 1900. The exhibition, drawn primarily from the Gallery's international collection, includes work by Julia Margaret Cameron, Napoleon Sarony, John Thomson and Baron von Stillfried.

Nicola Perscheid (Germany, b. 1864 d 1930), Elsa Asenijeff 1897. Gelatin silver photograph. Purchased 1983

Until 11 December
Free

THE POETIC MANDARIN: CHINESE CALLIGRAPHY

In late imperial China the art of calligraphy became the most esteemed of all the arts. Acquired over four decades, the James Hayes Collection wonderfully illustrates the great tradition of Chinese calligraphy.

LI Wentian (1834-1895) Couplet in regular script (detail), pair of hanging scrolls; ink on paper. 41 x 204.5cm each. Collection Art Gallery of NSW. Gift of James Hayes 2003.

 
Until 27 November
Free

WOLFGANG LAIB

The German artist Wolfgang Laib is best known for his magical work with pollen, bees wax and other materials used in a ritual setting. This exhibition of his work, the third Balnaves sculpture project, is presented with the assistance of Goethe institute and ifa Stuttgart.

Wolfgang Laib, Pollen from pine 1999. 4 jars with pollen and seive spread on area, variable from 140 x 160cm and 320 x 360cm. Collection ifa Stuttgart. © Wolfgang Laib

 
Until 6 November
Free

JEPPE HEIN - NEONWALL

The fourth Clayton Utz Contemporary project is a new installation from leading Denmark artist, Jeppe Hein. Neonwall comprises an interactive wall of neon tubes. Sensors switch sections of the wall off or on in response to viewers' movements, causing the other side of the room to become temporarily visible, then invisible.

Jeppe Hein Neonwall at Musée d'art Contemporain, Bordeaux, 2002. Photo credit Gaelle Delefilie.© Jeppe Hein

 
Until 4 December
Free

EARLE BACKEN

Earle Backen (born 1927) established himself from the early 1960s onwards as one of the finest and most respected Australian printmakers of his generation. This exhibition focuses on the Gallery's collection of the artist's prints and plates, and on his later, classically composed watercolours.

Earle Backen Still life with disparate objects (detail) 1998 © Earle Backen .

 
Until 17 November
Free admission

JOIN THE GALLERY
And receive a free ticket to Camille Pissarro: The first Impressionist, on view 19 November 2005 - 19 February 2006.

Become a member of the Art Gallery Society and enjoy a range of exciting membership benefits.

Phone (02) 9225 1878 or visit the website for more information.

Society Members' Room, Art Gallery of NSW

Image 1:Grace Cossington Smith, Interior in yellow (detail) 1962. Oil on composition board 121.7 x 90.2cm. Collection National Gallery of Australia Image 2: Grace Cossington Smith The lacquer room (detail) 1935-36. Collection Art Gallery of NSW. © Art Gallery of NSW Image 3: Camille Pissarro, Boulevard Montmatre, morning cloudy weather 1897 (detail). National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. Image 4: Photo courtesy Archives Musée Camille Pissarro, Musées de Pontoise, France Image 5: Julie McCrossin, Kylie Kwong, Bill Leak

Art Gallery of New South Wales Art Gallery Road, The Domain, Sydney NSW 2000
Telephone 02 9225 1744 or Toll Free 1800 679 278  www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au