ART FIX | Art entertainment for isolation
“Art is unquestionably one of the purest and highest elements in human happiness. It trains the mind through the eye, and the eye through the mind. As the sun colours flowers, so does art colour life.”
– John Lubbock (1834-1913)
To visit (virtually): A selection of exhibitions
1. Hilma af Klint at the AGNSW
At the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Hilma af Klint: The Secret Paintings is a must-see, mind-blowing exhibition of extraordinary works by the early-20th century Swedish artist. Ahead of her time, Hilma Af Klint believed the world was not ready to see her work and requested that it remain hidden for 20 years following her passing. It wasn’t until 2013 that the first museum retrospective of her paintings was shown in Stockholm. We are delighted that this exceptional collection has made it’s way to Australia. If you can’t see it in person, audiences can join an online program of talks that delve into her work and life in detail on the 21st and 22nd of July.
Click here for exhibition information and click here to sign up for the online talks.
2. ‘Seeing and Being Seen’: Shame and Shamelessness, William Yang at QAGOMA
The Queensland Art Gallery of Modern Art is showcasing a major survey of leading photographer William Yang’s extraordinary work. The exhibition is free and will not close until 22 August 2021, so there is plenty of time to catch it in person. If however, you are unable to visit this exceptional exhibition (or would simply prefer to view it from home) here is a date for your diary: On Saturday 22nd August Susan Best will be uncovering the themes, trials and tribulations explored in Yang’s work, in a virtual setting.
Click here to find out how to sign up for this free lecture or click here for further information on this exhibition.
3. Archie 100 at the AGNSW
Chosen from 6000 Archibald Prize submissions, Archie 100 is a capsule collection of one hundred artworks from across 100 years. Unearthing portraits from domestic and international private collections as well as museums, libraries and galleries from across Australia and New Zealand, this will be the first time many of these artworks have been seen since their debuts at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. This exhibition is running in conjunction with the annual Archibald Prize exhibition and when you buy a ticket you will automatically be granted entry to the Archie 100 too.
Click here for exhibition and ticket information.
The Archibald Prize: The Unconventional and often Controversial List
Here at Justin Miller Art we have taken it upon ourselves to present stand-out Archibald Prize submissions – none of which may not have been included in the Archie 100.
Pictured above is John Bloomfield’s impressive portrait of Tim Burstall, submitted in 1975. Bloomfield was initially awarded the Archibald Prize, only to have it taken away once it became apparent that neither the sitter or artist had ever actually met; the portrait was in fact painted from a photograph. This created a domino effect of sorts, causing Bloomfield to contest the 1981 award to Eric John Smith, when similarities between his portrait of Rudy Komon and a photograph of the renowned gallery owner dated to 1974 emerged. In recent years an application form amendment states that all Archibald Prize submissions must be painted from life.
To save the date: Art events for your diary
1.Sydney Contemporary 2021 with Justin Miller Art
Set to be the biggest and best fair to date, Sydney Contemporary is due to take place between 9th – 12th September. One of the most celebrated events in the country’s cultural calendar, with a star studded advisory panel to boot, we are delighted to be taking part once again. First release tickets are available at a discounted rate, so make sure to book in and be part of this must-attend art fair,
Click here to visit the website and for further ticket information.
2.Frieze Viewing Room the Los Angeles edition
Frieze Viewing Room Los Angeles Edition will take place 27 July – 1 August, 2021 and will run concurrently with the first-ever Gallery Weekend Los Angeles. The Viewing Room will feature over 50 leading galleries from Los Angeles and across the globe, alongside a curated program of feature sections and collaborations. In addition, Frieze members and VIPs will have access to a tailored program of events, curator led-tours and artist studio visits, hosted virtually and in-person at galleries, institutions and arts spaces throughout Los Angeles.
Click here to visit the website and for further information.
3.OOF Gallery at the Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium, London
Art and Football come crashing together at Grade II Listed Warmington House, located within the North London Tottenham Hotspurs Football Stadium. This exciting contemporary art space will explore the cross section between art and football. Founded by OOF, which began life as a magazine, this is an amazing community project that hopes to engage audiences with art in a fun, sporty and approachable way. The project will also include an outreach program and artist residency and hopes to marry art and footy in whimsical and wonderful exhibitions. The debut show BALLS is set to open on 23rd July so keep your eyes peeled for online events and insights into this inaugural event.
Click here to visit their website.
To eat: Ten Recipes for an Australian Winter by Yotam Ottolenghi
Perhaps the worst kept foodie secret to cooking up an impressive feast lies in Ottolenghi’s ongoing column in the Guardian. Available online, this long standing feature is a treasure-trove of deliciousness. For those craving comfort food, this Michelin star master has provided 10 mouthwatering recipes, designed especially for the Australian winter, cleverly using in-season ingredients. Prepare to tantalise tastebuds!
PS. The gnocchi is exquisite – the perfect winter warmer.
Click here to view the article.
To stay up to date: art sales and news of note
1. 18 Trends that will Move the Art World Forward an Art News article
ArtNews predicts 18 of the next big things that will change the art market as we know it, catapulting it into the future. From online markets, virtual platforms and collectivity in the artworld to the age old gallery vs. auction house debate, this offers some interesting insights into one publication’s vision of the future.
Click here to read.
2. Lucien Freud’s Portrait of David Hockney
£14.9 million achieved, an Art Newspaper article
In a fascinating review of Sotheby’s new ‘hybrid’ online and in-room sales, Art Newspaper correspondent Anny Shaw goes into some detail regarding the top lots that gave Sotheby’s their highest summer sales total since 2018.
“Lucian Freud topped the bill with his thickly worked portrait of David Hockney, painted in daily sittings over the course of four months in 2002. Initially sold just after it was painted via Freud’s dealer Acquavella Galleries in New York for a reported £3m, last night it fetched £12.8m (£14.9m with premium). Six clients bidding over the phone in New York, Hong Kong and London pushed the painting over its £8m-£12m estimate, eventually hammering to James Sevier, a senior contemporary art specialist based in London.”
Click here to continue reading.
3. Picasso and Mondrian Recovered, an ArtNet article
“Greek authorities are celebrating the recovery of two paintings—one by Pablo Picasso and another by Piet Mondrian—that were stolen from the National Museum in Athens in 2012. The works were discovered in Keratea, a town in East Attica, Greece, officials said in a press conference.
Picasso gave Head of a Woman (1939), one of his fractured portraits of his lover Dora Maar, to the Greek people as a gift in 1949 in recognition of the country’s resistance to the invading Nazi forces. Picasso inscribed the back of the canvas: “For the Greek people, a tribute by Picasso.” The personal message would have made the work “impossible” to sell, according to Greek culture minister Lina Mendoni.
The Picasso painting and Mondrian’s Stammer Windmill (1905) were recovered from a dry river bed, authorities said. Both were wrapped in plastic. Officials did not say how police found the suspect, a 49-year-old Greek construction worker, or the hiding place, but noted that the works are believed to have been recently moved to the river bed following news that authorities were closing in.”
Click here to continue reading.
4. Sir Tim Berners-Lee sells web source code for $5.4mil, a BBC article
An NFT of the original source code for the world wide web, written by its inventor Sir Tim Berners-Lee garnered international media attention when it achieved $5.4 million at it’s Sotheby’s online auction. The NFT was made up of four parts, including a time-stamped file of the source code, an animated video of the code being written, a letter from Sir Tim and and a digital poster of the code. The sale made headlines again more recently when Mikko Hypponen, a tech savvy employee of security company F Secure spotted an error in the coding. It is unclear whether this will effect the value of the NFT, The sale of this NFT is royalty free, meaning the Berner’s-Lee family will not receive any resale proceeds. The profits from the initial sale will also be going to a charity of their choice.
Click here to find out more about this landmark sale and click here to read more about the coding error.
To watch: 1. Tate Britain’s Great British Walks on ABC iview
Presenter, cultural historian and unabashed art fanatic Gus Casley-Hayford, takes you into the scenes of some of the UK’s most loved landscape paintings in the company of some of the nation’s favourite personalities.
Click here to watch the series on ABC iview.
2. Namatjira Project on Vimeo
This is one of Australia’s most potent stories, illuminating the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people today, in Australia and indeed globally. Albert Namatjira was the first Indigenous person – an Aranda man – to be made a citizen by the Australian Government. He was an extraordinary individual; his work was exhibited globally and was introduced to Queen Elizabeth. Albert was taught to paint by artist Rex Battarbee when they met in the 1930s at Hermannsburg Mission in the central Australian desert. Their close friendship was to have a decisive impact on Australian art and by the 1950s Namatjira had become one of the most famous Aboriginal people of his time.
This documentary can be rented or bought on Vimeo. Click here to find out more.
2. Yang Yongliang: Imagined Landscapes, 2021 at Sullivan + Strumpf
Yang Yongliang is celebrated internationally for his monochrome works that evoke the nuances of tone achieved by master ink painters. He has now ventured into colour in a new series that recalls the delicate palette found in paintings by Ming Dynasty master Lan Ying depicting pine trees, bamboo, fantastical twisted rock forms, and sometimes a tiny figure seated in a pavilion. His digital landscapes make us look at Chinese painting traditions and our fragile planet in a new way, oscillating between sublime beauty and dystopian horror. Experience his enchanting artwork at home with this stunning video.
Click here or press play above to be immersed in the unforgettable Imagined Landscapes.