ART

One of my great loves in life is to go to Art Galleries. I have been doing this for years. I do not proclaim to know much except what I like and appreciate. Over the years I have read about Art and Artists and spoken to people who are knowledgeable about Art and of course have picked up much. As a side-bar I love to read about Art theft, I find it fascinating.

 

My love of Art started basic – Monet, I was a teen, I loved the swirls and romanticism of Impressionism, and in particular the shades of colours that the great man used.

 

I went to many exhibits at the NSW State Gallery, including ones on Surrealism and Warhol – their cleverness and humour and irony sucked me in, I have expanded from the basics there. Whilst there I would look at their regular collection. For the most part this has not changed that much over the years.

 

Last year I took time to really look at this collection, my faves were familiar to me but there was so much more I’d previously whipped past. Here are some thoughts about this collection with pics of my faves.

 

NGV in Melbourne has the best, well-rounded collection of any gallery I have been to. And spending many a wet Melbourne afternoon there I have learnt much about Art. They do special exhibits like no other too, so I try to get down for most of these. One of my favourite paintings is Picasso’s Weeping Woman, this – many years ago – led me to read and look at more Picasso...oh my. And to this day, any visit to NGV without seeing this lovely lady seems very wrong.

 

I also did a similar thing with my faves at NGV and the Ian Potter Centre (Australian wing of the gallery at Fed Square)

 

Of course in recent years, I have been lucky enough to see some of the key galleries in New York and Paris and Rome – The Met, MOMA, Guggenheim, The Louvre, The L’Orangerie, Musee D’Orsay, Rodin Museum, and The Vatican. AND visited Monet’s house and gallery at Giverny.

 

Of course Art is more than paintings – although great paintings are my preference, I do love a sculpture. And then there are installations, digital art, craft art and on and on and on.

 

I’ll always love a Monet or any impressionist. I adore Picasso and worship Kahlo. I love Whiteley and Preston and Olsen and Olley and Cossington-Smith. Rodin and Kandinsky and Pollock and Dali. Van Gogh and Cezanne and Munch and Klimt. Warhol and Botticelli and Turner and Bacon and Magritte. Klee and Miro and De Kooning and Mondrian. And many more, my interest is varied.

 

But mostly I just like to wonder and ponder in an Art Gallery, sit and really look at the layers of the piece. Think about what i enjoy, note down a particular artist so I can go and research them a little. Art is for everyone, anyone can do this. You don’t have to be an expert, you just have to have an open mind. In fact, I think the less you know, the more informed a decision on what you like can be made.There is much I see I gloss over or don’t like, but there is much more I see that just brings me to my knees with their beauty. And beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

 

So in the recent trip to Melbourne I was particularly lucky to see amazing Art.

 

First up was Bulgari Jewels – whilst not traditional art, you can see how artistically the jewells are arranged and displayed.

 

And Kylie Minogue costumes display – this I would also call artistic!

 

I also re-visited the Hellenic Museum – which is full of stunning Greek artefacts and art.

 

Next up was John Olsen, this was supremely amazing, and one of the best and inspiring exhibits I’ve seen.

 

Banksy is another fave, and we were lucky enough to see a great exhibit of his work.

 

VIktor and Rolf were a quirky addition to the Art World.

 

And Hockney the grand master.

So loads of lovely pics, a few patterns emerge, pastels, unique use of colour, floral and nudes. The strange, unusual, weird, and unique!