I headed back down to see The Nude Exhibition at NSW Art Gallery.

 

Yes, it was a good exhibit, but my bestie had not seen it AND our friend Anita Heiss was performing as part of the Wednesday After Hours sessions.

 

I finished work at lunch, collected Cathy and we caught the train from Wyong.

 

Once we landed at the gallery, we had a little chill and afternoon tea. I declared the adventure would be hashtagged #CathyandCathygonude

 

And then we saw the exhibition. This time we were allowed to take photos, unsure why we were not last time, but boy, I made the most of it.

 

The whole exhibit is superb, and having seen it once I knew which pieces I wanted to spend more time with.

 

And boy, there are some amazing pieces.

This sculpture is divine from every angle

It was difficult to capture this little nymph

This bath scene was my favourite

Matisse

and the Picasso, I love this so very much

Bonnard's Bums

This Montmartre piece captured my imagination..and Anita's too!!

I love this chick, what is she thinking!?!

This looked positively ancient, but it was not

Another Picasso

Henry Moore from behind

This sculpture was glittery and golden, doesn't show up in the pic

Cathy and Modigliani 

 

Whilst spending time with one surreal piece, we both noticed this very glamorous elderly lady. Dressed in black with a hat and all the accessories. She asked Cathy to take her photo with the piece and struck a pose not unlike a retired model. Off she went, we both smiled and I declared I wanted to be her when I grew up.

The piece had a hidden monkey in it, I was tired of looking for it, but not Cathy. So I moved on and left her there and I headed for the Rodin.

 

The first time I was at the gallery, I had no idea this piece, The Kiss, was featured. Nor did I realise how enormous the sculpture was. I love Rodin and the art he made. And this is one of his best. It is in its own specially lit room. I remember walking past with my eye on another painting, and caught it out the corner of my eye. My whole body froze, every hair stood on end, and chills went through my body. This piece is something else.

 

I spent a long time looking at it, remarkable and stunning.

 

This time I could photograph it from every angle and sat for a long time looking at it.

Because it was later in the afternoon there were less people there, which made the experience more intimate.

 

I sat outside the little area, still spellbound by The Kiss, and still waiting for Cathy when the elderly lady stood next to me and pronounced I must really love that piece!

I responded, ‘how can you not’, and she agreed, and we chatted about the exhibit and such. She was very refined and fun and lovely and told us, as Cathy had finally re-joined me, she had just had surgery. She didn’t say for what. She was incredibly thin. I told her I loved her style, and she said it was all op shop. We chatted a bit more and off she went with a flourish.

 

As an introvert, it is rare for me to chat to unknowns, but occasionally I am drawn to the right kind of person, and that day was one of them. What a lovely added experience to a lovely afternoon.

 

We continued our way around the exhibit and left feeling full and satisfied.

Above a trio of Louise Bourgeois

Modern take on Nude

Ron Mueck's sculpture follows you around the exhibit!

 

Oh and yes, Cathy found the monkey, hiding the shadows, the little imp!

Next up we had a little browse at the regular collection.

Taking this new (to me) bronze, I also captured a range of different art

Sculptures and paintings

Yes!!!! Joy!!!!

And TWO new Picassos!!!

Me and Brett Whiteley

My and my favourite Grace Cossington Smith (The Reader) and my Frida brooch

 

After we did a turn at the Gallery shop ( I want one of every book in there) and then claimed good seats and waited for Anita.

 

As part of the month, authors were asked to write some fiction inspired by the exhibit.

 

Anita was fabulous and funny...as you would expect. She choose 6 or so pieces and wrote from the perspective of the model in the pictures, calling her words, “Does my bum look big in this?”

The talk was seriously about body image and so very clever, and also so very funny. She had the audience in the palm of her hands, as they squealed in delight at her every word. I wish I could reproduce some of the words and the humour, but I would do her no credit.

 

While Anita did a book signing, Cathy and I had dinner. And then we caught up with Anita and some of her friends over wine and cheese, enjoying great conversation and many laughs until it was time for us to leave.

 

I cannot begin to explain how wonderful days like this are. They fill my soul and heart with interest and joy.