SYDNEY, ART, ARCHITECTURE, AND GARDENS

I have had a lot going on these past few months and really needed an escape, but until I can manage a chunk of time to go away, a day trip to Sydney would have to do!

I got a reminder the Marcel Duchamp exhibit would be finishing and made a last minute trip down.

I was really lucky, it ended up being the most beautiful spring day (in winter no less) very warm and lovely.

So I took the early train to Central and did my usual change to St James and wander on the edge of the Domain to the Art Gallery of NSW.

Also showing were the Wynne, Sulman, and Archibald Prize exhibits, so I did them first.

The Sulman Prize is for subject, genre, or mural painting and was an eclectic section of the exhibit.

The first girl that knocked on his door by McLean Edwards was the winner.

Here are some I liked.

Next up, the Wynne Prize for landscape painting or figurative sculpture. I think I love the Wynne the best out of all three.

Seven Sisters by Sylvia Ken was the winner here. Stunning!!

And there were so many I loved, but these stood out the most with Jun Chen's Magnolia Trees (the final pic) being my favourite.

The Archibald winner was the very striking Mrs Singh by Tsering Hannaford.

My favourite was Ahn Do's Art and War, followed by others.

As always, a break was very much needed, so I had a lovely morning tea in the outside area of the gallery cafe.

Then, The Essential Duchamp. I didn't really know a lot about the man, bar his Cubism and conceptual art. He started as a regular painter, his paintings and etchings were stunning.

Then he got into the Cubist and Dada movements, with painting, sculpture, and posters. He worked a lot with Man Ray and there were some of his photographs of Duchamp in the exhibit. He moved on to conceptual art and blew a lot of people's minds with it, but this is what he is most famous for. 

Later in his life, he took on a female persona/pseudonym, Rrose Selavy, Man Ray photographed Duchamp dressed as a woman to portray Rrose.

The exhibition was full of notebooks, scribblings, and words about his art, he was a huge planner. Alongside this were the pieces themselves, and a lot of film footage. It was a lovely immersement into his life, and utterly fascinating work!

I then had a wander through the Australian art permanent collection of the gallery, taking in some of my faves.

And then the European collection.

Upon leaving the gallery, I headed toward Circular Quay.

First meandering through The Botanical Gardens, taking in the beauty on such a lovely sunshiny afternoon.

Then through an older section of the city, always looking up...at the blue skies and the fabulous old architecture.

Occasionally really old blended with new, and gave some great perspectives.

I grabbed a Moroccan Lamb Gozleme from my fave place, and headed to the Quay to sit in the sun, eat, and watch the passing parade. 

The weather was starting to turn, so I grabbed a Messina ice-cream (a must, and no pics!) before taking the journey home.

Just the kind of day to help feed my soul and build me up to almost feeling normal again.