Must-see exhibitions around Australia

Jan 27, 2015, updated May 13, 2025
 James Turrell's After green 1993; Wedgework: fluorescent, LED and fibre-optic lights. Currently on display at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.
James Turrell's After green 1993; Wedgework: fluorescent, LED and fibre-optic lights. Currently on display at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra.

Australia has captured the world’s attention when it comes to providing ground-breaking art and design experiences, so it’s no surprise that international galleries are vying to have their collections shown Down Under.

For Australians, this means blockbuster exhibitions are no longer confined to a single event once a year – they’re running all year round, all across the country.

With the summer break the ideal time to explore what our galleries have to offer, take respite from the hot weather and enjoy a viewing without the crowds.

Victoria

The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk

jean-paul-gaultier-exhibition

What: Explore the unconventionally dazzling and playfully irreverent creations of French fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier in the first international exhibition dedicated to his expansive oeuvre of work.

Where: National Gallery of Victoria

When: Until February 8, 2015.

Cost: Adult $22, concession $18, child (5-15 years) $10.

Where to stay: South Yarra’s The Olsen, a member of the Art Series Hotel Group, offers a cosmopolitan base to explore the rest of Melbourne’s art scene starting with the unique pieces covering the walls of each room. Book here.

Australian Capital Territory

James Turrell, 'Within without' 2010 Skyspace: National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Photo : John Gollings
James Turrell, ‘Within without’ 2010 Skyspace: National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Photo : John Gollings
James Turrell: A Retrospective

What: The work of internationally renowned American light artist James Turrell is presented in a landmark exhibition of built spaces that are delightfully unnerving to the naked eye. 

Where: National Gallery of Australia 

When: Until June 8, 2015.

Cost: Adult $25.50, concession $20.40 (timed entry, bookings required).

Where to stay: Hotel Hotel, created in collaboration with a number of local designers and artists. Hotel Hotel takes inspiration from the quintessential Australian shack and brings it into the present day. Book here.

New South Wales

Pop to Popism

Pop to Populism

What: As part of the Sydney International Art Series, Pop to Popism features works from more than 45 lenders worldwide – including the Tate Modern and Andy Warhol Museum – in a heady survey of Pop Art’s explosion across the cultural scene of the 1960s.

Where: Art Gallery of New South Wales

When: Until March 1, 2015.

Cost: Adult $20, concession $16, child (5-17 years) $10.

Where to stay: Apartment One offers a slice of contemporary Sydney living and a refreshing alternative to staying in a hotel, but still allows for privacy and all the glamour of staying in the harbour city. Book here.

Queensland

Japanese-Fashion
Ohya, spring/summer 2000. Collection: Kyoto Costume Institute
Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion

What: For lovers of eastern innovation, GOMA (Gallery of Modern Art) canvases the transformation of Japanese fashion from the 1980s until now. It showcases more than 100 garments from influential minds including Issey Miyake and Rei Kawakubo.

Where: Queensland Art Gallery – Gallery of Modern Art

When: Until February 15, 2015.

Cost: Adult $21.50, concession $17.50, child (under 12 years) free.

Where to stay: Limes Hotel in Fortitude Valley offers stellar architecture, modern rooms and a rooftop bar. All you need. Book here.

South Australia  

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Fashion Icons: Masterpieces from the Collection
of the Musee Des Arts Decoratifs, Paris
FI Valentino webMasthead
Valentino, autumn/winter 2007 – Les Arts Decoratifs Fashion and Textile collection

What: Contemporary fashion design and Parisian style come together in a retrospective of couture across the decades. Includes more than 90 garments created by the world’s leading fashion designers from one of the most comprehensive French fashion collections in the world.

Where: Art Gallery of South Australia

When: Until February 15, 2015.

Cost: Adult $25, concession $20, child (5-11 years) $5.

Where to stay: The Watson, another offering from the Art Series Hotel Group, merges leafy Walkerville with self-contained suites inspired by the work of Aboriginal artist Yannima Pirkarli Tommy Watson. Book here.

Western Australia

Treasures of the Jewish Ghetto of Venice
Treasures Jewish Ghetto
Torah crown, Italy, mid-19th century – collection of the Communità Ebraica di Venezia.

What: Recently unearthed and restored, artefacts hidden during the Nazi period by Venetian Jewish religious leaders – who never returned from the concentration camps – are now on show to mark the 500th anniversary of the Jewish Ghetto of Venice.

Where: Art Gallery of Western Australia

When: Until March 16, 2015.

Cost: Free.

Where to stay: Novotel Perth Langley, perfectly positioned among all Perth’s amenities and sights. Book here.

Tasmania

Matthew Barney: River of Fundament
River-of-Fundament
Boat of Ra, 2014. Photo: Rémi Chauvin/MONA

What: Part literary adaptation and part exploration of man’s place in the world, Matthew Barney presents a series of multi-modal artworks designed to stagger and please.

Where: Museum of Old and New Art 

When: until April 13, 2015.

Cost: adults $25, concession $20, child (under 18 years) free.

Where to stay: For the full MONA experience, spend a bit more time exploring the entire collection and then cap it off by staying at one of the gallery’s pavilions for the night. Book here.

And a bit further afield…

New York: Madame Cezanne at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Until March 15, 2015.

Paris: Jeff Koons at Centre Pompidou. Until April 27, 2015.

Denmark: Olafur Eliasson at Louisiana Museum of Modern Art. Until April 1, 2015.

This article was first published on The New Daily.

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