2022 is finally here and it’s the perfect time to start filling up our calendars with things to do around the city. If you’re keen to get your art fix, a massive Matisse exhibition is on at the Art Gallery of New South Wales offering Sydneysiders an up close and personal look into the works of the highly celebrated French artist.
Henri Émile Benoît Matisse, regarded as one of the most revolutionary and influential artists of the 20th century was best known for his use of colour and his fluid and unique draughtsmanship.
The exhibition titled Matisse: Life & Spirit, Masterpieces From the Centre Pompidou, Paris, is on now and set to run until 13 March 2022. Spanning six decades and tracing the development of Matisse’s style and technique, it is the largest collection of work by the French artist to ever appear in Sydney.
Part of the Sydney International Art Series 2021–22, highlights of the Life and Spirit exhibition include the coveted early work Le Luxe I (1907), the masterpiece Decorative Figure On An Ornamental Ground (1925), and the famous self-portrait that Matisse created in the final years of his career The Sorrow Of The King (1952).
These three incredible masterpieces are joined by more than 100 other works including drawings, sculptures, and more of his cut-outs in an attempt to thread a needle through Matisse’s long and exceptional career. Shedding light on how his work progressed over the year, this exhibition reflects Matisse’s unique way of looking at the world.
Matisse Alive
Running alongside the exhibition from the Centre Pompidou, Matisse Alive explores how Matisse’s influence continues to be felt across the art world in the 21st century. Four new projects by American artist Nina Chanel Abney, Australian artist Sally Smart, Pasifika-Australian artist Angela Tiatia and Robin White from New Zealand are featured as part of the exhibition.
Find more details here.
Matisse: Life & Spirit, Masterpieces From the Centre Pompidou, Paris is on now until March 13, 2022.