Art in Australia

Having just been immersed in the New York art scene, I thought I would go and look at some of the galleries in Sydney.  Whilst nowhere near as big as New York, there were still some decent sized galleries and I hadn't been to them for a long time.  I went first to the Art Gallery of NSW.  It's a classical old building, but I've never liked how the outside of it is labelled with large brass letters listing out the names of famous artists through history.  There's something strangely tacky about it.  Inside, there are some very nice exhibits, and that should be the focus.  There's a great collection of Sidney Nolan for instance.

There are also some beautifully curated old rooms which have much of the same grandeur as their cousins in the Northern hemisphere.  It was a quiet day, so I was able to enjoy much of the gallery in peace and without any disturbance.

I walked across the Domain and back towards Darling Harbour.  I had a bit of time so I wanted to go and have a look at the MCA.  The MCA is much smaller than the Art Gallery of NSW, but it has one of the best spots in Sydney looking out across to both the Habour Bridge and the Opera House.  Inside, the collection is small but I find it well curated and there's always a series of exhibits to catch the eye and attention.

Once again, it was almost empty.  It was a shame that these galleries didn't have more people giving them the patronage they deserved.