EXHIBITION
Ballets Russes: the art of costume is impressing audiences for many reasons, from the turbulent history, to the art and design, to the conservation work achieved. The delicacy of the costumes means it will not be displayed again for a long time, so don't miss this.

Explore each ballet on the website and watch original footage, thanks to The Australian Ballet and the National Film and Sound Archive.

"I didn't realise before that so many great artists such as Matisse, Braque and Picasso contributed to the Ballets Russes—amazing!"
Dimity OLeary rates the exhibition as
Very impressive

"A fantastic display of colour, texture, material, history, personality, drama, performance. Wonderfully evocative and diverse. Two visits weren't enough!"
Martin Barrett rates the exhibition as
Very impressive

Other current temporary exhibitions are Space invaders: australian . street . stencils . posters . paste-ups . zines . stickers, Anton Bruehl's photography In the spotlight and childrens exhibition Connections.

The Sculpture Bar
Open every summer Friday night from 5.00 pm in the Sculpture Garden, in association with Veuve Clicquot.
www.sculpturebar.com.au

Ballets Russes
Sunset Sessions
Saturdays 29 January to 26 February 4.30 pm | Free
Make the most of the extended opening hours on Saturdays for Ballets Russes with this five-week series of free concerts and performances.
Saturday 29 January: Mirsad Giga Jeleskovic string ensemble 
Saturday 5 February: Evgeny Ukhanov virtuoso pianist
More details

Oom Razoom: a Russian fairytale
Thursday 3 February 
2.00–3.00 pm | Free
all ages, children to be accompanied

Turning heads
millinery workshop 
Saturday 5 February 1.00–4.30 pm | $65, $60 bookings essential 02 6240 6528

Ballets Russes conservation series
Saturday 5 February 2.00 pm Free 
The history of the conservation of the Ballets Russes collection.
See all Ballets Russes events

Space invaders
Street T’s 
Thursday 20 January 
10.00 am – 3.00 pm
for ages 10–13 | $52, $50 bookings essential 02 6240 6528
An introduction to screen printing on T-shirts, inspired by works in Space invaders.

Artist talk: Mini Graff  
Thursday 27 January 12.45 pm 
Free

Vinyl sticker printing workshop 
Saturday 29 January 10.00 am – 4.00 pm | for ages 13–17
$95, $90 bookings essential 02 6240 6528
See all Space invaders events

In the spotlight:
Anton Bruehl
Australia's greatest style exports with Glynis Traill-Nash
Saturday 22 January 2.00 pm
Free | James O Fairfax Theatre
See all Anton Bruehl events

Collection
Chinese New Year storytelling: The nearly invincible Monkey King 
Wednesday 2 February 7.00–8.00 pm
for ages 8+, children to be accompanied | $8, $6 members/concession, $5 children | bookings essential 02 6240 6528
monkeykingepic.com.

Storytelling: Sun mother wakes the world 
Wednesday 2 February 
10.30 am 
all ages, children to be accompanied | Free
Storyteller Diane Wolkstein performs the retelling of an Australian creation story, Sun mother wakes the world, from her recent book, which is beautifully realised with paintings by artist Bronwyn Bancroft. Book-signing in Gallery Shop, 11.30 am – 12 noon.

Crispin Howarth has been a curator at the Gallery for four years this month. My special passion is art from the Pacific, that's Papua New Guinea in the West right over to some of the remotest spots on earth such as Rapa Nui (Easter Island). I am currently curating Varilaku: Pacific Arts from the Solomon Islands which opens in Canberra on 26 February 2011.

What has been your most satisfying moment as a curator?
It was a community access event for the ACT & Queanbeyan Maori community where around 60 members of the community came together to view the national collection of Maori treasures, or Taonga. The works were blessed and celebrated through singing. It was very moving in a way which words cannot really convey.

If you could curate a solo show of any artist who would it be?? 
It's really obvious—Mutuaga, the famed 19th century master carver from the Dagodagisu village, PNG. He deserves recognition after over a century of obscurity.

If you were a work of art in the collection what would you be?
I'm easy—anything which the Chapman brothers or the late and dearly missed Don Van Vliet have had their hands on.

What is your favourite work not on display?
An inspiration dish from Fiji. It is used by a priest in rites to connect with, or become possessed by, a god. The dish is cleverly created in the form of a turtle and has a sublime patination from decades of handling and care.

What is the smelliest/ oldest/ most fragile work you have encountered?
In a previous museum I worked for, certainly the smelliest object was a 120-year-old vat of sharks in alcohol all piled together like a tin of sardines. A few seconds after lifting the lid off and you could literally pass out. 

National Summer Art Scholarship 2011

This annual scholarship program proudly supported by NAB offers an opportunity to engage with the staff at the National Gallery of Australia, as well as other arts professionals, artists and school peers from around the nation.

The lucky recipients are listed on the National Summer Art Scholarship webpage.

The Space invaders street art Flickr competition is going gangbusters. Check out the 200+ images from around Australia that have been added.

If you want to be in the running to win a Space invaders T-shirt and exhibition book take a camera for a walk around your local area, see what you can find and share it with us and help record the art in your hood.

NEW ACQUISITION

Eldorado Springs 2007 by Valerie Sparks (detail above) was purchased in 2010 in memory of Melody Gough 1983-2009.

The Melody Gough Memorial Fund was established in loving memory of Melody so that her National Gallery of Australia colleagues, family and friends could donate towards the acquisition of this stunning work. For more information please contact foundation@nga.gov.au.

This work is currently on display in the Photography Gallery.

Support the National Gallery of Australia or give the gift of membership. Enjoy exclusive exhibition viewings, participate in members-only programs and workshops, be stimulated by engaging events and meet like-minded people.

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