"Culture Heist"

The annual Archibald prize ( $100,000) for portraiture is always (we hope) a controversial event and one of Sydney's most fascinating artistic events. Everyone should get along to the Art Gallery of NSW to see this year's exhibition and take the time to explore this wonderful gallery.

Our photo collection shows some of the entries. The top picture is the portrait of TV journalist Lisa Wilkinson which won the Packer's Prize where Gallery workers decide on their favourite. To date no Packer's Prize has won the Archibald.

 (right : a rejected portrait of  Yassmin Abdel-Magied)

And this year's Archibald did not fail to explode into a controversy. It started off with little comment until renowned artist John Olsen weighed in lambasting the winning choice. Others like artist Tim Storrier have made similar comments.
(The winner is the middle painting below Lisa, a portrait by Mitch Cairns of his partner)
Now journalist Judith White who is a member of the Art Gallery Society has joined the outcry with a must-read article.
Whispers has to agree with White on one point : we badly miss the presence of former director Edmund Capon who was lured from the V&A in London and has positively breathed amazing life into the wondrous but stuffy art gallery

 

 John Olsen says Archibald Prize win is 'the worst decision I've ever seen'

 Behind the Archibald controversy by Judith White

 

Is that a very young John Olsen (left)  protesting the Archibald in years past?

'Desert Of New Ideas'

Oh dear !. Just as the Sydney Contemporary was launched this weekend with a myriad of writers proclaiming it's brilliance (especially those whose bosses were sponsoring it) comes a report from the UK Sunday Times savaging an Australian art exhibition at the Royal Academy in London.

Rachel Griffiths at the Olsen Irwin                       'Sydney Sun'                                                  John Olsen   

As our snaps show actor Rachel Griffiths attended a media conference at the Olsen Irwin Gallery in Woolahra and also the exhibition at the Carriageworks in deepest Alexandria. The Olsen Irwin is run by Tim Olsen, son of one of our most celebrated artists John Olsen who recently exhibited at a Mayfair gallery.
The Time's art critic Waldermar Januszczak has labelled Olsen's Sydney Sun (purchased for the National Gallery in Canberra for $500K) and on display at the RA as evoking " the sensation of standing under a cascade of diarrhoea.”. Olsen has hit back accusing Januszczak of attempting to "put colonials in their place".

Continues Januszczak :"Australia is let down by lots of the art, which is weedy, provincial and all too European.". 
God only knows what our British critic would think of our publicity friendly Charles Billich who a local writer recently trilled had presented a grieving Katherine Jackson with a portrait of her late son Michael Jackson. Below is our much watched Youtube video of the master at work.

Sign Of The Times?

Rumours are swirling around the ritzy art galleries of Paddington and Woollahra that 2 of the areas most important galleries and dealers are to join forces.

Tim Olsen, the amiable owner of the Tim Olsen Gallery and son of Australian artist John Olsen is said to be teaming up with respected dealer Rex Irwin.
Irwin would possibly have one of the countries best client lists and Tim has impeccable connections in business, social and show biz circles. Together they would form a formidable duo.               
The pair were recently spotted in a huddle at Tim's exhibition of new works by actor Noah Taylor (right) a fortnight ago, as our exclusive picture shows. That's one of Noah's paintings behind the 2 dealers. Can't quite work out what it says.

Earth To Sydney Confidential

The old Darlinghust Gaol built in 1840 must have been a foreboding thought for those sentenced to be housed there by the nearby Darlinghurst Criminal Court where the more sensational murder cases are still conducted today.
Being banged up in the tiny and claustrophobic cells for life (for those who avoided the gallows) would have been a mind destroying experience.

These days the Gaol hosts a variety of schools in the arts and catering fields and  it's a lively place of learning.
Last week the National Art School housed there held a fundraiser attended by a number of leading artists including this year's Archibald winner Tim Storrier and, as Rupert Murdoch's top selling Daily Telegraph put it : "revered artist John Olsen".
Accompanying the story is the above photo with the caption " Ros Packer and Tim Storrier."
For the record : this is artist Tim Storrier ( the artist above is John Olsen) at the right :

..and at left  is Ros Packer (at the Bulgari party 2 weeks ago). Both feature often in the Shuttle. (they should read us more often as some leading UK newspapers do to source their stories)
 Rumours are flying thick and fast that a major staff crunch is coming at News Ltd in September and the fear and loathing at the Holt Street HQ is palpable. Perhaps they may re-think the notion of out-sourcing their sub-editing.

Dame Edna,Vagina Deniers & Gladioli Interuptus

It was bound to be a night of laughter, memories and tears as Dame Edna Everage took to the stage at the Capitol Theatre to bade farewell at the beginning of her final tour, Eat Pray Laugh !.

The first hour was given over to Sir Les Patterson who despite a severe attack of Montezuma's Revenge insisted on treating audience members to an on-stage BBQ in between Sir Les rushing for relief in a handy stage loo complete with amplified sound effects.

Sir Les introduced his brother Gerard Patterson, a Catholic priest who seemed much taken with Dame Edna's young Asian male pianist despite his correctional ankle bracelet sounding an alarm. According to Les, Gerard is a "card carrying member of the Vagina Deniers Club ".

Maria Venuti

The late Sandy Stone gave a final discourse about his life on Earth before ascending to the heavens in his armchair to the sounds of My Blue Heaven.

Dame Edna's manager Barry Humphries & Lizzie Spender

And then it was time for the grand Dame herself, arriving on an elephant with a decidedly Indian theme. Apparently Dame Edna's manager Barry Humphries has signed Edna to a long Bollywood film contract after mistakenly believing he was signing a Hollywood film contract.

artist John Olsen

Bruce Beresford

This was a night with Dame Edna at her best and those in the 'ashtrays' and upstairs circle were invited to "cling on like fruit bats" with the star promising to glance at them occasionally in direct proportion to their ticket prices. We heard the latest on her children, the dress designer Kenny and her daughter Val Mai with her numerous piercings who is in show biz as well, performing at the women's only Clit Clat Club in Marrickville.

Various hapless audience members were grilled as to their bedroom decor and few were spared Edna's pithy comments. The finale was as expected, with every audience member, stomachs aching from laughter provided with their own gladioli and a standing ovation to wish the Dame farewell.
And a final appearance from Barry Humphries with thanks to the audience and a hope that they would all attend the next farewell tour.

As for Dame Edna's future plans-she's been telling a UK newspaper that a biographical film of her life is in the planning :"little Carey Mulligan will be playing me, Helen Mirren will play my grandmother and that dear little Judy Dench will be my bridesmaid Madge".
It's just the beginning of Dame Edna's world tour and at 78 years of age could be her last. Run don't walk and get tickets now wherever you are. They're going like hotcakes and it's a seriously funny night of laughs.

Bodies Everywhere-Floating In Water

To our favourite art gallery in Woolahra-the Tim Olsen Gallery for a new exhibition by Martine Emdur (pictured below).

Vee & Grant

Fran McPherson & Sarah Grant

Martine is known for her oil paintings executed on a grand scale with the main subject being nude swimmers submerged under water.
Emdur, from Bondi Beach captures her great love of water and presents timeless images of the human form enjoying expansive surfaces of uninterrupted water. The languid nudes surrender themselves to the ocean, their warm bodies juxtaposed against the cool water.

She's been exhibiting at major galleries around Australia for over ten years and is a collector's favourite with prices ranging from $6000 for a smaller work and up to $80,000 for one of the large canvases.
Isn't there some sort of Freudian treatise on all this water-something to do with sex?. Perhaps we'll ask her famous brother, the TV star Larry Emdur next time we see him. 

PJ Lane & Ashley Talbot

You can be sure when Martine exhibits the gallery will be packed and the red dots numerous. Amongst what looked like a well heeled crowd: top auctioneer Tim Goodman, model agent Grant Dwyer with a stunning blonde named Vee Troyak. (is Vee his new discovery?). P.J Lane turned up with his new girlfriend Ashley Talbot but they don't really want folks to know they are an item. So we wont tell a soul. Also there- photographer Rex Dupain (right with Tim Olsen) and one of Australia's hardest working models Sarah Grant who brought her pal Fran McPherson. 

You may have heard of Fran's oldest daughter who is also a model-Elle McPherson.

Martine Emdur at the Tim Olsen Gallery 4-22nd April.
 63 Jersey Road, Woollahra 61 2 9327 3922