Exclusive: Win your very own Picasso for just a few $$$

 A few years ago Whispers attended an exhibition of paintings by the legendary Pablo Picasso at the Art Gallery of NSW. What struck us at the time was so many of the more famous ones were actually quite small.

Who owns a Picasso in Sydney.? Well the late famed Sydney architect Harry Seidler (right)  had one on the wall  just outside his bathroom at his amazing apartment at Kirribilli overlooking Luna Park as Whispers discovered at a party there many moons ago. (That was a small one as well.)

Now you too can own a Picasso by buying a ticket for 100 Euros or approx $A163 in this ambitious lottery. 

And it's all for charity by   who will use funds raised to build and rehabilitate wells, washing facilities and toilets in villages and schools in Cameroon, Madagascar and Morocco. 

# Or you could just donate to the charity but remember- 
You Have To Be In It To Win It !!

Below: some snaps from the Picasso exhibition at the NSW Art Gallery including Ros Packer with MP Simon Crean.

### Pablo Picasso's  Nude, Green Leaves and Bust  (right) sold for a mere  $106.5Million in 2010.

To buy a ticket to win your own Picasso go here:

https://1picasso100euros.com/pages/painting

# Whispers has been unwell but has crawled back from death and defeated The Devil (or was it God?) and thus has sadly disappointed so many of our 1000s of readers especially in Russia and the USA with our intermittent reports on Sydney Society (intermittent itself at the best of times)  

But we are back with a vengeance !

David Frost : " A Towering Intellect"

When the Shuttle interviewed the late Sir David Frost in 2011 he responded to a question about former Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam : "a towering intellect, possibly the most intellectual politician"'
Friday was Gough's 98th birthday and he celebrated with his family at his nursing home Lulworth House. Sadly Gough has lost his great Labor Party ally and fellow resident, former NSW premier Nevile Wran who died in April this year. But another mate and resident Sir Laurence Street was there to wish Gough all the best. In our picture is Gough and son Tony Whitlam. Gough's wife Margaret died in 2012.
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Next Friday the winner of the Archibald Prize for portraiture will be announced at the Art Gallery of NSW. Watch this cool video of every winner from 1921 to 2013 morphed into one.

Courtesy : ABC and Art Gallery of New South Wales

Bulgari Art Award 2013

The Bulgari Art Award is an annual award to support contemporary Australian painting.
Each year, the Gallery identifies a significant painting by a mid-career Australian artist to be acquired for the collection.
The award, sponsored by Bulgari, consists of $50,000 for acquisition of the painting and a residency for the artist in Italy valued at $30,000. The total award of $80,000 makes it one of the most valuable art awards in Australia.
The 2013 winner is Jon Cattapan for his work Imagine a Raft (Hard Rubbish 4+5) 2012.
And the award is presented at a slap-up dinner for around 100 guests. This year's chef : Tony Bilson, the Godfather of Australian cuisine.

It's Black & White for Frank and Sharon

 One couple at the recent Black & White Masquerade dinner at the NSW Art Gallery, easily recognised beneath their masks were girl about town Sharon Sergeant and her fiancee PI Frank Monte.



Frank wouldn't be drawn into revealing details about the $20M defamation writ he has issued against a well known tabloid journalist.
"all will be revealed in the Supreme Court next January" says Monte.  'Expect fireworks" he said enigmatically.

Bulgari's Art Award.....

It will rate as one of the best bashes of the year- the dinner at the Art Gallery of NSW to celebrate the Bulgari Art Award which goes to Michael Zavros, a Brisbane-based graduate from the Queensland College of Art with a Bachelor of Visual Arts. Zavros has exhibited widely within Australia and his work is held in numerous private and public collections including: The National Gallery of Australia, Queensland Art Gallery, University of Queensland Art Museum and Tasmanian Museum and Gallery. His prize is a worth $80,000 and includes a residency in Italy.

Philip Bacon & Ros Packer

always elegant : Alexandra Joel & Philip Mason

With a magnificent long table in the main gallery and catering by Matt Moran's Aria , guests first had drinks and took in an exhibition of some of Australia's most renowned artists including Rupert Bunny, George W.Lambert, Russell Drysdale, Tom Roberts and Arthur Streeton amongst others. This is an exhibition now open to the public and includes numerous works that haven't been on display for many years. Do not miss it !
And full marks to the sponsors of the show, the wonderful Bulgari brand that was born in Rome in 1884 with family members still managing the elegant label that is now diversifying into hotels and resorts.

Stephen Ormandy & Louise Olsen

Michael Zavros with Melanie & Eddie Listorti

Table art...

George Lambert's portrait of Thea Proctor 1916

 And some art :

Two winning Archibald portraits of Margaret Olley : Ben Quilty in 2011 & William Dobell's -1948

James Angus : 'Bugatti type 35' 2006

Father Bob Immortalised

Our favourite crusty old Catholic priest Father Bob Maguire has been immortalised for the Archibald portrait prize which opens in 2 weeks at the NSW Art Gallery. The Packer's Prize ( the gallery workers choice-not the Packer family!) was chosen today-actor John Wood (below).
Father Bob has upset the powers that be and been removed from his parish-something to do with ministering to the poor. A benefactor has set him up in nearby premises so he can carry on his work. We feel sure he fits the requirements for the subject of an Archibald entrant: a person who has made a significant contribution to society.

Watch the video below of very clever stencil artist E.L.K (above) as he produces the Father Bob portrait: