Goldberg's American contemporary art collection tours NSW

From 4 July to 30 August 2015, a major exhibition of recent works by leading contemporary artists from the United States will be unveiled at Manly Art Gallery and Museum. Beginning on American Independence Day, Stars + Stripes: American Art of the 21^st Century from the Goldberg Collection will showcase 52 works by 31 of the most exciting contemporary American artists. The free exhibition will include many works made in the last three years.

It is the first time in 47 years that a major exhibition of contemporary American art will be presented in Australia. From the private collection of Sydney-based Lisa and Danny Goldberg, Stars + Stripes will feature a vibrant selection of recent American art, from artists based predominantly in New York and Los Angeles. It will offer an insight into the next generation of important artists from the US, with works spanning between installation, drawing, photography and sculpture. 

Emily Floyd unveils new exhibition at Anna Schwartz Gallery Melbourne

Melbourne-based artist Emily Floyd works in sculpture, printmaking and public installation.  Field Libraries, running from 5 June to 11 June at Anna Schwartz Gallery Melbourne, extends from her sculptural library project Labour Garden, previously presented at the 56th Venice Biennale. Comprised of 12 free standing painted aluminium sculptures, Field Libraries 2015 includes stacks of Fair Use booklets dedicated to eccentric perspectives on the subject of work, such as Zombie Marxism and Feminist Autonomism.  

Each Field Library incorporates utilitarian paperweights. Index, 2015 is a major new series of 50 unique screen prints, representing a catalogue of Floyd’s ongoing library project and was made in collaboration with Negative Press. In her work, Floyd seeks to generate spaces for social engagement and interaction to spark discussion over contemporary social, cultural and political potentiality. 

Grace Jones returns to Sydney for three exclusive shows

Internationally renowned artist, fashion icon and musician Grace Jones will return to Sydney to perform three shows as part of Modulations at Carriageworks. As part of Vivid Sydney, this will be Jones’ only Australian appearances and her first visit to Sydney since her sold out tour in 2011.

Acknowledged widely for her influence in the music and fashion industries, Jones’ reputation for electrically charged performances makes this an unmissable event. Starting as a model, Jones’ musical style segues from disco to funk, from pop to punk, accompanied by stunning visuals.

Modulations returns with an expanded program this year, spanning across two weekends with exclusive music performances, contemporary ideas and innovative food experiences as part of Vivid Sydney. 

REMIX Sydney 2015 draws creative visionaries from across the globe

The world-renowned REMIX Summit returns to Sydney on 2 and 3 June 2015. Also held in London, Dubai and New York, more than 85 creative visionaries from leading cultural and technology organisations will visit Sydney to tackle the ideas that shape the future of the creative industries.

Presented as part of Vivid Sydney, the focus will be on a blurring of the physical and digital experience of museums and the construction of dynamic and creative cities. With senior figures from NASA, Spotify and MoMA previously contributing to the summit, REMIX Sydney 2015 will feature a panel discussion about the Creative Revolution: content creation and distribution, to be headed by Katrina Sedgwick, recently appointed Director of the Australian Centre for Moving Image. REMIX Sydney 2015 speakers also include representatives fromTwitter, the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt Museum and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. 

National Art School announces three recipients of fellowships

The National Art School, based in Sydney, announced that three veteran Australian visual artists would be honoured with fellowships. The school has never awarded the honour three times in any single year before. The recipients are sculpture and mixed-media performance artist Ken Unsworth; painter Ann Thomson; and Sydney-based moving-image artist Susan Norrie.

Director Michael Snelling describes the fellowships, roughly the equivalent of an honorary doctorate, as the highest honour the school can award its alumni. The fellows are chosen based on their relationship to the school and how their work relates to the students of the school. There is no money awarded to the fellows and the awards are intended to honour the recipients and inspire NAS students. 

Sydney Fringe Festival celebrates six years and announces new Festival Village

Sydney Fringe Festival, now in its sixth year, has announced its largest and most dynamic program yet. The largest independent arts festival in NSW will be presented from 1 to 30 September. This year’s iteration will see Sydney Fringe install a Festival Village, to be based in Erskineville and feature a range of pop-up spaces, shop fronts and street activations.

The sixth instalment of Sydney Fringe will breathe creative energy into the streets of the Inner West, with five cultural villages based in Newtown, Erskineville, Marrickville, Redfern and Surry Hills. More than 300 productions will be staged at 50 venues, including parlour games, magic shows, late-night libraries, comedies and music.  The festival will be celebrating local talent and encourage audiences to experience the independent arts of Sydney. 

Kaldor Public Art Projects announces 12 Australian artists to undertake live-in residency mentored by Marina Abramović

Artist duo Clark Beaumont, one of the resident artists announced

Internationally renowned pioneer of performance art Marina Abramović will mentor 12 Australian artists during an intensive live-in Artist Residency Program for the 30^th Kaldor Public Art Project. The program will take place as part of Marina Abramovic: In Residence, presented at Pier 2/3 in Sydney’s Walsh Bay from 24 June until 5 July 2015.

The Australian artists will undertake their live-in residence on the top floor of Pier 2/3, each day exploring the Abramović Method and their own creative practice. They will work with Marina Abramovic and Abramović Method trainer Lynsey Peisinger, as well as participating in an extensive public program.

Abramović personally selected the Residents from an original list of 65 performance practitioners suggested by Kaldor Public Art Projects. The selected participants are: Nat Abbott (Melbourne); Frances Barrett (Sydney); Clark Beaumont comprised of Sarah Clark and Nicole Beaumont (Brisbane); Lottie Consalvo (Newcastle); Nicola Gunn (Melbourne); George Khut (Sydney); Sarah Jane Norman (Berlin and the Blue Mountains); Sarah Rodigari (Sydney); Christian Thompson (London); and Zin, comprised of Harriet Gillies and Roslyn Helper (Sydney).