Art HK founder announces new biennial Sydney Contemporary art fair

The founders of ART HK (pictured) are launching a new Sydney art fair in 2013

A major new biennial contemporary art fair will be launched in April 2013 by the founder of one of the world’s most respected and successful art fairs, ART HK.

The inaugural Sydney Contemporary will be held from Friday 12^th until Sunday 14^th April 2013 at the Hordern Pavillion and Royal Hall of Industries at Moore Park in Sydney’s eastern suburbs, with the Vernissage held on the evening of Thursday 11^th April 2013.

Featuring established and emerging galleries from Australia and overseas, Sydney Contemporary will cater to a broad spectrum of experienced and new collectors. It will celebrate the work of artists across a diverse range of mediums with a focus on global trends that span the modern and contemporary timeline and include painting, photography, works on paper, sculpture as well as featuring performance and new media.

Sydney Contemporary is organised by Art Fairs Australia Pty Ltd, a company founded by Tim Etchells of SME London Ltd. Etchells is founder of ART HK, the Hong Kong international art fair, which has grown to become a major fixture on the international art calendar. 

Brown Council's Kelly Doley wins emerging artist award

Kelly Doley, winner of the emerging artist category of the 2012 Redlands Westpac Art Prize

Sydney-based artist Kelly Doley has been named winner of the coveted ‘emerging artist’ category of the 2012 Redlands Westpac Art Prize, with Ben Quilty named winner of the ‘established artist’ category.  An exhibition of all 47 contemporary artists who were shortlisted for the Prize is on show at the National Art School in Sydney's Darlinghurst until 2 August 2012.


Kelly Doley is a founding member of Sydney performance/video collaboration Brown Council. Doley’s solo practice preferences collaboration and exchange with people and imagines possible futures and ways of life. The winning work by Doley, The Learning Centre: 49 Things Learnt About Humans, traverses painting, performance and installation. Since 2010, the young artist has received over 27 lessons from members of the public in exchange for a painting of their choice.

Art Prize moves to the National Art School

Samuel Tupou is one of 43 artists exhibiting work in the Prize

The 16^th annual Redlands Westpac Art Prize has announced the list of 43 contemporary visual artists who will present work in the prize and exhibition, to be presented for the first time at the National Art School from 3 May until 2 August 2012.

The 43 contemporary artists hail from Australia and New Zealand and will present work in the exhibition and Prize that in 2012 has been curated by respected Sydney-based artist Lindy Lee.

The Prize has a unique model in that Lindy initially invited 20 established artists to participate and each of those artists in turn selected an emerging artist to submit work. This approach endeavours to foster mentoring relationships between older and younger generations of practicing visual artists.

The winning artists will be awarded a total of $31,000 in prize money, with $20,000 allocated to the established artist category and $10,000 for the emerging artist. A further $1,000 is allocated for a visitors’ choice award based on public votes gathered during the exhibition. The Prize will be announced on opening night Wednesday 2 May 2012.

The Fondue Set collaborate with New York choreographer Miguel Gutierrez

The Fondue Set

Sydney based contemporary dance group The Fondue Set have collaborated with New York choreographer Miguel Gutierrez over a two week period at Carriageworks. The outcome of the collaboration will be presented at Carriageworks on Friday 20th April to a sell out audience of more than 500 people.  Watch a video about the collaboration as featured in the Sun Herald here.

Lauren Brincat's first solo exhibiiton

Lauren Brincat Steady As She Goes 2011, Courtesy the artist and Anna Schwartz Gallery

Lauren Brincat’s SHOOT FROM THE HIP is the Sydney based artist’s first solo exhibition. Currently showing at Anna Schwartz Gallery in Sydney, Brincat’s exhibition includes installation and video works. 

A feature piece is a full sized sail suspended from the roof of the gallery to which the artist has attached hundreds of ‘tell tails’ created from collected old cassette mix tapes. Brincat's early works were imbued with references to rock and roll music, and many featured her performing with various pieces of percussion - drum kits, snare drums, and cymbals.

The recipient of the 2009 Helen Lempriere Travelling scholarship, Brincat has exhibited across Australia and internationally. Her work now features in the collections of MONA, the MCA and in winter this year will be featured in a new exhibition at Queensland’s GOMA.

Artist Thomas Demand with one of his works in 'The Dailies'

Kaldor Public Art Projects has announced a free after-hours creative program called Parlour where art, music, film, performance and hands-on workshops come together within the context of major international art projects.

Launching on 5 April 2012, the inaugural series of Parlour events will celebrate the major new installation that has been created by renowned Berlin artist Thomas Demand (pictured) as the 25th Kaldor Public Art Project, The Dailies, within the iconic Harry Seidler-designed Commercial Travellers’ Association (CTA) Club building.

Parlour offers after-hours viewings of The Dailies and rare experience of the CTA’s club lounge, dining and meeting rooms over three consecutive Thursday evenings in April. Each Parlour event has a different theme:  Doppelganger Parlour (5 April), Parlour Kino Sydney (12 April) and Mirror Parlour (19 April). Guests can partake in The Dailies special cocktail and drinks in the CTA club lounge bar, as well as take part in free workshops, talks and other special events hosted throughout the building's subterranean spaces.

18th Biennale of Sydney unveils program

Fujiko Nakaya 'Cloud Parking'

The 18th Biennale of Sydney unveiled highlights of the upcoming artistic program yesterday to be presented from 27 June until 16 September 2012.

Titled all our relations, Australia's largest contemporary art exhibition will present works by more than 100 artists hailing from Australia, New Zealand, Asia Pacific, the Americas, Europe, South Africa and the Middle East. Nearly half of the artists will travel to Sydney to install and create new works specifically for the exhibition, including an installation of fog and mist that Japanese artist Fujiko Nakaya will create on Cockatoo Island.