18 May 2012

Toulouse-Lautrec the summer blockbuster for 2012-13

| johnboy
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toulouse-latrec

The National Gallery has announced Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris & the Moulin Rouge is the big summer drawcard coming up.

‘The National Gallery of Australia is excited to bring together Australia’s first Toulouse-Lautrec retrospective exhibition, showing only in Canberra. Together with our own collection of works, the exhibition will provide a comprehensive insight into the artistic life of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, through the late 19th century bohemian lifestyle of Paris’, said National Gallery of Australia Director, Ron Radford, AM.

The National Gallery of Australia is grateful to our Presenting Partners, the ACT Government through ACT Tourism and the Australian Government through the International Exhibitions Insurance Program which helps collecting institutions bring significant cultural objects to Australia by providing funding to purchase commercial insurance, and ACTEWAGL.

‘The ACT Government is delighted to partner with the National Gallery of Australia in presenting and promoting this landmark exhibition. It follows the highly successful partnership between the ACT Government and the NGA that brought the recent Renaissance exhibition and Masterpieces from Paris exhibition in 2009 to Canberra’, said ACT Deputy Chief Minister Andrew Barr MLA.

Image: Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
The sofa (Le sofa) c.1894-95
oil on cardboard
62.9 x 81.0 cm
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Rogers Fund, 1951


UPDATE 18/05/12 13:04: Andrew Barr’s media release is now available. We’re kicking in $500,000.


UPDATE 18/05/12 13:13: In addition the Centenary of Canberra has made its pleasure known

Centenary of Canberra Creative Director Robyn Archer AO has welcomed today’s announcement that the work of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec will feature in the National Gallery of Australia’s (NGA) summer blockbuster exhibition in 2013.

“I am over a Paris moon with the news that the National Gallery of Australia’s big summer show will star the incomparable Henri de Toulouse Lautrec,” said Ms Archer.

“The word iconic is over-used, but the paintings and posters of this exceptional artist have truly become the icons of a splendid era. His evocation of Paris nightlife at the French fin-de-siecle paints scenes of unmatched bravado, energy and invention.

“It is 20 years ago next year, that I directed my first festival, here in Canberra, indeed that I began that next stream of my career, and it was the first time that any woman had directed one of the major arts festivals in Australia. At the time of the invitation, I was also invited to give a talk at the National Gallery of Australia and I will never forget being taken into the stacks by NGA curators and shown the Lautrec prints and posters close-up. The curator said, “See that fold there, that’s where he would have folded …”. I nearly fainted; to think that Lautrec himself folded a piece of paper I was now touching with white-gloved hands.

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moneypenny2612 said :

^ Spoken like a philistine.

$500K is peanuts to pay to get priceless works of art out to Australia’s national gallery. You might not appreciate it, but many thousands of Canberrans and visitors will. Toulouse Lautrec is a genius.

I’m sure $500K savings could be found elsewhere. Eg, if only TAMS fully planned their pavement rejuvenations in Civic. I’ve lost count of the number of times the pavement on London Circuit outside the Legislative Assembly has been pulled up and relaid over the last 2 years. And the stormwater drains still don’t won’t properly.

“Toulouse Lautrec is a genius”? I thought he was dead.
And I am not a philistine; in times of prosperity I would encourage financial support from the ACT Government but this isn’t the time and $500 K is simply over the top. Barr is more a “look at me” enthusiast than a bean counter, unfortunately. Bear in mind that Australia is on the cusp of another recession and this will affect the numbers of interstate visitors. The NGA is accountable to the Federal Government not the Territory one. How about Barr stumps up another $500k for our local Art Gallery as well?

fabforty said :

dungfungus said :

How much of ratepayers’ money is Barr going to throw at this one? The last one cost us $500K and there was little tangible evidence that it paid dividends.
Austerity is unpopular I know but the Territory is facing a massive defecit this year and now is not the time to be funding anything but the bare necessities.

The Renaissance exhibition brought in about $75 million into the ACT.

It was estimated at that figure – there is no evidence of it though. If your happy to pay an increase in your rates for it why don’t you say so.

I’m having some fun already imagining the items in the gift shop. Maybe snow-domes with the Moulin Rouge? Perhaps a range of invisible lingerie? There will be food. Wonder what it’ll be?

I-filed said :

I don’t think robust and rotund middle-aged ladies can swoon in any case!

I hope not – could do some serious damage.

fabforty said :

dungfungus said :

How much of ratepayers’ money is Barr going to throw at this one? The last one cost us $500K and there was little tangible evidence that it paid dividends.
Austerity is unpopular I know but the Territory is facing a massive defecit this year and now is not the time to be funding anything but the bare necessities.

The Renaissance exhibition brought in about $75 million into the ACT.

Renaissance was an entirely different kind of exhibition. One-horse shows don’t do so well. Most of TL’s seminal works have been exhibited at various times in Australia over the years. The brilliantly curated Monet exhibition did quite well but was not in the same ballpark as Renaissance either. The “scandal” element to TL no longer works. As for the hype: “global” audience? Get real! Lots of New Zealanders perhaps, and some dropping-down to the ACT by some Asian tourists already in Australia – but they would be coming already to see the War Memorial and the Indigenous art at the NGA.
I think Robyn “Faux Diaspora” Archer’s mawkish and self-indulgent response was unhelpful. I mean, Robyn, are any of the punters going to share your experience of handling one of the works? No? Well shut up with the “swoon talk” then. I don’t think robust and rotund middle-aged ladies can swoon in any case!

I don’t mind a bit of culture, even if it isn’t in a yoghurt container or bottle-conditioned beverage of your choice.

Pretty sure we have more than $500K burnt each year by ineffective members of the ACTPS. I know where I’d rather see the money going.

moneypenny261212:01 pm 20 May 12

^ Spoken like a philistine.

$500K is peanuts to pay to get priceless works of art out to Australia’s national gallery. You might not appreciate it, but many thousands of Canberrans and visitors will. Toulouse Lautrec is a genius.

I’m sure $500K savings could be found elsewhere. Eg, if only TAMS fully planned their pavement rejuvenations in Civic. I’ve lost count of the number of times the pavement on London Circuit outside the Legislative Assembly has been pulled up and relaid over the last 2 years. And the stormwater drains still don’t won’t properly.

fabforty said :

dungfungus said :

How much of ratepayers’ money is Barr going to throw at this one? The last one cost us $500K and there was little tangible evidence that it paid dividends.
Austerity is unpopular I know but the Territory is facing a massive defecit this year and now is not the time to be funding anything but the bare necessities.

The Renaissance exhibition brought in about $75 million into the ACT.

It was reported this way as the usual platitude to justify the expenditure but other than that there is no evidence that this was the case. The worsening economic situation of the Territory calls for spending restraint.

dungfungus said :

How much of ratepayers’ money is Barr going to throw at this one? The last one cost us $500K and there was little tangible evidence that it paid dividends.
Austerity is unpopular I know but the Territory is facing a massive defecit this year and now is not the time to be funding anything but the bare necessities.

The Renaissance exhibition brought in about $75 million into the ACT.

Let’s hope the NGA is a bit more forward-thinking about this exhibition than others. Only opening for business hours is ridiculous. The fact that people are willing to line up for hours to get in surely indicates that there is scope for much longer opening hours and therefore greater revenue.

johnboy said :

dungfungus said :

How much of ratepayers’ money is Barr going to throw at this one? The last one cost us $500K and there was little tangible evidence that it paid dividends.
Austerity is unpopular I know but the Territory is facing a massive defecit this year and now is not the time to be funding anything but the bare necessities.

It’s another $500k budget.

As for austerity, it’s going to have to wait until after the election and the centenary.

Not a great way to run a territory but apparently the one we’ve got.

You have said it all, JB.

HenryBG said :

poetix said :

I thought red hair was illegal in France.

You’re thinking of underarm hair.

Geez Henry, just when I was about to write you off you come up with a ripper like that!

poetix said :

I thought red hair was illegal in France.

You’re thinking of underarm hair.

I thought red hair was illegal in France.

dungfungus said :

How much of ratepayers’ money is Barr going to throw at this one? The last one cost us $500K and there was little tangible evidence that it paid dividends.
Austerity is unpopular I know but the Territory is facing a massive defecit this year and now is not the time to be funding anything but the bare necessities.

It’s another $500k budget.

As for austerity, it’s going to have to wait until after the election and the centenary.

Not a great way to run a territory but apparently the one we’ve got.

How much of ratepayers’ money is Barr going to throw at this one? The last one cost us $500K and there was little tangible evidence that it paid dividends.
Austerity is unpopular I know but the Territory is facing a massive defecit this year and now is not the time to be funding anything but the bare necessities.

Holden Caulfield12:11 pm 18 May 12

Looking forward to this one.

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