Stuart Ayres
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events
Minister for Sport
Monday, 17 October 2016
ACCLAIMED INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS ANNOUNCED FOR
SYDNEY INTERNATIONAL ART SERIES
The first art exhibition in Sydney devoted to the Dutch golden age featuring
masterpieces by Rembrandt, and a rare Vermeer, will be presented alongside a major
new retrospective from pioneer Swiss video artist Pipilotti Rist as part of the 2017-2018
Sydney International Art Series.
Minister for Trade, Tourism and Major Events Stuart Ayres announced the two
exceptional exhibitions for the Sydney International Art Series which will be shown at the
Art Gallery of New South Wales and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia.
“The Sydney International Art Series has attracted 1.7 million attendees and generated
more than $122 million in overnight visitor expenditure for NSW since its inception and is a
massive win for visitation in NSW,” Mr Ayres said.
“Securing these remarkable collections, to be shown exclusively in NSW in 2017-2018,
reaffirms the reputation of the Sydney International Art Series for bringing the world’s
most outstanding art exclusively to Sydney.”
Rembrandt and the Dutch Golden Age: Masterpieces from the Rijksmuseum explores
the flourishing artistic culture of the Netherlands during the 17th century. Alongside
Rembrandt and Vermeer the exhibition features masterpieces by Ruisdael, Hals, De
Hooch, Lievens and Leyster.
Director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Dr Michael Brand, said, “This is a real
treat for visitors to experience the visually rich art of the Dutch golden age. The
exhibition features Rembrandt’s Self-portrait as the Apostle Paul, 1661, and the thirdever Vermeer to travel to Australia – Woman Reading a Letter, c.1663 – an
exceptionally rare and beautiful painting and one of only 36 known works by the master.”
Over the past thirty years, Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist has achieved international renown as
a pioneer of video art and multimedia installations. Her dazzling, large-scale installations
incorporate video, sculpture and performance and often envelop viewers in vibrantly
coloured projections of light and music to create sensual and immersive environments.
Museum of Contemporary Art Director, Elizabeth Ann Macgregor OBE, said, “Pipilotti
Rist is one of the world’s most celebrated contemporary artists. Her lush and playful
multi-screen video installations are audience favourites wherever they are shown and
will no doubt captivate visitors here in Australia. Pipilotti’s work reimagines the
possibilities of the video medium and it is hugely exciting to be presenting in Sydney her
very first museum exhibition in the region.”