OUR REVIEW HERE
I had the pleasure of attending the ‘Alphonse Mucha: Spirit of Art Nouveau’ media preview at the @artgalleryofnsw back in mid-June. After some crazy and challenging months, things are finally feeling normal again, so I wanted to share this unique exhibition with you.
Housed in the South Building, this is the largest exhibition of Alphonse Mucha’s work ever seen in Australia. We were fortunate to have Marcus Mucha, Executive Director of the Mucha Foundation and Alphonse’s great-grandson, guide us through the exhibit alongside curators Jackie Dunn and Tomoko Sato.
The ambiance was seductive with warm lights and drapes and low lighting for art preservation reasons.
This extensive exhibition showcases over 200 pieces, including paintings, sculptures, posters, and illustrations. Mucha was an artist on many levels, and while he’s well-known for his Art Nouveau posters (which I adore), this exhibition reveals he was much more than that!
His muse, the actress and international superstar Sarah Bernhardt, significantly influenced his work after he moved to Paris in 1887. From there, the “Mucha style” was born, and he thrived in the world of advertisement and brand identity, with brands like Nestlé, Chocolat Masson, Moët et Chandon, and La Trappistine lining up for his posters. Posters that were so sought after that they were ripped from the streets of Paris as soon as they were pasted up!
But there’s more to discover - Mucha’s work around spirituality, religion, war, and the artists he’s influenced over the years is equally fascinating. I was even surprised to learn that the Mucha style influenced generations of manga artists in Japan and you can see that in some women’s hairstyle!
This interesting exhibition closes on September 22nd so there’s still time to visit. Checkout our upcoming post for some pics of the merch available.
Photo credit: @busycitykids
The most comprehensive exhibition ever seen in Australia of this visionary artist’s work
One of art’s great stylistic innovators, Alphonse Mucha (1860–1939) created some of most instantly recognisable and best-loved works in modern European art. In seductive, sinuous compositions, he developed a new language that defined the look of late 19th-century Paris to be the very spirit of art nouveau.
Realised in close cooperation with the Mucha Foundation, Prague, Alphonse Mucha: Spirit of Art Nouveau is drawn from the Mucha Family Collection. Bringing together Mucha’s illustrations, jewellery, interior decoration, photographs and more, the exhibition reveals an artist and designer whose powerful influence remains with us today.
Once hailed as ‘the greatest decorative artist in the world’, Mucha rocketed to fame with the posters he created for legendary actor and international superstar Sarah Bernhardt, moving on to global recognition through advertising and product design that were his first steps towards the democratisation of art he so desired.
Seeking a true ‘art for the people’, Mucha – as artist, activist, mystic and philosopher – strived to elevate the human spirit. His strongly felt political and spiritual philosophies guided his lifelong commitment to the Slavic peoples and the liberation of his homeland in today’s Czech Republic. Within this sweeping exhibition, visitors will encounter an immersive digital experience of Mucha’s late great painting cycle, the Slav epic, in a journey that helps uncover the artist behind the famous images.
The exhibition is proudly supported by the NSW Government through its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW. It is accompanied by a full-colour catalogue, richly illustrated with over 200 images.
Event details:
Dates: 15 June – 22 September 2024
Location: Art Gallery of New South Wales, North Building on Lower level 2
Tickets: Charges Apply