Art After Hours: A European Christmas

Celebrate the festive season at the Gallery with a special edition of Art After Hours: A European Christmas

Get into the festive spirit as the Art Gallery of New South Wales takes inspiration from the exhibition Masters of modern art from the Hermitage and presents an evening with free performances; a family-friendly art-making workshop; exhibition tours; drinks and treats; and the opportunity to shop for unique gifts.

Art After Hours: A European Christmas on Wednesday 12 December will showcase the talents of the Choir of St James’ King Street as they sing musical gems of European tradition alongside a performance of French Christmas carols by the Senior Choir of Killarney Heights Public School, with guest soprano Daisy Willow, a year 12 student and former member of the choir.

The State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg is not only the home of the modernist masterpieces on show in Masters of modern art from the Hermitage but also houses an army of cats who have guarded its treasures against rodents since 1745. Celebrate a European Christmas at the Gallery with festive artmaking for the whole family by designing and decorating a family of cats on outlines of Russian nesting dolls, a popular painted toy known as matryoshka or babushka dolls.

Visitors can get cosmic this Christmas and experience visionary Russian cinema in the Gallery’s film series Cosmic Futures in conjunction with the exhibition Masters of modern art from the Hermitage. Andrei Tarkovsky’s award winning film Solaris (1972) will screen on Wednesday 12 December as part of the Art After Hours festive program.

Also on offer for cinephiles is the poetic multi-screen video installation Chtchoukine, Matisse, la Danse et la Musique by Dutch multimedia artist and director Saskia Boddeke and distinguished filmmaker Peter Greenaway. This installation is part of the exhibition Masters of modern art from the Hermitage and explores the relationship between Matisse and the visionary Russian collector of French modern art Sergei Shchukin.

For Art After Hours: A European Christmas the Gallery will have a pop-up bar with refreshments available, free exhibition tours of the contemporary collection and Masters of modern art from the Hermitage; and the Gallery Shop will be open for artful gifts and stocking stuffers.

Media contact:

Hannah McKissock-Davis, 0498 001 217, hannah.mckissock-davis@ag.nsw.gov.au

The Choir of St James’ King Street

Art After Hours: A European Christmas program

Wednesday 12 December

4.30pm – 6.30pm

Drop in and make: A European Christmas

Free artmaking activity for families

6.30pm
Live music: Noël

French Christmas carols with the senior choir of Killarney Heights Public School
Free

7.15pm

Contemporary art guided tour
An introduction to contemporary art highlights in the Gallery
Free

Guided tour: Masters of modern art from the Hermitage
An introduction to highlights in the exhibition
Free with exhibition entry

Film series: Cosmic futures
Solaris

Free, bookings recommended

7.30pm

Concert: Choir of St James’ King Street
Join us for a performance by one of Australia’s foremost choirs

Free

10pm
Gallery closes