This fast passage through Sydney allowed me to take time to stroll around Darling Harbour, and above all to discover the Art Gallery of New South Wales, which was also hosting a Kandinsy exhibition in collaboration with the Guggenheim in New York. As for regrets, there are still a few sites I haven’t been able to visit due to timing constraints.
During my previous trip to Australia, 15 months earlier, I had been able to take a fairly exhaustive tour of the city (Sydney day #1: The Opera House and surrounding area, Sydney day #2: around Hyde Park and the city center, Sydney day #3: culture and entertainment around the harbor) but I had left with a few regrets, one of which was not being able to visit the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Indeed, even though I’d stayed in the city for several days, I’d had to make a few trade-offs and had, for practical reasons, opted for the very disappointing Museum of Contemporary Art, which was on my itinerary for the day, rather than the latter, which was quite far from it.
This short stay of just over a day was an opportunity to make up for this shortcoming. On the other hand, there was still no visit to Government House, which is only open to the general public two days a week, or to St Mary’s Cathedral, which was still occupied by a religious service on the two occasions I passed by during the day.
A cancelled flight allowed me to make the best of it and spend another day in the city, but the torrential rain that began to fall early in the morning convinced me to stay indoors at the W Sydney where I was staying.
You’ll find at the bottom of the page a summary of articles about this vacation in Australia.
The Art Gallery of New South Wales
The Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) is one of Australia’s leading art museums (first public museum in Sydney and 4th in Australia). Founded in 1871, it was originally established as the Sydney Free Public Library. The current building was inaugurated in 1897 and has since undergone several extensions to accommodate a growing and diverse collection. The museum plays a crucial role in promoting art and culture in Australia.
The gallery’s main building is of neoclassical architecture, characterized by its majestic columns and spacious, light-filled exhibition spaces. Modern extensions, such as the contemporary art building opened in 2012, add a contemporary touch with spaces designed for interactive installations and multimedia exhibitions. The combination of these architectural styles makes for a most enjoyable visit, creating different experiences.
The AGNSW’s permanent collection is rich and varied, encompassing Australian, Asian, European and contemporary art. Australian works include pieces of Aboriginal art, as well as works by Australian artists from the 19th century to the present day (by contrast, the largest museum of Australian art is the Ian Potter Center, which I mentioned on my visit to Melbourne). The Asian collection is also remarkable, with objects from China, Japan, India and Southeast Asia. In addition, the gallery holds regular temporary exhibitions featuring works by renowned international and local artists.
It houses an equally impressive collection of European works of art spanning several centuries, from the Renaissance to the present day. This collection reflects the evolution of artistic styles, techniques and cultural influences that have shaped the history of art in Europe since 1870! Indeed, it was at this time that, in the midst of international political turmoil in Europe, Australia decided to become a sort of conservatory for European art, should the worst happen.
The AGNSW’s European collection includes works from every era since the Renaissance.
Works by painters from the 18th and 19th centuries, when European art underwent major transformations with the emergence of Neoclassicism, Romanticism and Impressionism, are also featured. Artists such as J.M.W. Turner, John Russel, Cézanne and Eugène Delacroix are represented.
To my great delight, there are also works by Impressionist masters such as Claude Monet and Camille Pissarro.
The gallery also features works by modern artists such as Matisse, Picasso Léger and Braque.
As I said, I was surprised to discover a temporary Kandinsky exhibition.
If this kind of place appeals to you, don’t miss the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne.
Darling Harbour (the marina)
I’ve already told you about it on my previous trip, but this time I had a slightly different experience. The first time I was discovering and visiting: I took a tour, visited a couple of the attractions there and moved on.
This time, just as when you return to a place you’ve already visited in exploration and discovery mode, you change your approach and state of mind, the time constraint disappears and you try to “live” the place rather than visit it. And I have to admit, it’s a place that’s both lively (this time I was there in the right season) and lends itself well to strolling.
There are plenty of activities for all ages at any time of day.
I also enjoyed it at night for a little digestive stroll on my way home from dinner, which was made all the easier by the fact that my hotel this year was on the Marina (which explains why it was more obvious to me than last year).
St Mary’s Church
A funeral when I came last year, a series of weddings this year… so you won’t be seeing it from the inside this year. Maybe next time…
Government House
Another site with which I have no luck. It’s only open to the public two days a week, and when I was there last year I was there on the right days, but it was closed due to the protocol surrounding the death of Queen Elizabeth 2.
This year I was simply not there on the right days of the week.
Maybe next time?
Bottom Line
So much for this visit, which was much quicker than the previous one, but I was only there for 24 hours, Sydney being only a transit point to Europe, my main stop having been Melbourne.
But it confirms the opinion I formed last year. There are cities that are of little interest once you’ve exhausted their cultural charms, and others that may have a little less of this type of charm, but are still very pleasant to live in even when you’ve done nothing else but enjoy the quality of life. Sydney is one of them.
The articles about this vacation in Australia
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Sydney day #1: The Opera House and its surroundings
Sydney day #2: around Hyde Park and the city center
