Sydney Contemporary is on the map, and not just of Redfern. The Armory Show in New York is on at the moment, as is Frieze Seoul, but Sydney Contemporary is a breath of fresh air, and just as relevant as its international cousins. It’s the biggest fair in Australia with a starry line of up excellent galleries from both home and overseas.
The multinational Freize juggernaut bought both The Armory Show and Expo Chicago last year, and as the rest of us watch the various Art Basel and Frieze editions battle it out for supremacy in an overcrowded art fair calendar, it’s nice to be at a fair which is just what it says on the tin; simply Sydney Contemporary.
Increasingly, visitors are choosing September as a good time to visit Sydney to catch the fair, but the event is just as accessible to the whole city. There’s an excellent talk programme, free tours with art insiders, performances, live music, workshops, a space away from the valuables for kids to make a mess and some pictures of their own, and plenty of the featured artists kicking around ready for a chat.
We tried to make an Irresistible Top 10 Booths, but it was too hard and created too much angst. So the list morphed into the Irresistible Top 20, including 3 exhibitors in Works on Paper, dubbed the fair within the fair, where you can pick up some really affordable prints. These galleries will definitely provide inspiration, at any time of the year, but are certainly helping make Sydney’s art fair the must- see event that it is.
- Egg & Dart, Booth J06
175 Keira St, Wollongong, NSW
Really interesting paintings from Aaron Fell- Francesco and Sean Crowley. Stunning ceramic forms by Hannah Barclay, and stretched collage tapestry works using neoprene by Henry Jock Walker.
2. PAULNACHE, Booth E01
89 Grey Street, Turanganui-a-Kiwa Gisborne, Aotearoa New Zealand
Featuring fantastical and gesturally popping paintings from Evan Woodruffe.
3. Gow Langsford, Booth C02
28-36 Wellesley St. East, Auckland, New Zealand
A lot to see in the booth including stunning ceramics from Virginia Leonard and model-like marble sculptures from Mattia Bosco that scream Sydney waterfront palazzo, lovely fresh paintings from Yafeng Duan as well as a top notch Julian Schnabel and a grand old Dale Frank.
4. Print Council of Australia Booth B02
Studio 2 Guild, 152 Sturt St, Southbank, Melbourne VIC
In the Works on Paper part of the fair, a great selection from the peak body representing and connecting Australian communities in printmaking and works on paper, with lots of opportunities to purchase excellent images to take home.
5. Neon Parc, Booth C03
15 Tinning St, Brunswick VIC
A standout selection in their large booth includes a glorious golden Dale Frank, Kait James brilliant new series of tea towels, Jon Rafman’s algorithmically generated paintings and Darren Sylvester’s sculptures in the booth, and just nearby Sylvester’s neon Transformer gateway is one the of installations in the fair.
6. Praxis Artspace. Booth J02
68-72 Gibson Street, Bowden, Adelaide, South Australia
The only gallery at the fair from Adelaide, Praxis brings breathtaking sculptures from Pierre Mukeba, some wonderful paintings from George Raftopoulos, as well as Anna Mould’s beautiful mixed media works and Damien Shen’s powerful paintings that draw on his Ngarrindjeri and Chinese heritage.
7. Vermillion Art, Works on Paper, A01
5/16 Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, Sydney NSW
Beautifully displayed works on paper from Chinese masters of the form, with pieces from old dynasties and contemporary artists.
8. Gajah Gallery
39 Keppel Road, Singapore
Casa Domaine Jakarta Pusat Indonesia
Yogyakarta Jalan Bugisan Selata Komplek Yogyakarta Indonesia
The first time this gallery is showing at Sydney Contemporary and they have brought interesting and complex works from eight contemporary artists from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.
9. Alcaston Gallery, Booth G01
84 William Street Naarm/ Melbourne VIC
Showing a perfect balance of paintings, sculptures and the stunning forest of monochromatic paintings on larrakitj – the hollowed tree trunks – from the fantastic Djakaŋu Yunupiŋu, Betty Kuntiwa Pumani, Dean Smith and the late Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori (c.1924 – 2015).
10. D’ Lan Contemporary Booth I01
Wurundjeri Country, 40 Exhibition St
Melbourne VIC
25 East 73rd Street, New York USA and
4 East 81st Street New York USA
Stunning presentation of First Nations Art including a specially commissioned painting by Daniel Walbidi and a charming sculpture by Keith Wikmunea alongside a brilliant painting by Emily Kam Kngwarray.
11. Gallery Sally Dan Cuthbert, Booth G02
20 Mclachlan Avenue, Rushcutters Bay, Sydney NSW
A really solid curation has meant that presenting a large number of artists from the stable feels coherent and there is clear synergy between the pieces. All standouts but Sally Smart’s and Fernando do Campo’s paintings and Sarah Rayner’s sculptures are really worth the visit.
12. STATION Booth H10
91 Campbell Street, Surry Hills, Sydney NSW
9 Ellis Street, South Yarra , Melbourne, VIC
Another dark and moody booth with slickly presented works including paintings from Adam Lee and Jahnne Pasco-White, and thoughtful and interesting sculptures by Isadora Vaughan and Jake Walker
13. Australian Print Workshop, Booth A02
210 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, Melbourne, VIC
From the National Centre of Excellence for contemporary printmaking, a fantastic selection of prints from the some of the best artists in Australia, many of who are exhibiting elsewhere in the fair. A great entry point into collecting if cossie livs have limited the wads of cash you have to throw down.
14. Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Booth G03
8 Soudan Lan Paddington Sydney NSW
Moody hues imbue the booth with style, with a rounded offering including pieces by Nyapanyapa Yunupiŋu including the seminal work Ganyu, Linda Marrinon sculptures, atmospheric prints from Bill Henson and Isaac Julien, and excellent paintings by Imants Tillers and Louise Hearman.
15. Chalk Horse, Booth E03
167 William Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney NSW
A really dynamic booth with energetic and adventurous artists with standout pieces from Clara Adolphs, Daniel Domig, Catherine Clayton- Smith and Nathan Hawkes.
16. Piermarq, Booth J08
23 Foster Street, Surry Hills, Sydney NSW
Presenting an exciting solo exhibition of Sydney artist Jordy Kerwick, full of tigers and feathers and incorporating as many myths and magical creatures as colours. Instantly photographable.
17. Curatorial + Co, Booth J09
80 William St, Woolloomooloo Sydney NSW
A really well put together show featuring two artists who complement each other beautifully. Amber Hearns paintings and Alesia Miksad’s stunning sculptures are both fiery and elegant and top takeaways.
18. Sullivan + Strumpf, Booth H03
799 Elizabeth St
Zetland, Sydney, NSW
107-109 Rupert St
Collingwood, Melbourne, VIC
114 Lavender St, CT Hub 2,
Singapore
Snazzy Ramesh Mario works, dreamy Lynda Draper ceramics, wonderful sculptural light works by Lindy Lee and great paintings from the rest of the stable.
19. SABBIA Gallery, Booth J13
609 Elizabeth St, Redfern Sydney NSW
Beautiful sculptural works from Susie Choi, Mel Douglas, Liam Fleming, and the winner of the fair’s MA Art Prize Alfred Lowe.
20. Art Almanac at Booth M1 and Artist Profile Magazine at Booth M5.
Take advantage of in- fair giveaways and subscription benefits to stay up to date with all art happenings, and chew the fat with Kon and the team while you’re there.
