The chances of Patricia Piccinini and her works returning to the Hunter are sky-high after a big crowd descended upon Maitland No.1 Sportsground at the weekend.
At the crack of dawn on Saturday 15 January, residents and visitors alike were treated to two towering hot air balloon sculptures.
The creator of the pieces, Piccinini, was also on hand to ensure her “babies” – Skywhale and Skywalepapa – came to life in the glow of sunrise.
“What an event, we were blessed with perfect weather,” Maitland City mayor Philip Penfold said.
“It was an honour to meet Patricia and welcome her to Maitland.
“Congratulations to all involved, including the federal government, Maitland City Council, Maitland Regional Art Gallery (MRAG) and our hard-working staff for getting up so early to make ready for the thousands of people in attendance.”
The large-scale community event, a touring initiative of the National Gallery of Australia and supported by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation and Visions of Australia, is just one of the many activities presented by the MRAG as part of Free Art January.
Next up, the gallery will host the Archibald Prize Tour for the first time in almost a decade.
Celebrating 100 years as Australia’s oldest and most loved portraiture award, the Archibald Prize is an annual open competition presented to the best portrait, typically a distinguished person of arts, science or politics.
The 2021 winning painting, Peter Wegner’s depiction of Archibald-winning artist Guy Warren AM, will be joined by the other 51 finalists for more than six weeks at MRAG from Saturday 22 January.
Tickets start from $7 for MRAG members and can be purchased from the gallery’s website.
Find out more about the packed summer schedule by visiting www.mrag.org.au or the Maitland Regional Art Gallery Facebook page.
For Free Art January info, check out www.mrag.org.au/free-art-january-2022
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