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Michael Brand appointed director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales

We are delighted to announce that Australian Dr Michael Brand has been appointed director of the Art Gallery of NSW. Dr Brand will be the ninth director of the Gallery in its 120-year history and will join us later in the year.

He will be leaving the position of consulting director of the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto and was formerly the director of the J Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.

More information

Opens this month

Archibald, Wynne & Sulman prizes 2012 | opens 31 Mar
From Monday 5 March, entries for this year's Archibald, Wynne & Sulman prizes will begin to fill the Gallery, ready for judging by the trustees of the Art Gallery of NSW. This year, artist Susan Norrie joins us as guest judge of the Sulman Prize.

The annual exhibition of the prizes is eagerly anticipated by both artists and the public, and never ceases to create a debate in the arts community as well as amongst the general public.

Finalists for all three prizes and the winner of the Packing Room Prize will be announced on Thursday 15 March. The Packing Room Prize is awarded by the burly blokes behind the scenes who receive, unpack and hang all entries.

The winners of the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes will be announced on Friday 30 March. Stay tuned for more information.

Now showing

ARTEXPRESS 2012 | until 22 April
A dynamic and popular exhibition featuring a selection of outstanding student artworks developed for the artmaking component of the HSC examination in Visual Arts, 2011.

Eugenia Raskopoulos
Footnotes |  until 13 May
In this video installation, Raskopoulos performs a series of actions that accumulate letters into words, in English and Greek, using her own limbs as the writing instrument or surface.

Making sense
contemporary LA photo artists | until 13 May
Features photographs by artists based in Southern California, whose work deals with relations between landscape and architecture, high and low culture, representations of the body, politics and irony, word and image.

Mother India
video plays by Nalini Malani | until 20 May
This installation features several of Malani's videos, with the focus on Mother India: transactions in the construction of pain 2005.

More exhibitions

Art After Hours

Our Art After Hours season for Picasso winds up this month, but we've saved the best for last! Malcolm Turnbull will be joining us to share his vision for an innovative Australia, celebrity chef and restaurateur Tony Bilson reflects on a life-long love of food and art and finally we have a special flamenco performance.

Celebrity events | Weds 6.30pm
7 Mar | Hon Malcolm Turnbull MP, Federal Member for Wentworth
14 Mar | Tony Bilson, chef and restaurateur
21 Mar | Diana Reyes flamenco in a special dance performance

Full program

Film

Picasso goes to the movies: ground-breaking films from a century of cinema | until 25 Mar

Screening in conjunction with Picasso: masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris.

Upcoming films: Billy Liar (dir: John Schlesinger 1963), The passenger (dir: Michelangelo Antonioni 1975), Come and see (dir: Elem Klimov 1985), and 2001: a space odyssey (dir: Stanley Kubrick 1968).

Full program and session times

For kids

Performances, Sunday 2.30pm

Look at me: what do you see? | 4 & 25 Mar
A lively tour of the modern and contemporary galleries with Pertinos from the planet Boomdiddy Vostock.
Interactive art | 11 Mar
Imaginative, explorative, improvisational storytelling with Open Stage Productions through the Gallery’s modern collection.
Commedia dell’ Arte | 18 Mar
Meet a cast of carnival characters in a lively puppetry performance with lots of laughter and mischievous action with Dennis Murphy.
Floating on a sea of stories | 1 Apr
Join performer Bronwyn Vaughan for a delightful mix of contemporary and traditional stories from Japan, blending beautiful costumes, puppets, props and music.

For more information visit Gallery Kids.

NSW Seniors Week events

21–23 Mar, 11am & 1pm

Take part in free events at the Gallery as part of NSW Seniors Week.

This year the events are inspired by Picasso: masterpieces from the Musee National Picasso, Paris, and include tours and drawing workshops.

Full program

Borderlands: photography and cultural contest

Sat 31 Mar, 10.30am–4.30pm

This symposium explores the role of photography in constructing and transgressing social, cultural and temporal boundaries. Bookings now open.

More information

2012 Archibald Prize luncheon

Fri 27 Apr, 12.30pm

Be part of the conversation with media personality Anne Fulwood, the Gallery's head of Australian art Wayne Tunnicliffe, selected finalist artists and their subjects from the Archibald Prize 2012.

Enjoy a two-course luncheon at the luxurious Sofitel Sydney Wentworth. $100 / $90 for members. Book online or call 02 9225 1878.

Become a member

and receive a ticket to Picasso: masterpieces from the Musée National Picasso, Paris.

With a host of benefits, discounts, free exhibition viewings and over 400 events and practical workshops each year, belonging to the Art Gallery of NSW is your best way to be a part of Australia’s premier state gallery.

Learn more and join

Win a Midnight in Paris prize pack

To celebrate 'Picasso till Midnight' we have 5 special prize packs to give away, including two tickets to Picasso and a Midnight in Paris DVD, thanks to Hopscotch Entertainment. Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams delight in this amusing, magical and smartly written film. For your chance to win tell us how you would spend midnight in Paris. Email your response to competitions@ag.nsw.gov.au by 11 March.

Win a double pass to La Traviata

This month, Opera Australia presents La Traviata - Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour. La Traviata is the ultimate romantic opera – a tragic love story told in spellbindingly beautiful music. Thanks to Opera Australia, we have 2 double passes to give away for a special dress rehearsal performance on 22 March at 7.30pm. For your chance to win tell us why you'd like to attend. Email your response to competitions@ag.nsw.gov.au by 11 March.