What a privileged time we live in! Amongst the many advantages of living in such a technologically advanced era, is the opportunity now open to all of use to see some of the great art exhibitions from around the world in the ease and comfort of our local cinema. This is via the Exhibition On Screen program.
I recently caught the MUNCH150 exhibition when it screened at Event cinemas in Bondi Junction. The MUNCH15o exhibition is being held this year in Oslo as part of the 150th year anniversary of the great Norwegian artists’ birthday. Edvard Munch was born on December 12, 1863 and died January 23, 1944.
The cameras go in to film close up some of the 220 paintings on show, held by two galleries in Oslo, the National Museum and the Munch Museum. The current collection represents the greatest number of Munch’s key works ever to be exhibited together.
Yes, his most famous painting, that great expressionist work, THE SCREAM (1893), was featured as part of his ‘Frieze of Life’ series which also featured MADONNA (1894-95), THE DANCE OF LIFE (1899-1900) and DEATH IN THE SICKROOM (1893). Amongst other paintings that were featured THE GIRLS ON THE BRIDGE (1901), his most popular painting in his homeland, THE SICK CHILD (1885), THE DEATH OF MARAT (1907) and SELF PORTRAIT BETWEEN THE CLOCK AND THE BED (1940-1943). My personal favourite of the paintings filmed was the gorgeous THE SUN (1910-1911).
The film’s host was art commentator Tim Marlow and the movie showed him extensively interviewing the co-curators of the exhibition, Mai Britt Guleng and Nils Ohlsen, as well as snippets of other art historians. Another film highlight which gave us an in depth picture into Munch’s life, were the frequent dramatic reenactments from major scenes in Munch’s life. We learn about his battles with health issues such as consumption and alcoholism, his sometimes disastrous love life that involved affairs with married women, and the story behind how THE SCREAM came about- taking a walk one day he felt this scream well up inside him…He went home and started the work which only this year sold at a public auction for $120 million.
Coming next in the Exhibition On Screen series is an Exhibition entitled VERMEER AND MUSIC: THE ART OF LOVE AND LEISURE from the National Gallery, London. The Exhibition will screen on the weekend of the 19th and 20th October. For more information click on this link- http://www.eventcinemas.com.