After a three year journey around Australia, the acclaimed Phantom Art Show is about to exhibit for the final time in its current incarnation, returning to Sydney for display at the Manly Art Gallery as part of the 2017 Manly Arts Festival. The Show will be available to the public from 8th September till the 29th October 2017.
Promotions in and around Manly are well underway, with some of the more iconic images from the Show appearing as posters around the community.
Co-curators Peter Kingston and Dietmar Lederwasch are working tirelessly this week, having moved the artworks from the Newcastle exhibition in the last fortnight.
Plans are well advanced for the opening weekend, beginning this Friday 8th September, with the official opening to be conducted this time by Professor The Hon. Dame Marie Bashir AD CVO, 37th Governor of New South Wales. Peter is delighted that Professor Bashir will be the second Dame to have opened the show, of course following in the footsteps of former Governor-General of Australia Dame Quentin Bryce at Toowoomba and Murwillumbah.
Given that there has been at least one Phantom cosplayer at each opening so far, it will come as no surprise that our purple hero is scheduled to make an appearance. What might surprise is that he is finally bringing his better half to the Art Show, with Diana Palmer-Walker also strongly rumoured to be attending.
The Friday night festivities will be followed up by the now traditional Artist's Walk and Talk the following day, on Saturday 9th September at 11am. Several of the artists, including Dick Frizzell, Euan Macleod, Dietmar Lederwasch, Reg Mombassa, Matthew Martin, Michael Bell, Clary Akon and Peter and Fairlie Kingston will walk through the exhibition then play a game on Peter's giant game of Phantom Life and Death.
We are told that Dare Jennings will also be in attendance, and will assist with a Q and A session as part of Saturday's events.
As always, the Phantom Art Show catalogue will be available, although there are no reports as yet of any other merchandise being for sale. No doubt the first few phans through the doors will eagerly share what they find on social media!
As always, the team at ChronicleChamber cannot encourage you enough to get along and see the exhibition. If you are in Sydney at any time between now and the end of October, do yourself a favour. Even if you have seen the Art Show at another venue, and especially if you haven't, this will be a must see. It is a final opportunity to see some of Australia's finest artists interpret a character who has become an Australian icon. Don't miss it!
Contact the Manly Art Gallery for more details:
Manly Art Gallery & Museum
West Esplanade Reserve, Manly NSW 2095
Open Tue – Sun 10am – 5pm (closed Mondays & Public Holidays)
Free entry
T: 02 9976 1421
E: artgallery@northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au www.magam.com.au
