MONET TO MATISSE: DEFYING TRADITION to Launch at Art Gallery of South Australia
The Australian-exclusive exhibition features works by Cézanne, Degas, Morisot, and van Gogh from the Toledo Museum of Art.
The Australian-exclusive exhibition Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition will launch at the Art Gallery of South Australia on Saturday 11 July alongside an electric line-up of programs, including curated live music events, deep dive expert talks, immersive activity spaces designed by local artists and late-night soirées in the Monet to Matisse champagne lounge. Featuring works never-before-seen in Australia, Monet to Matisse traces a ground-breaking period in art history through seminal works by the most influential European and American artists of the 19th and 20th centuries including Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Helen Frankenthaler, Henri Matisse, Piet Mondrian, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot and Vincent van Gogh.
Jason Smith, Director, AGSA, said, ‘Monet to Matisse brings together an extraordinary collection of masterpieces from the Toledo Museum of Art, offering audiences a rare opportunity to encounter artworks by some of the most influential European and American artists of the period. Our accompanying programs invite visitors to engage more fully with the artworks, from vibrant art-making activities to after-hours events, to open up new ways to connect and continue the conversations about art, innovation and expression.’
AGSA will launch Monet to Matisse with a special ticketed Preview Night on Friday 10 July, featuring a performance by leading Australian musician Alexander Flood. Widely regarded as one of the country’s most exciting and versatile drummers, Flood is recognised for his high voltage live shows that incorporate rhythmic drums and bass with keyboard harmonies and jazz flute melodies. Flood has collaborated with a host of International Artists including six-time Grammy nominee Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah and soul vocalist Vivian Sessoms, and played major festivals including the London Jazz Festival, Melbourne International Jazz Festival and WOMADelaide, alongside a string of infamous club sessions across Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam. Fresh from his European tour, Flood and his band will bring a magnetic energy to the launch of Monet to Matisse, presenting their refined blend of jazz, deep house and funk.
From 24 July onwards, AGSA will kick-start the weekend with weekly Monet to Matisse Friday Nights events; a series of intimate soirées featuring live music, after-hours exhibition access, a Taittinger champagne bar and French-inspired snacks from AGSA_eat (available to purchase). Hosted in the Monet to Matisse champagne lounge, guests will enjoy a curated line-up of live performances across the season, from DJ duo ebonyplusdylan (24 July) to Adelaide-based beat producer Oisima (31 July), who has shared the stage globally with some of the biggest names in the electric beat scene. From August, in collaboration with Creative Original Music Adelaide (COMA), Friday Nights will present leading jazz and experimental acts including trumpet and piano duo After Words (7 August), award-winning ambient electronica musician Georgia Oatley (14 August), former ABC Jazz artist-in-residence Ciara Ferguson (21 August), and flute and piano virtuosos Fleur Green and Melanie Walters Duo (28 August). Tickets now available to purchase at agsa.sa.gov.au. Artists for the Spring chapter of Friday Nights will be announced in the coming months.
The Hon Kyam Maher MLC, Minister for Arts said, ‘This winter, we invite all South Australians to enjoy some of art history’s most celebrated artists at the Australian-exclusive exhibition Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition. This remarkable exhibition will enrich South Australia’s vibrant arts calendar and cement AGSA and Adelaide as a major tourism destination.’
The Hon Emily Bourke MLC, Minister for Tourism, commented, ‘I’m thrilled that Adelaide will once again become a must-visit destination this winter with the Australian-exclusive exhibition Monet to Matisse: Defying Tradition opening this July. Visitors can experience internationally acclaimed masterworks right here in Adelaide and enjoy programs and late-night events whilst exploring Adelaide’s world-class hospitality and tourism offerings across the city.’
Elsewhere in the gallery, South Australian artists will present a major new immersive installation in AGSA’s free activity space The Studio. Inspired by Monet to Matisse, artists Arlon Hall and Billie Justice Thomson will invite visitors of all ages to step inside a painting and explore light, colour, line and shape whilst mixing, layering and blending artforms to create their own artwork to take home. Hall is known for creating expansive environments that blur the line between artwork and experience. His art often leans towards installations, design and sensory play, transforming familiar environments into something unexpected. Complementary to his work, Thomson centres on colour and embraces experimentation, balancing precision with spontaneity to create works that feel both considered and joyful.
Other Monet to Matisse programs include a Defying Tradition Art Lecture Series, held over four Saturdays in August, curator-led exhibition tours, and for kids and families, free family fun days through Start at the Gallery, plus the Neo program for teenagers aged 13-17, offering a parent-free zone where young people can kick back and hang out with friends, jump into creative labs and tune into live music.
The AGSA Shop will celebrate Monet to Matisse with a vibrant range of merchandise, including a fully-illustrated exhibition catalogue and exclusive design ranges featuring Monet-inspired porcelain flowers by Julie Winn, knit accessories by Otto & Spike, bag charms by Olive Made and jewellery by Lilly Buttrose and Kath Inglis. In addition, a range of glass objects inspired by works in the exhibition have been created by South Australian artists, alongside a product range designed by local artist Billie Justice Thomson. Beyond the exhibition, visitors can enjoy French-inspired winter dining experiences by AGSA_eat, from steak frites and French onion soup in the warm surrounds of the AGSA_eat Bistro, to baguettes, pastries and champagne from the pop-up Deli in the courtyard.
In partnership with the South Australian Government through the South Australian Tourism Commission, AGSA’s Winter Art Series is a new initiative that brings major international exhibitions exclusively to Adelaide during the winter seasons from 2026-29, celebrating Adelaide’s position as a cultural destination through exhibitions from world renowned art collections and complemented by curated experiences and events.
Monet to Matisse follows the evolution of modern art in Europe and the United States at the turn of the 20th century. These works tell the story of succeeding generations of painters and how the styles they invented - from Impressionism to Cubism, Surrealism to Abstract Expressionism - defied tradition and transformed modern art. Alongside celebrated paintings from the Toledo Museum of Art, the exhibition will also feature a selection of works from AGSA’s own collection, including pieces by Manet, Matisse, Picasso and Whistler, underscoring the international significance of AGSA’s holdings.
Videos
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MACHINAL Goodwood Theatre & Studios (5/21-5/30) |
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ART State Theatre Company South Australia (5/20-5/24) PHOTOS |
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Commentary State Theatre Company South Australia (8/21-9/05) |
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The Importance of Being Earnest State Theatre Company South Australia (5/08-5/30) |
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LOGAN ST State Theatre Company South Australia (7/24-8/08) |
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Faulty Towers The Dining Experience - Adelaide Adelaide Royal Coach (6/20-6/20) |
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The Heartbreak Choir State Theatre Company South Australia (11/20-12/05) |
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Log Boy State Theatre Company South Australia (10/01-10/10) |
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The Heartbreak Choir State Theatre Company South Australia (11/20-12/05) |
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Uncle Vanya - but there’s ASMR soap cutting videos playing in the bottom right corner State Theatre Company South Australia (7/09-7/18) |
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