Tate classics light up

See art in a new light this winter in an Australia-exclusive exhibition curated by UK gallery Tate now on show at ACMI.

Light: Works from Tate’s Collection features more than 70 works harnessing the phenomenon of light across 200 years of art history.

New additions to the Light events program, including more details for the Light Cinematographer Program featuring Oscar nominee Ari Wegner and award-winning filmmaker Warwick Thornton, have also been announced with all tickets now on sale.

Part of the Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series presented by Visit Victoria, Light: Works from Tate’s Collection features paintings, photography, sculpture, drawing, installation and the moving image, from world-renowned artists including Joseph Mallord William Turner, John Constable, Bridget Riley and Claude Monet juxtaposed against more contemporary works by Olafur Eliasson, Yayoi Kusama, Tacita Dean and James Turrell.

“After much anticipation, the time has arrived for ACMI audiences to experience an unforgettable collection from Tate,” ACMI acting director and cheif executive officer Graham Jephcott said.

“With Turner’s monumental painting ‘The Deluge’ on display in Australia for the first time, alongside more than 70 works dedicated to exploring an elemental force so vital to moving image creation, ACMI is overjoyed to be presenting a dazzling exhibition that encourages us all to see art in a new light.”

The exhibition’s opening coincides with the announcement of several new additions to the Light events program, each designed to enhance the visitor experience and audiences’ understanding of light through the lens of art.

A second edition of the Light Cinematographer Program will feature an in-conversation event with Oscar nominee Ari Wegner (The Power of the Dog, Zola) on November 4 in Ari Wegner x LIGHT.

Wegner will also discuss her craft and career before two double bills screenings over the weekend – each featuring a film from her back catalogue and a film that inspired her.

Visitors to ACMI are also invited to discover stories, techniques and the history of key exhibition works through a special in-gallery talk by ACMI curator Laura Castagnini as part of a monthly Light: ACMI Curator Tour.

These tours, offering audiences a deeper dive into the themes and historical context of Light, take place from August to November and will be followed by an opportunity to wander through the exhibition in an exclusive after-hours viewing session.

Melbourne is coming alive this winter with a host of amazing creative experiences,” Minister for Creative Industries Danny Pearson said.

“Spanning 200 years of art and packed with light-fuelled masterpieces, this exhibition is the perfect reason to visit the new ACMI and enjoy Melbourne at its creative best.”

For more information on Light: Works from Tate’s Collection, which is on show until November 13, to buy tickets or read the events program, head to acmi.net.au/light.