ballets russes at the national gallery...

I have been to textile and costume heaven.

Last Friday I treated myself to a leisurely afternoon at the National Gallery of Australia...one of my favourite places in this here national capital of ours :) Actually, one of my favourite places in the whole wide world.
Here's the new facade...pretty spectacular don't you think?

This was my first visit since the grand re-opening of the gallery with its new spaces last September and I wasn't disappointed. The new indigenous galleries are just superb. I've always loved the totems and they look so wonderful in their new space.

But I went to see the Ballet Russe exhibition. The NGA has one of the largest collections in the world of costumes and other bits and bobs from this ballet company, founded by Serge Diaghilev in Paris in 1911.  Here's just some of the fantastic costumes...

 This one above was my favourite and is actually a male costume...who would have guessed...I'm going to have a crack at painting it. It will look lovely on my new white walls if I can do it justice :)

Don't these look modern even today...nymph costumes

second favourite coming up...

As always when I go to the Gallery, the exhibition blew me away. It is such an incredible place...and a ten minute drive from home...

So much awesomeness...but how in the heck did they dance in these? They must weigh more than the dancers...even when they're dripping wet (the dancers not the costumes...ballet is hard work or so I'm told)

And outside the gallery (oh how I wish you could take photos inside...why can't you I wonder? You can in the Louvre)...there is a major installation called within, without by James Turrell...it's hard to describe

...you walk into it...the photos don't do it justice...well mine don't anyway :)

...and of course I had to buy the book didn't I? It has the most beautiful close-ups...

and perhaps I bought a few other things as well despite the year of living frugally (I put them under the category of 'learning stuff')

Go here for more fabulous images from the Ballets Russes exhibition and explanations about the ballets and costumes.

all except the last two images are from the NGA website