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Matt Dive Gold - where art meets sport

To coincide with the 2010 Sydney Mardi Gras, we are hosting MATT DIVE GOLD, an exhibition dedicated to Australian diver Matt Mitcham - diving gold medal winner at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Guest curated by Jonathan Turner, it features a mix of media by 14 acclaimed artists from 7 countries.

Participating artists Craig Ruddy, Renato Grome, Maree Azzopardi, John McRae (right) and William Yang (not pictured) joined the crowds flooding our Redfern gallery on the opening night to celebrate this uniquely collaborative event with Matt. Alan Jones also popped in to view the artworks and have a chat with the guests.

The exhibition runs daily from 11am - 6pm until Saturday 13 March. Don't miss it!

1 Olympic Gold Medallist and 14 International Artists dive into Mardi Gras

To coincide with the 2010 Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, we present MATT DIVE GOLD, an exhibition dedicated to Australian diver Matt Mitcham (gold medal winner in the 10-metre platform event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics) and Chief-of-Parade at the 2009 Mardi Gras. Art meets sport in an unconventional exhibition curated by Jonathan Turner, featuring 14 acclaimed artists from 8 countries.

Matt Mitcham, with the highest-scoring single dive in Olympic history (the now famous "Matt 10 Gold") thus becomes an unexpected icon for the different artists involved. Their portraits reflect on the figure of the diver and the act of intense concentration.

Comprising recent works by Maree Azzopardi (Australia), Tom Bianchi (USA), Robert Gligorov (Macedonia), Renato Grome (UK/Italy), Fritz Kok (Netherlands), Matt Marello (USA), Francesca Marti (Spain), John McRae (Australia), Tracey Moffatt (Australia), Antonio Riello (Italy), Craig Ruddy (Australia), Antonio Pio Saracino (Italy/USA), Francesca Tulli (Italy) and William Yang (Australia) this dynamic works span the mediums of sculpture, painting, drawing and film.
 
As a subject, the portrait remains valid, multi-faceted and often controversial. At a time when much attention is being placed on the forthcoming Archibald Portrait Prize in Sydney, MATT DIVE GOLD is an unusual event in which diverse artists from many countries have instead chosen to focus on a single, Australian model. In keeping with the tone of inspiration and visual invention, the exhibition features two large-scale, expressive, mixed-media paintings by Craig Ruddy, the 2004 Archibald Prize-winner.

This exhibition is produced in collaboration with LipanjePuntin Arte Contemporanea in Rome/Trieste, and with thanks to Sydney galleries - Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Martin Browne Fine Art and Richard Martin Gallery - and Galleria Il Ponte Contemporanea, Rome.

Official opening
Wednesday March 3, 5-8pm
Smith & Hall Gallery
53-59 great Buckingham Street
Refern NSW 2016

Exhibition opening hours: every day from Monday March 1 to Saturday March 13, 11am to 6pm

Fresh from competing in Germany, Matt Mitcham will be present at the opening, along with several of the artists, the curator and the “rainbow divers” who led Matt Mitcham’s Chief-of-Parade float from last year’s Mardi Gras.

For more information please contact Emma Smith events@smithandhall.com.au or www.smithandhall.com.au tel (02) 8823 4300.