Madison blogs - Culture vultures

Of the belief that it’s important to nourish the mind as well as the body, we make our way over to the Gallery of Modern Art  where we take in the Ron Mueck exhibition, a collection of works by the acclaimed Australian-born, London-based sculptor. The pieces are confronting: figures are often naked, both physically and emotionally, shown in states of undress and reflection. We get up close and marvel at the attention to detail, amazed at how real the hair and skin (complete with gooseflesh) looks. Our favourite: the newborn baby. That mucus totally freaked us out!

And now for the piece de resistance: next month GOMA is hosting Valentino, Retrospective: Past/Present/Future, an exhibition of 100 haute couture ensembles from Italian master Valentino Garavani, ranging from a strapless tulle cocktail dress from Valentino’s first collection in 1959 through to pieces from his final collection in January 2008 before he retired. And there are the celebrity frocks: on display are dresses worn by a number of ‘Val’s Gals’, including Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman, Jackie O, Elizabeth Taylor, plus the utterly elegant vintage dress Julia Roberts donned to accept her Oscar in 2001.

Fashion followers will have the chance to examine Valentino’s techniques and signature motifs, including geometric and animal prints, the use of frills, folds and pleats to create dramatic silhouettes and, of course, the infamous ‘Valentino red’ dresses. While honouring the past, the exhibition also has one eye firmly on the future: included in the collection are recent creations by the house’s new creative directors, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli. Supremely sophisticated, timeless and glamorous, this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition is absolutely worth the travel. I’ve already booked my flight – will I see you there?

To uncover what Brisbane has on offer and take advantage of great Blue Holidays deals to experience it yourself click here.

- Sherine Youssef