EXHIBITION: DA VINCI SECRETS
“Who am I? I was born in Florence, Italy at the dawn of the High Renaissance. During my life I was an accomplished sculptor, anatomist, scientist, engineer, writer and painter who produced arguably the most iconic artworks in history (the Mona Lisa, The Last Supper, the Vitruvian Man’) …my story also has more intrigue than author Dan Brown would dare poke a stick at.” Only Leonardo Da Vinci – Renaissance poster-boy, polymath and all-round uber-genius – could boast such an exhaustive list of achievements. Da Vinci Secrets: Anatomy to Robots is essential viewing for Sydneysiders hoping to become acquainted with the legend himself. On loan from Florence, this richly visual, anecdotal and interactive exhibition provides an intimate study of Da Vinci’s complex, historically significant artworks (including the once-lost Battle of Anghiari). Equally as awe-inspiring are the elaborate and revolutionary inventions (flying machines, breathing apparatus etc) and graphic anatomical models that have been faithfully reproduced from da Vinci’s enigmatic Codices (which he wrote in mirror image cursive no less). The only superfluous inclusion is Antonio de Vito’s replica da Vinci artworks. While beautiful and immaculately realised, de Vito’s fresco-style reproductions are merely a non-essential, indulgent footnote to an exhibition already sufficiently designed to astonish. This humbling, expansive exhibition is not to be missed (and for sci-fi fans, da Vinci’s interactive ‘world-first robots’ are worth the price of admission alone).
Until Aug 2, Sydney Town Hall, Druitt Street Entrance, $15-22, davincisydney.com.au
