The Salvador Dalí sculpture exhibition has toured some of the most culturally and artistically rich cities in the world, including Rome, London, Beijing, Singapore, Sydney, Hong Kong and virtually every major city in Europe. And of course, Adelaide.
Since 2019, the Dalí exhibition has found a home at the d’Arenberg Cube – a unique, architecturally-designed space that provides the perfect backdrop for Dalí’s surrealist works.
This year, three new pieces (one monumental sculpture, one museum-sized sculpture and one canvas) will be joining the exhibition, as two major sculptures are on loan.
Directly from the Dalí Universe in Switzerland, Dalí’s Space Venus and Dalinian Dancer will both find a new home at the d’Arenberg Cube, alongside Charles Billich’s Angels and Demons of Florence.
Christopher Talbot, President of Artevolution.com and curator of the Dalí exhibition, says the exhibition continues to take things to an “entirely different level” in the art world, offering a unique experience independent from the traditional museum format.
“South Australia is home to the largest Dalí sculpture collection in the Southern Hemisphere. The only other places with a museum this size are in Paris, Prague, Matera [Italy], and Siena [Italy],” said Mr Talbot.
“[The Dalí exhibition] has been extended until June 2024, because the marriage between the d’Arenberg Cube and surrealistic artworks of Dalí is a match made in heaven.
“What’s happening here is a history-making event. For all intents and purposes, d’Arenberg is the home of Dalí. It’s the only place in the country you can see and purchase Dali artworks.”
With the addition of the Dalinian Dancer to the second floor of the cube, there are now four museum-size sculptures on that level, valued at a total of $6 million.
Each individual museum-size sculpture is valued at $1.2-1.3 million, whilst the monumental sculptures outside are between $3-$3.5 million.
The first newcomer, Dalí’s Space Venus, depicts a classic female torso divided into two, revealing an egg at the centre. Venus is the goddess of beauty and Dalí pays homage to female beauty in this sculpture, by adding his own surreal elements.
The egg is a favourite Dalínian theme, representing life, renewal, continuation, and the future.
The watch draped over the neck communicates two key messages – one, that external beauty is temporary, and two, that the beauty of art is timeless and eternal.
The second major sculpture to join the Dalí exhibition is the Dalinian Dancer. Dalí was a great admirer of dance and was particularly attracted to the passion and flamboyance of the flamenco. The Dalinian Dancer is a flamenco dancer, with ruffled skirts and a faceless figure – a recurring motif.
Finally, the third addition to the d’Arenberg cube is Angels and Demons of Florence by Charles Billich, which is valued at $350,000. Exhibition curator Christopher Talbot described Charles as “one of the most important living artists in the world”.
Charles Billich’s surrealistic works can be found in the Vatican, the United Nations, the White House, and now Adelaide’s d’Arenberg Cube.
“Even with shutdowns through covid, as challenging as it was, attendance at the Dalí exhibition was still quite strong. We continue to extend the exhibition because people continue to love it. Approximately 100,000 people have attended the exhibition,” said Mr Talbot.
“What’s different this time is that there are also 40 TV screens showcasing works of Charles Billich – one of the top surrealist artists in the world. He was the recipient of the 2009 Florence Biennale – one of the world’s most prestigious art awards.”
These pieces occupy the spaces once belonging to Dalí’s ‘Triumphant Elephant’, now installed in Rundle Mall, and the infamous ‘Dance of Time II’ sculpture, which will be publicly displayed at Adelaide Airport.
When: 10:30am to 4:30pm, daily.
Where: 58 Osborn Road, McLaren Vale 5171.
Cost: $25 per person – includes entry to the d’Arenberg Cube, the Alternate Realities Museum and Salvador Dalí exhibition. Children under 2 enter for free.
Guests dining in d’Arry’s Verandah Restaurant receive free admission to the Dalí Exhibition. Pre-booked wine masterclass guests gain access to the Dalí exhibition for $10.
To learn more about the exhibition, visit the d’Arenberg website.
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