Surry Hills, Sydney
Maz November 12th, 2011
'Far North Queensland -- Port Douglas 1992' by Brett Whiteley
On a recent trip to Sydney, I spent some time in gentrified Surry Hills, a previously rundown suburb on the southern edge of the city. It now boasts some of the grooviest new restaurants, cafes, furnishing & homewares and edgy shops in Sydney. Art Galleries also seem to be multiplying (7 are listed in the very useful Surry Hills Walkabout guides found in every shop www.urbanwalkabout.com).
I can particularly recommend the Brett Whiteley Studio. This is where one of Australia’s most celebrated artists lived and worked from 1988 to 1992 – and it’s one of Sydney’s best kept secrets. The Studio exhibits a changing selection of Whiteley’s work. Go upstairs and you get glimpses into his private world, with his sketchbooks, photographs, music and personal memorabilia. It’s free and open on Saturdays & Sundays 10am-4pm at 2 Raper Street, Surry Hills. (Don’t be put off if the heavy wooden door is closed with a note saying: “Warning, don’t enter if nudity offends”. Often life drawing classes are in progress.