Tickets now on sale for French art blockbuster

Time then to book some tickets for the next French art blockbuster, Gauguin's World: Tna Iho, Tna Ao at the National Gallery of Australia.

It will be the largest exhibition of Gauguin's work ever to be presented in Australia, with more than 130 works, It is curated by Henri Loyrette, formerly director of the Musée d'Orsay and president-director of the Musée du Louvre.

That alone should be enough to get some good queues going; Canberra audiences, and indeed art-lovers from all over the country, will take any chance they can to get anywhere near those Parisian greats.

And the cost-of-living crisis means this will be as close as many of us will get to an iconic French art museum for a good while yet.

And throw in any reference to French Polynesia, and we have ourselves a nice staycation right here in the capital.

The exhibition traces Gauguin's artistic journey and global travel, from his Impressionist beginnings in 1873 to his final destination in French Polynesia.

Drawn from 65 private and public collections across the world, it brings together important examples of Gauguin's painting, drawing, engraving, sculpture and the decorative arts, along with cultural items from the Musée de Tahiti et des Iles.

It's rare to see these works hanging together, and the show will shine a new light on the painter's complex legacy in that part of the world.

National Gallery director Nick Mitzevich said the show would be an important opportunity for audiences to contemplate the life and art of Gauguin through the perspective of our regional neighbours.

"While we celebrate Gauguin's ties to the Pacific region we need to address his legacy," he said.

"Like other contemporary and historic artists, Gauguin's life and legacy have come under increasing scrutiny. By today's standards, Gauguin's interactions in Polynesia at the end of the 19th century would not be acceptable.

"We see this as an opportunity to connect with artists across the Moana/Pacific, elevate their voices, hear their stories and invite new perspectives to Gauguin's life, art and legacy."