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Chinese magpies, a Whiteley dove and a tale of two sales

Would be buyers flew in from China to see the stars of Bonhams’ Asian art auction, while Smith & Singer will be hoping Brett Whiteley’s dove has a better night.

  • Elizabeth Fortescue
Shahd Jweifel, left, and Aya Jweifel, right, at Cafe Green in Deir al-Balah.

In ruined Gaza, a restaurant brings relief and hope

The reopening of a much-loved Gaza City restaurant, now relocated, is one of a few glimmers of normalcy for Palestinians trapped there.

  • Vivian Yee and Bilal Shbair

This Month

Known globally as the ‘Freaky Queen’, Italian-Eritrean pop star Senhit (pronounced Suh-neet) first shot to fame across Europe as a fan favourite Eurovision contestant,  representing San Marino at Eurovision in 2011, 2020 and 2021. She stars in Eurovision on Tour.

The night Eurovision finally came to Australia

From Moldova’s Epic Sax Guy to a rapturous homecoming for Dami Im, this touring version of the song contest was great daggy fun.

  • Michael Bailey

Get discounted tickets to see Hamilton in Sydney*

See this acclaimed musical for the exclusive discounted price of $85.

Ben Quilty 

Ben Quilty to sell part of his personal collection for superannuation

Among lots for sale is his Archibald Prize-winning portrait of Margaret Olley, and paintings done over the past 25 years that haven’t been shown before.

  • Steve Meacham
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Reuben Kaye has the best costume.

Jesus Christ Superstar goes Judas Priest in hard rocking return

The generation who grew up with John Farnham as Jesus in the 1992 staging of Lloyd-Webber’s first might be surprised at its heavy metal makeover just opened in Sydney.

  • Michael Bailey

Do you know this week’s news? Answer these 10 questions

Have you been paying attention this week? Test your knowledge across politics, business and world news.

  • Daniel Arbon

Fan to put Bradman’s baggy green on the market

The cap worn by The Don during the 1947-48 home Test series against India is expected to fetch up to $400,000 at auction.

  • Elizabeth Fortescue
A Korean feminist movement to abstain from men is spreading worldwide after Ddonald Trump’s election victory.

Women swear off men as ‘4B’ movement goes global

Feminists worldwide are following a South Korean example and shunning marriage, dating and sex with men after Trump’s election victory.

  • Gregor Stuart Hunter
David Tennant as Lord Tony Baddingham in Rivals.

Why screen villains always play golf

Short of kicking a puppy, there’s no more reliable signifier of utter rottenness than a man – and it is always a man – playing golf.

  • Peter Swain
Paul Mescal plays Lucius in Gladiator II from Paramount Pictures.

Gladiator II is a dumber, prettier rerun of the original

Paul Mescal is no Russell Crowe, but to paraphrase old Maximus from the first Gladiator: you will still be entertained by its sequel.

  • Michael Bodey
William Delafield Cook’s Hillside 1, 2004-2011, carries a pre-sale estimate of $450,000 to $650,000 in Deutscher + Hackett’s November 26 auction in Melbourne. The work is 3.8 metres wide.

Job done selling luxe apartments, Lendlease offloads vast landscape

With 90 per cent of apartments at One Sydney Harbour sold, Lendlease is selling the 3.8m wide bush scene by William Delafield Cook that adorned the display suite.

  • Elizabeth Fortescue
Jacquelina de Jong, pictured at her home in Sint Maarten, was introduced to social media by her parents as a snowboarding prodigy. Now 18, she has seen the dark side of the internet and turned a profit from it.

She was a child Instagram influencer. Her fans were grown men.

“Jacky Dejo” was introduced to social media by her parents as a snowboarding prodigy. Now 18, she has seen the dark side of the internet — and turned a profit from it.

  • Jennifer Valentino-DeVries and Michael H. Keller
Donald Trump at a rally in Arizona.

Six signs that you are charismatic

Donald Trump’s got it. Anthony Albanese doesn’t. A candidate’s charisma is a bigger electoral factor than previously given credit for, writes psychologist Pete Quarry.

  • Peter Quarry
TV chef Jamie Oliver has withdrawn his new children’s book ‘Billy and the Epic Escape’.

Jamie Oliver’s editors should have seen this scandal coming

British publishers are scratching their heads as to how Penguin Random House UK could have left the celebrity chef’s kids’ book exposed to an A-grade furore.

  • Hans van Leeuwen
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“Dancing Pumpkin” by Yayoi Kusama was unveiled on Saturday in the National Gallery of Victoria’s front forecourt.

Polka-dotted pumpkin could be NGV’s most expensive piece of art

The Smorgon family operates Australia’s biggest glasshouse, so their financing of the five-metre sculpture by 95-year-old Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama, worth over $10 million, makes sense.

  • Michael Bailey

How much do you know about the US election? Answer these 10 questions

Have you been paying attention this week? Test your knowledge on the US election.

  • Daniel Arbon
Robin Wright, with Tom Hanks, says Here is “about the span of life”.

AI made Tom Hanks 18 years old again. Unlike colleagues, he’s a fan

Hollywood is divided over whether artificial intelligence is a boon to creativity, or a vapid destroyer of jobs.

  • Devin Gordon
Visitors viewing Lindy Lee’s Ouroboros at night.

National Gallery handed $15m in biggest-ever donation

Kerry Stokes’ $15 million donation is about one-quarter of what the Canberra institution needs to raise for a new sculpture garden.

  • Michael Bailey
A real stinker … Judi Dench in Cats

From Cats to the Babe sequel, the most disastrous films of all time

Andrew Lloyd Webber was left so traumatised by what Hollywood did to Cats that he bought an emotional support dog.

  • Leaf Arbuthnot

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/arts-and-culture