![Mary Magdalene bottom right, behind the cross and kissing it? : according to Sara Penco, the author of the new book Mary Magdalene in Michelangelo’s Judgement. Dec 2024 Vatican Museum Director Professor Antonio Paolucci unveiled today to the international Press the new Lightining and air conditioning system of the Sistine Chapel, where about 6 million tourists a year visit the chapel to marvel at Michelangelo's ceiling and his depiction of the Last Judgment on the altar wall.The German firm Osram has installed more than 7,000 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in a gilded, rail-like structure high up on the walls of the chapel to protect the artworks and provide brighter lighting.Although visitors will get less time to view the chapel, Paolucci said: "Starting in the early months of 2015, visitors to the Vatican Museums are going to be offered special, disposable ‘intelligent glasses' similar to Google Glass that will enable them to explore the Sistine [Chapel] in 3D and go deeper into its history before the actual visit."EDITORIAL US (Photo by Alessandra Benedetti/Corbis via Getty Images)](https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/123f7bdee11c452e398dc1b37abf45fe?width=650)
Another judgment: Mary Magdalene was right up there with Jesus all along
An Italian author says the woman who followed Christ to the end is in a Sistine Chapel fresco.
Visual Arts
The golden age for wandering artists shines bright in this exhibition
Paul Jacoulet was born in an exotic location and made his life there, while Ian Fairweather fled in search of the exotic.
Creative thinking for a cultural powerhouse
We’re fourth in the world for creative thinking, but a cultural strategy could take us to the top.
The original croc hunter: Art, soul and spirit of an adventurer
Crocodile hunter, sanctuary keeper and art collector George Craig lived a daring life to the full.
First-time entry fees for modern art lovers
Entry to the Museum of Contemporary Art will cease to be free in 2025, with general admission set to start costing art-lovers $20 from the end of January.
Taylah Hasaballah’s paintings are built to decay
With her upcoming Sydney exhibition DIG, Hasaballah challenges art’s obsession with permanence, using chemical reactions and environmental influences to shape paintings that evolve over time.
A new exhibition brings the city of the dead to life
This enthralling exhibition at the National Museum, called simply Pompeii, throws light on the people whose lives were cut short in one brief, terrifying moment.
Dodge the blockbusters — here are the best art shows of summer
A number of Australia’s summer exhibitions leave a lot to be desired, but there are treasures to be found … including if you’re heading abroad | FULL LIST
The Indigenous rebels who terrorised Victoria
A report of the dawn arrest of a band of Indigenous rebels in November 1841 in Victoria brilliantly captures the tension and drama.
Uncovering the hidden stories of the AIDS Memorial Quilt Project
In 1993, a 10-year-old South Australian boy died of AIDS. Piers Stewart loved trains and dinosaurs and, while his life was cut short, he was not forgotten.
Framed by love: star photography couple share secret of getting the perfect shot
In a world where images are captured at the blink of an eye, what possesses two artists to spend hours, months – even years – to get the perfect shot?
The gifts that keep on giving
The Art Gallery of NSW’s latest acquistion, a polychrome wooden figure by Pedro di Mena, represents Saint Francis absorbed in meditation on a crucifix he holds tenderly in his hands.
Elgin Marbles may go to Greece – on loan – amid fresh talks with British Museum
Greek prime minister is “firmly convinced” the priceless Elgin Marbles will head back to Greece as talks continue with the British Museum to relinquish the fifth century artefacts.
Joining the dots on Yayoi Kusama’s fashion connection
From her radical happenings to working with Louis Vuitton, Yayoi Kusama’s work has long been tied with fashion.
How Yayoi Kusama conquered the art world from the confines of a psychiatric facility
Yayoi Kusama, who voluntarily checked into hospital in 1973 and never left, has never been more popular. To witness her work is to unravel a 95-year-old mystery – but what’s with her obsession with pumpkins? | Listen to the weekend edition of The Front.
‘The art needs to be seen as equal’
For 50 years Melbourne’s APA studio has championed artists who experience the world differently, forging for artists like Alan Constable a place where their work is ‘interpreted, understood and critiqued’ in the same way as their peers.
Hidden Caravaggio on show, but not for long
A portrait of an aristocrat by Caravaggio, which has never been seen in public before, has gone on show in Rome after a deal was struck with its secretive owner.
State art gallery’s new boss
The incoming director at the Art Gallery of South Australia has been revealed after an international search.
Ben Quilty is busy in his studio — but these works are not for sale
As hype builds ahead of another retrospective exhibition, the artist can be found creating new work for an audience of one. This is art as therapy, as Ben Quilty deals with the demons of the physical abuse he suffered as a schoolboy.
Carrol Jerrems’ quest for meaning in the 1970s
The 1970s images of acclaimed Australian photographer Carol Jerrems – who died aged just 30 – continue to shape our visual culture.
Original URL: https://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/visual-arts