Our Italian Exhibition Evening

Close to 100 guests joined us last week to celebrate Italian culture, and the evening was everything we hoped it would be.

The gallery was curated around Kristan’s Italian journey, and guests moved through it city by city. Venice was a highlight, with a selection of sketches created during Carnival, a rare chance to see the city at its most theatrical. Alongside them hung works from Rome, Florence, and Milan, including pieces drawn at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics at the start of this year.

Three brand new paintings were also unveiled for the first time: the Roman Colosseum, the Duomo in Florence, and the Venetian Lagoon. Each is a vibrant, large-scale tribute to a city that has shaped Kristan’s work, and each drew a steady crowd throughout the night.

Of course, no Italian evening would be complete without the food. Guests enjoyed pizzette, arancini, and cannoli, all of it a fitting match for the art on the walls. Just as thoughtfully chosen was our wine partner for the evening, Mount Towrong. Set 600 metres up in the Macedon Ranges, this small family-owned vineyard has an Italian story of its own. The Cremasco family migrated from Italy’s Veneto region and brought their love of food and wine with them. Guests enjoyed three of Mount Towrong’s delicious wines: a Prosecco, a Grillo, and a Negroamaro.

As the night continued, speeches from Kristan and the Italian Consul added a more personal note, a moment to reflect on the country’s influence on art, food, and culture, and on the connection that inspired the exhibition.

It was a fantastic evening, and one we’ll remember for a long time. While many of the pieces found new homes on the night, a number are still available. If you would like to see them, visit us at the gallery, or email us at contact@oud.art to arrange an appointment.