Sally Smart, ‘Chout Act_4’, 2018. Melbourne Art Theatre performance, Gossard Theatre, Melbourne. Photo: Jeff Busby. Courtesy: the artist and ACE Open, Adelaide

Encounter the work of one Australia’s most significant contemporary artists, Sally Smart, as she makes a welcome return to Adelaide with her immersive new installation, ‘The Violet Ballet’, presented as part of Adelaide Festival 2019. Widely known for her large-scale, richly coloured assemblage installations, Smart has carved out a world-renowned career that spans more than three decades. ‘The Violet Ballet’ extends on Smart’s distinctive practice, examining the extraordinary legacy of the Ballet Russes – in particular its macabre dance piece Chout (Tale of the Buffoon) – alongside traditional the Indonesian Wayang character Punokawan.