Oversized apples, men in bowler hats, and pipes (that definitely are not pipes) are some of René Magritte's iconic surrealist images.
The first retrospective ever dedicated to the artist in Australia will open at the Art Gallery of NSW in October, featuring more than 100 works as part of a program of blockbuster summer shows.
Installed in the Naala Nura south building, it will include more than 80 paintings drawn from collections worldwide, most of them never seen in Australia before.
The exhibition will focus on Magritte's pioneering contributions to surrealism, marking the centenary of the movement's 1924 manifesto.
The following month in the new Naala Badu north building, gallery-goers can see the first Australian retrospective of Chinese cyber-futurist artist Cao Fei.
The pioneering Guangzhou-born artist makes art from China's urbanisation and globalisation, through films, photography and installations.
Designed by the artist herself and Hong Kong's Beau Architects, the exhibition will be designed to bring the megacity into the gallery, and will include two Sydney-specific commissions.
"Magritte and Cao Fei are giants of their respective times and leading figures in both the modern and contemporary art worlds," said Art Gallery of NSW director Michael Brand.
At the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia, the summer brings a survey by Ethiopian-American artist Julie Mehretu.
The exhibition series has been supported by the NSW government.
Magritte runs from October 26 to February 9 while Cao Fei: My City is Yours opens November 29 and goes until April 13.
Julie Mehretu runs November 29 until April 27.
