The National Gallery of Victoria is out to prove why so many label Melbourne Australia’s cultural capital (and far more importantly, why it’s We Heart’s favourite city Down Under). Melbourne Now is a showcase of the best of the city, with hundreds of commissions, installations and loaned works forming a big old exhibition that aims to demonstrate how a city is shaped by the multidisciplinary artists that live and work within it. Artists, architects and product, fashion and jewellery designers are all represented, and among the many standout works are Anastasia Klose’s gift shop for schmucks, Stuart Ringholt’s clever collages and David Wadelton’s nostalgic look at the Melbourne milk bar.
Coinciding with the exhibition, the gallery is undergoing big changes. As well as nine interactive commissions aimed at children within Melbourne Now, the NGV is out to get all ages more involved with its new Community Hall, designed by McBride Charles Ryan, which will run a rotating program of workshops, talks, fashion catwalks and other events. Get amongst it, people of Melbourne!
David Wadelton
born Australia 1955
Edithvale Road, Edithvale
from Milk bars of Melbourne 2010–13
colour inkjet prints
(1-35) 31.4 x 43.0 cm (each)
Collection of the artist
© David Wadelton
Juan Davila
born Chile 1946, arrived Australia 1974
After image, Kreon 2013
oil on canvas
200.0 x 250.0 cm
Collection of the artist
© Juan Davila,
courtesy Kalli Rolfe Contemporary Art, Melbourne
Photo: Mark Ashkanasy
Anastasia Klose
born Australia 1978
One stop knock-off shop 2013
T-shirts, posters, mugs, furniture, lucky cats
dimensions (variable)
Collection of the artist
© Anastasia Klose,
courtesy Tolarno Galleries, Melbourne
Stuart Ringholt
born Australia 1971
Nudes 2013
collage
(1-52) 29.0 x 30.0 cm (each)
Collection of the artist
© Stuart Ringholt,
courtesy Milani Gallery, Brisbane
McBride Charles Ryan, Melbourne
Australia est. 1988
Community Hall 2013
architectural installation
1500.0 cm (diameter)
NGV commission; supported by Higgins Coatings
Daniel CROOKS
born New Zealand 1973, arrived Australia 1994
An embroidery of voids 2013 (still)
colour single-channel digital video, sound, looped
sound design: Byron J. Scullin
Courtesy Anna Schwartz Gallery, Melbourne and Sydney
The commission for Melbourne Now is supported
by Julie, Michael and Silvia Kantor
© Daniel Crooks,
courtesy Anna Schwartz Gallery, Melbourne and Sydney
Polixeni Papapetrou
born Australia 1960
Ocean Man 2013
from the series The Ghillies 2013 pigment print
120.0 x 120.0 cm
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased NGV Foundation, 2013
© Polixeni Papapetrou
Administered by VISCOPY, Sydney
Phuong Ngo
born Australia 1983
Look past 2013
from The Vietnam Archive Project 2010
35mm colour slides, 35mm black and white slides, light boxes
351.0 cm x 115.5 cm x 65.0 cm (installation)
Collection of the artist
© Phuong No
Supported by Tam Vu, Vitae Partners
Michelle Hamer
born Australia 1975
Can’t 2013
wool, plastic
52.0 x 67.0 cm
Collection of the artist
© Michelle Hamer,
courtesy Fehily Contemporary, Melbourne
Ricardo Idagi
Meriam Mir born 1957
False evidence appearing real 2013 earthenware,
wood, steel, plastic and glass 60.0 x 37.0 x 27.0 cm
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for
Living Australian Artists, 2013
© Ricardo Idagi,
courtesy Vivien Anderson Gallery, Melbourne
Peter KENNEDY
born Australia 1945
Light rain – and everything we know about
the universe (except gravity) 2013 (detail) neon
500.00 x 8160.00 x 20.0 cm (overall)
© Pater Kennedy,
courtesy Milani Gallery, Brisbane;
Supported by NGV Foundation with the assistance of
the NGV Supporters of Contemporary Art
