National Gallery of Victoria opens NGV Triennial of contemporary art
The National Gallery of Victoria has raised $9 million to buy artworks for its Triennial exhibition, including larger-than-life bronze sculptures by British artist Thomas J. Price.
The two cast-bronze human figures standing at the entry of the National Gallery of Victoria manage to be both monumental and self-effacing at the same time.
The tallest, a towering 4m, shows a woman in a familiar pose, gripping her mobile phone. The second figure is a man slouching, hands in pockets.
The work of British artist Thomas J. Price, the two sculptures – called Reaching Out and All In – are a riposte to historical public sculpture that would cast in bronze and put on podiums the likenesses of great white men.
“My work is really critiquing the idea of portraiture and the values attached to it,” Price said. “They are sculptures about statues.”
Price’s two sculptures have been newly acquired by the NGV as the Melbourne gallery prepares to open the NGV Triennial of world contemporary art on Sunday.
The third Triennial exhibition has been backed by $9 million raised from donors to support the acquisition of artworks for the NGV.
The Felton Bequest, Neville and Diana Bertalli, and the Loti and Victor Smorgon Fund have helped purchase Price’s sculptures.
Other major supporters are Barry Janes and Paul Cross, whose donation has helped the acquisition of a work by Berlin-based duo Elmgreen and Dragset, and July Cao whose support has brought works by six different artists into the gallery collection.
NGV director Tony Ellwood said the Triennial exhibitions, previously held in 2017 and 2020, were intended to position the NGV as a major centre for contemporary art and design.
“We have been fundraising pretty actively each year to ensure that we are able to retain a high percentage of the work,” he said. “We have raised about $9m for this Triennial, just for acquisition.”
The Triennials were stepping stones towards the planned opening, in 2028, of a dedicated gallery for contemporary art, The Fox: NGV Contemporary. It is named for major donors Lindsay and Paula Fox who have given $100m.
Artists showing in the NGV Triennial include Yoko Ono, whose text-based work will wrap the NGV building on St Kilda Road, British artist David Shrigley, and Maurizio Cattelan, whose raspberry to art-world excess, Comedian, comprises a banana taped to the gallery wall.
Senior US artist Sheila Hicks will show one of her oversize soft sculptures, while women from Maningrida in Arnhem Land have produced a 100m fish fence, woven from pandanus.
In all, 120 artists and creative teams from 30 countries will be on show across the NGV’s St Kilda Road gallery. The Triennial is open until April 7 and entry is free.
Price said his figure sculptures were not portraits of individuals but “fictional characters” drawn from different sources.
“They look incredible,” he said at the NGV. “It’s the first time I have seen the two figures installed in close proximity and it’s really powerful.”