The National Gallery of Victoria has announced the second edition of the landmark, city-wide exhibition, Melbourne NOW, which will be centred at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia in 2023. The exhibition will mark the ten-year anniversary of the inaugural 2013 exhibition which was a bold and unprecedented survey of some of the most exciting local contemporary practitioners. Melbourne NOW will again highlight the latest art, architecture, design and cultural practice shaping the cultural landscape of Melbourne.
The NGV will dedicate an initial $1.5 million commitment to acquire, commission and present new works by local Victorian artists, designers and architects. In a timely announcement, new works by Victorian artists will begin to be actively acquired and commissioned beginning this year and will continue for the next three years, where the works will be premiered as part of the 2023 exhibition.
‘The NGV is delighted to be able to support our local creative community with the second iteration of Melbourne NOW. We know new and significant works will be created by Victorian artists and designers for this exhibition, which will celebrate the vibrancy and diversity of our creative sector,’ said Tony Ellwood AM, Director, National Gallery of Victoria.
“Embraced by Victorians and visitors alike, the original 2013 Melbourne NOW exhibition was a landmark presentation of the most exciting art and design being made in one of the world’s most creative cities. Ten years on, Melbourne NOW 2023 is set to be an equally momentous event, while playing an important role in the post-COVID recovery of our creative sector. Although we’ll need to wait a while to see the exhibition, the NGV will start investing in the work and careers of local artists now – when they need it most,” Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley.
Celebrating new and ambitious local art and design, Melbourne Now will cross a range of contemporary disciplines including fashion and jewellery, painting, sculpture, architecture, ceramics, video, performance, printmaking and publishing. The exhibition will also mark the second edition of the hugely popular ‘Design Wall’ showcasing work by dozens of the city’s most innovative design practitioners, as well as popular NGV Kids interactive projects.
Bold in scale, Melbourne Now will be displayed throughout all levels of The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, including permanent collection galleries, showcasing new works and commissions by emerging, mid-career and senior practitioners as well as local collectives, many presenting for the first time in Australia’s most visited art gallery.
At the heart of Melbourne Now will be a collaborative approach to the celebration of Melbourne’s artists and designers, working closely with a range of community, cultural and educational partners.
In 2013, the first edition of Melbourne Now delivered a history-making exhibition at the NGV that surveyed the enormous breath of artistic talent in the local community. Marking the first time the NGV exhibited designers alongside visual artists, the exhibition was an overwhelmingly inclusive experience offering free entry to NGV visitors.
Ten years later, the next edition of Melbourne Now will again offer free entry to NGV audiences and be complemented by an extensive public program and an exhibition catalogue providing further insights into unique aspects of the exhibition.
Melbourne Now will take place in early 2023 at NGV Australia with further information to be announced soon.
