The first announcement of artists presenting work in the inaugural edition of The National: New Australian Art, opening on 30 March 2017 at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), Carriageworks and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) have been revealed.
A major exhibition partnership between three of Sydney’s premier cultural institutions, The National: New Australian Art is a six-year initiative presenting the latest ideas and forms in contemporary Australian art over three editions in 2017, 2019 and 2021. The initial nine artists announced are from six Australian states and territories:
Art Gallery of New South Wales
Taloi Havini (Melbourne, Victoria; Sydney, New South Wales; Buka and Bougainville),
Tiger Yaltangki (Indulkana, South Australia)
Alex Martinis Roe (Berlin, Germany)
Carriageworks
Archie Moore (Toowoomba, Queensland)
Justene Williams (Western Sydney, New South Wales)
Richard Lewer (Melbourne, Victoria)
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia
Erin Coates (Perth, Western Australia)
Karen Mills (Darwin, Northern Territory)
Ronnie van Hout (Melbourne, Victoria)
These artists highlight the curatorial vision for the exhibition, representing a mix of emerging, mid-career and established artists drawn from around the country and practicing overseas. New and recently commissioned works encompass a diverse range of mediums including painting, video, sculpture, installation, drawing and performance.
Curators for the 2017 edition of The National: New Australian Art are Anneke Jaspers, Curator Contemporary Art and Wayne Tunnicliffe, Head Curator Australian Art, Art Gallery of NSW; Lisa Havilah, Director and Nina Miall, Curator, Carriageworks; and Blair French, Director, Curatorial & Digital, MCA.
Connecting three of Sydney’s key cultural precincts: The Domain, Redfern and Circular Quay – The National: New Australian Art will be the only large-scale recurring exhibition in the city focused solely on contemporary Australian art.
The full list of artists will be announced on 1 December 2016. The National: New Australian Art 2017 will be on display at the Art Gallery of New South Wales 30 March – 30 July 2017; Carriageworks 30 March – 18 June 2017; and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia 30 March – 18 June 2017. For more information, visit:
Image: Ronnie van Hout, To Love and be Loved in Return, installation view, Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney, 7 June – 12 July 2014. Image courtesy the artist, Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney and Station Gallery, Melbourne – photo by Simon Hewson