The National 2017: New Australian Art

cover image by nell, with things being as they are… (detail), 2016-17.
words by josh ives
Art lovers, get excited because the minds behind the MCA, the Art Gallery of NSW and Carriage Works have crafted an exhibition to excite you.

The exhibition is part of a 6 year reveal over three instalments in 2017, 2019 and 2021. Come March 30, you will have the chance to witness the first act, as you succumb to the powerful draw of the poignancy of art.

Curators for the 2017 edition of The National: New Australian Art are Anneke Jaspers, Wayne Tunnicliffe, Lisa Havilah, Nina Miall and Blair French.

Blair French, curator and director at the MCA threw in her two cents about the plan: “This unique collaboration enables us to explore the themes and concerns of artists making work today in a way that a single organisation couldn’t undertake. The works reflect the diversity of subjects preoccupying artists and all Australians from a cultural, political and social perspective. Taking the form of sculpture, painting, installation, video, drawing and performance, this exhibition provides a snapshot of Australian art at this particular moment in time.”
Each establishment hosting this trifecta of art awesomeness are defined by a certain theme or idea, giving the viewer a unique experience at each event.

At the AGNSW, the central focus in on marginal narratives and contested histories and how these are played out and shaped by shifting power imbalances rife with conflict.

Carriageworks goes in a completely different direction by focusing on the fluidity and transient nature of identity – both in a collective and individual sense. Works presented this year for The National address the ‘fractures and contingencies’ of Australian identity, employing a strong cross-generational approach.

Finally, at the MCA, time and its many facets is the word of the day. Expect strongly poignant images and motifs littered across the place with the fragility and chaos of time itself. Always a tender topic with us mere mortals, time represents an important message for all of us and I’m sure the display will not disappoint.

Whether you adore art like the air you breathe, or you just simply want a day out and could use a fresh perspective, head on down to an establishment for the day, or go all three for the daring, starting March 30 and going on until July. Entry is free and you’ll be all the better for the experience.

Check out all the details HERE