A hundred skulls, a ton of interesting things to see

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This was published 6 years ago

A hundred skulls, a ton of interesting things to see

By Hannah Francis
Updated

In this corner of the gallery, where old paintings of lords and ladies gaze down from their gilt-edged frames, you could be forgiven for not knowing there was a major contemporary art show going on.

But then you see, through the next doorway, a giant, anatomically correct human skull – plonked right in the centre of the room.

A young art appreciator explores the world of Ron Mueck's Mass.

A young art appreciator explores the world of Ron Mueck's Mass.Credit: Jason South

"[NGV director] Tony Ellwood was very keen to play Mass off against the 18th Century Galleries," says Ron Mueck of his new work at the NGV Triennial, which opened yesterday.

It's more than just one skull, however: as you round the corner, you see an entire room filled with piles and piles of them. One-hundred, to be precise.

Artist Tom Crago with his virtual reality exhibit.

Artist Tom Crago with his virtual reality exhibit.Credit: Jason South

"Mass intrudes into the 18th Century Galleries like a glacier inching across a landscape, crowding out the powdered, bewigged lords and ladies, a reminder of all our fates," says Australian-born Mueck, who is known for his lifelike sculptures of people through various stages of life and death.

Mueck says he referenced Cambodia's killing fields, Paul Cezanne's Pyramid of Skulls and the Paris catacombs in his research. Played off against the portraits of porcelain-skinned nobility, Mass is both sombre and wicked.

Mueck is one of 100 artists showcased in the National Gallery of Victoria's first Triennial of contemporary international art, which builds on a locally focussed exhibition it presented in 2014, Melbourne Now.

Thirty-two countries are represented, including Australia, with works ranging from large-scale sculptures to video, virtual-reality, interactive installations, paintings, fashion, furniture design and more.

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Yesterday visitors rolled around on Alexandra Kehayoglou's enormous rug depicting a map of Patagonia's Santa Cruz river; stuck flowers on Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama's model apartment; and wandered through Teamlab's galaxy-like installation.

NGV has commissioned 20 world premiere works for the exhibition, including Mueck's, and will acquire them along with 30 other works.

NGV senior curator contemporary art Simon Maidment said it was the gallery's most ambitious exhibition to date.

NGV Triennial is on at NGV International, St Kilda Rd, until April 14. ngv.vic.gov.au/

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