Melbourne Now is National Gallery of Victoria’s exhibition celebrating the latest art, architecture, design, performance and cultural practice of creative Melbourne. It spans both NGV International and NGV Australia and you’ll need lots of time to visit both.
Melbourne Now children’s projects have been developed in collaboration with artists and designers to introduce kids to the ideas of contemporary art. Even better, the exhibits provide opportunities for lots of fun!
When you first enter the foyer of the Ian Potter Centre, NGV Australia you’ll see an amazing lounge room, hallway and dining made up of piped icing. ‘At home with the Hotham Street Ladies‘ is by the Hotham Street Ladies, five women who at one time lived in a share house in Hotham Street, Collingwood. Together they create food-related art, such as cake sculptures and street art, in a commentary about craft, domesticity and feminism.
The installations are quirky, humorous and definitely lickable and there are lots of fun details to spot.
Also on the ground floor is Show us your World by Jan Senbergs. Along a wall are a series of picture maps from different eras and a long drafting table with inset cups of coloured pencils to encourage kids to draw their own world, real or imaginary. They can then contribute to the exhibit by posting their pictures on the wall. I saw squiggly maps of Brunswick, maps of ‘home-school-nanna’s house’ and one with a dragon!
Being only three Lady AB didn’t quite understand what she needed to draw – but she enjoyed drawing her own art anyway!
On the second level in a previously void space between two gallery rooms is probably Lady AB’s favourite Melbourne Now work.
MARLARKY by Slow Art Collective is a bright, playful and environmentally sustainable domestic habitat which encourages kids to ‘play house’ amongst old tin cans, wool, mats and makeshift furniture made from found materials.
Lady AB served tea from the tea set, stir-fried noodles in the wok, had a sleep on the bed and danced under the teepee, hitting the shapes to emit different sounds.
We spent so long exploring MARLARKY that we didn’t have time to visit the other two children-specific works at NGV Australia – Preston Zly’s ‘Fables go Pop‘ and Daniel von Sturmer’s ‘Paradox Park‘.
To continue your exploration of Melbourne Now with kids you can visit the rest of the exhibition at NGV International. There’s also a NGV children’s publication called ‘Hotham Street Ladies: A Book for Kids‘ ($14.95) which is colourful, interactive book for kids 5 years+ with lively, humorous and quirky narrative about Melbourne, the Hotham Street Ladies and their art. It includes lots of activities designed especially for kids.
Melbourne Now, The Ian Potter Centre, National Gallery of Victoria, Federation Square, Melbourne until 23 March 2014
