The NGV has unveiled new vibrant works by Melbourne-based contemporary artists on the 2022 NGV Architecture Commission: Temple of Boom in the NGV Garden.
In this second phase of painting, Temple of Boom – a contemporary reimagining of The Parthenon on the Acropolis – has been adorned with large scale works inspired by Greek mythology and diverse connections to culture and nature.
Designed by Melbourne-based architects Adam Newman and Kelvin Tsang, Temple of Boom invites audiences to consider the effect of time on all architecture as the structure transforms with murals painted in phases. The contemporary artists have been guest curated by Toby Benador from Just Another with works by Drez, Manda Lane, and David Lee Pereira unveiled at the Commission’s opening on 22 November 2022.
Artists presenting new work on the Temple of Boom
Aretha Brown is a Gumbaynggirr artist and screenwriter from Melbourne’s western suburbs who is an accomplished muralist, emerging stand-up comic, and founder of the **Kiss My Art Collective championing young women and non-binary artists by providing opportunities to work on large-scale public murals in Australia and internationally. For this installation, Brown has created a mural in her signature monochromatic style depicting young Aboriginal people looking up to seek guidance from their Elders.
Creature Creature are a duo consisting of Melbourne-based artists Chanel Tang and Ambrose Rehorek who work collaboratively on projects spanning exhibition art, murals, street art, design and illustration. Formed in 2011, the pair took the name Creature Creature from a quote in the 1960s film A Bucket of Blood; “A Creature is a Creature…or it is an artist!”. For their work at the NGV, Creature Creature have painted figures from ancient Greek mythology including winged horse Pegasus, serpent Amphisbaena, the multi-headed hounds of Hades Cerberus, and water serpent Hydra.
Manda Lane is a muralist, illustrator and paper-based artist from Collingwood, Victoria. With a keen focus on botanicals, her art explores the interactions between the natural world and industrial or man-made objects. Continuing her work from the first phase of painting on Temple of Boom, Lane depicts various growth behaviours of plants, creating a visual metaphor for personal expression and growth.
Chuck Mayfield is a Melbourne-based artist and muralist who started painting graffiti and murals at the age of 16. Since then, Mayfield has established his career as a freelance artist producing work exploring the natural environment, illusions of light, mythology, philosophy and spirituality. In his work, Mayfield has created a work that invites viewers to consider the effect that individual and collective perceptions have on experiencing the Temple of Boom structure.
Resio is a contemporary artist of Greek heritage based in Melbourne whose practice draws inspiration from Abstract Expressionism, Action Painting and the visual language of graffiti. Connecting with his Greek heritage, Resio’s mural celebrates the colour and energy of Mediterranean culture drawing upon the vibrancy of Greek food, dance, and song.
The third and final phase of artworks on the Temple of Boom will be revealed in May 2023.
Tony Ellwood AM, Director of the NGV, said, ‘This next stage of painting on Temple of Boom honours Adam Newman and Kelvin Tsang’s vision to create a work of architecture that evolves over time. In dialogue with the existing murals, these five works invite visitors to discover some of the visual languages shared through Melbourne’s diverse contemporary art scene.”
(The NGV Architecture Commission 2022: Temple of Boom is on display until August 2023 at NGV International, Melbourne. Free entry. Further information is available via the NGV website)
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