NGV Triennial 2023

Among the highlights, artist Agnieszka Pilat will spend four months training Boston Dynamics robotic dogs to autonomously create paintings, exploring the role of technology in contemporary society and paving the way for future AI-powered art.

Pilat is known for her bold portraits of technology and her collaboration with Spot, a four-legged robot. In the NGV Triennial, she extends her interest in robots and technology by entrusting her brushes to AI-enabled robotic apprentices – robotic dogs trained to create paintings autonomously. These robotic artists produce solo and collaborative works that offer a futuristic and joyful blend of technological advancement and artistic tradition.

The NGV welcomes Artistic Director Daniel Roseberry to present a range of recent collections, alongside a collection of ornate, surrealist accessories and body jewellery, in a unique partnership with the prestigious Parisian haute couture brand Schiaparelli. Highlighting Roseberry’s commitment to challenging couture norms, embracing the elemental and his belief that art and fashion can express, influence and address modern social issues, the presentation will be set against an immersive celestial backdrop.

Counter-culture figure Yoko Ono will unveil a major text-based work on the façade of NGV International. Known for her work in performance, film, installation and writing, Ono will use elements from her Instruction Pieces and previous global public art projects to create a powerful installation that communicates her conceptual approach over six decades.

The NGV Triennial will feature new acquisitions by British artist Tracey Emin, known for her autobiographical and confessional work across a range of media including film, painting, drawing, installation and sculpture. The collection includes a remarkable five-metre neon light installation of Emin’s handwriting, bronze sculptures and expressive paintings that convey intense emotions and experiences.

Maurizio Cattelan’s much-discussed artwork ‘Comedian’, featuring a banana and masking tape, makes its Australian debut at the NGV Triennial. Similar to its premiere at Art Basel Miami in 2019, this Australian presentation of the artwork is expected to spark discussions among visitors about the impact of conceptual art on modern life and culture.

David Shrigley unveils his massive public sculpture Really Good, 2016, renowned for his wry and humorous art that comments on the banality and irrationality of everyday life. Created for the empty Fourth Plinth in London’s famous Trafalgar Square immediately after the UK voted to leave the European Union. The sculpture, which stands seven meters tall, depicts a thumbs up and embodies Shrigley’s trademark self-aware irony, serving as both mockery and sincere gesture.

For the NGV Triennial, Tokyo-based artist Makoto Azuma presents an extensive installation of flowers and plants encased in acrylic blocks. Honoring the beauty and vitality of plants, he pairs these exquisite sculptural elements with a compelling multi-screen film depicting the life cycle of flowers. The installation invites viewers to reflect on the complex relationship between humans and plants.

Paris-based American artist Sheila Hicks presents Nowhere to Go, 2022, a significant and colorful fiber sculptural installation. The rounded, towering forms, hand-crafted in Hicks’ small studio, merge into a soaring and joyful representation of architectural space and the emotional impact of color. Standing nearly 7 meters tall, the work is a stunning celebration of space and color.

Dutch collective SMACK uses computer animation to create cutting-edge generative art. Its significant video installation Speculum, 2019, presents a modern interpretation of Hieronymus Bosch’ famous painting The Garden of Earthly Delights. Through the use of playful visuals and popular imagery, the digital triptych serves as a stark reflection of our current culture, portraying solitary individuals consumed by images, invasive technologies and popular culture icons to reveal uncomfortable truths about our society.

In 2020, Tyler Mitchell was unable to return home due to the Covid pandemic. He produced a series of works inspired by his longing for home and his vision of a black utopia. Set in the public spaces of the American South, his photographs delve into cherished memories and reconstruct the realities of black people. Mitchell has articulated his intention to move away from the stereotypes associated with the black physique and to recapture everyday moments of happiness, a significant undertaking given the limitations faced by previous generations.