The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia

Do you have golden retriever energy, or are you more of a black cat kind of person? Felines and canines form an important part of the everyday lives, pop culture and mythology of humans, and the latest exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria celebrates the role of these animals.  Cats and Dogs is now showing at the NGV’s Ian Potter Centre until July 2025. The exhibition will feature more than 250 works of art, design and fashion spanning diverse periods and media, all drawn from the NGV’s own collection.  One side of the exhibition is dedicated to all things dogs, with the other side to our feline friends. The cross-cultural and transhistorical collection of artworks spotlights the cultural symbolism of cats and dogs, from their significance in religion, spirituality and the occult, to their appearances in pop culture.  The multifaceted line-up of artists includes Pierre Bonnard, Rembrandt van Rijn, David Hockney and Jeff Koons, as well as local talents Atong Atem, Grace Cossington Smith and Trevor Turbo Brown. In terms of fashion, there are also impressive pieces from Romance Was Born and Alexander McQueen. Find out more about Cats and Dogs including ticket information over here. Feeling arty? Check out the best art and exhibitions happening in Melbourne this month.

Entering the first-ever retrospective exhibition of Kamilaroi artist Reko Rennie’s expansive work is like stepping into a colour-saturated graffiti-influenced essay on the lasting impacts of colonisation. Rekospective: The Art of Reko Rennie showcases works from the artist’s career spanning two decades, in the largest display of his work to date. The retrospective also included never before seen bodies of work.  Now showing at the Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia until January 27 2025, this free exhibition consists of mostly autobiographical works which explore Rennie’s experience navigating contemporary so-called Australian society as a First Nations person. Expect bold colours, graffiti-like elements and contemporary references, all underpinned by traditional Kamilaroi designs and patterns.  Since starting out as a street artist, Rennie has gone on to exhibit at the 2015 Venice Biennale and the 2016 Biennale de Cuenca, becoming known for his subversion of romanticised Aboriginal identities.  Highlights of the exhibition include a Rolls Royce covered in pink and black camouflage, a 15-metre-wide light sculpture created in response to the 250th anniversary of James Cook’s landfall, and a three-channel film with an operatic score called Initiation OA_RR.  Find out more about Reko Rennie, his story and this exhibition at the NGV website. Feeling arty? Check out the best art and exhibitions happening in Melbourne this month.