Following up on Ai Weiwei/Andy Warhol – the highly ambitious, masterfully curated and very relevant double bill which has attracted record crowds to the NGV – is no easy task. But with its impressive spring/summer program, announced this morning by director Tony Ellwood, it looks like the gallery has no plans to slow down.
The NGV’s summer blockbuster will be David Hockney (Nov 11-Mar 13) a large-scale survey of the world-renowned British painter, featuring more than 700 of his works. Widely regarded as Britain’s great living painter, Hockney, 78, will exhibit 80 of his very recent portraits of his family and friends across a 35-metre long gallery. Visitors will get up close to the artist’s paintings, as well as works which incorporate new technologies, including drawings and paintings created on his iPad (as shown above in his 2012 self portrait).
Viktor&Rolf Ready-To-Wear Spring/Summer 2010Photograph: Team Peter Stigter
Following on from the NGV’s series of collaborations with fashion designers (the most recent being the 200 Years of Australian Fashion and Jean Paul Gaultier), the gallery will present Viktor&Rolf: Fashion Artists (Oct 21-Feb 26). Amsterdam designers Viktor Horsting and Rolf Snoeren will present 35 of their best-known pieces of haute couture, including their 2010 ready-to-wear collection, which saw the designers cut holes out of tulle ball gowns.
The full breadth of the NGV’s upcoming program is almost overwhelming: up first will be a survey of Australian artist John Olsen, followed by a retrospective of the life and work of senior Kaiadilt woman from Bentinck Island (QLD) Mirdidingkingathi Juwarnda Sally Gabori (1924–2015).
For the full program, visit the NGV website.