From famine to feast: the mega art show coming soon to Melbourne – Sydney Morning Herald

An entire floor of NGV International will be dedicated to works in illumination, juxtaposed against the historical collection, literally showing them in a new light.

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And a big shiny Venus, by controversial, world-famous sculptor Jeff Koons, will sit immodestly among it all, the decoration on a gigantic art cake.

The Triennial has immodest ambition: to "explore the pressing issues of our time and survey the world's foremost artists, designers and architects" in media ranging from ancient Indigenous practice to the cutting edge of technology.

New York artist Tabor Robak is at that cutting edge, and says it's a huge honour to be part of the Triennial. His Megafauna, an immersive installation of computer-generated animations that will surround the viewer in an entire gallery, is the biggest work he has ever made, in the biggest room in which he's ever had to work.

Tabor Robak's Megafauna 2020 (detail).Credit:Tabor Robak / NGV

"It opened up possibilities," he says. Robak read up on Australia and was captivated by stories of megafauna, the exotic, huge, extinct animals that roamed our continent. He married that with ideas from robotics and artificial intelligence, to create a work he says is "both terrifying and exciting".

"It's easy to say technology will save us, or that it has our impending doom baked into it. I tend to take a middle road... [looking at] the urge to race towards this technological future, that comes with a lot of ethical and environmental cost."

Robak wanted to convey the potential of creating new lifeform on a "Godlike scale", playing with the design languages of the future from military weapons, healthcare and surveillance. "This will be a holy site, and these are deities."

His biggest disappointment is that, even though the exhibition runs until April 19, he may not get to see it. As with the vast majority of the artists, Robak has had to supervise the installation process remotely, placing his trust in the NGV team and an intricately detailed brief - down to the wiring standards - to make sure his vision isn't compromised.

Ellwood said Robak was one of the first artists the gallery commissioned to "plan something spectacular and he's pulled it off".

The pandemic shutdown, and the likelihood of continuing restrictions on public gatherings and venues, had affected the exhibition structure, Ellwood says, but it has "barely suffered".

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Some works that were more about physical engagement or interactivity had to be modified from their original plan, but Ellwood says "they don't lose their power". His best bet is that, by December, government rules will have relaxed enough to allow plenty of visitors.

Gallery layout was tweaked so as to not overcrowd any particular area or encourage people into corners. They will closely monitor visitor numbers, and make more use of outdoor spaces. Most of the art was commissioned before the pandemic but those that tackle themes such as isolation, loneliness, and speculation about the future may have new resonance.

"I can't wait," Ellwood says.

Nick Miller is Arts Editor of The Age.

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From famine to feast: the mega art show coming soon to Melbourne - Sydney Morning Herald