In this free exhibition, each display is anchored by the central theme of the common ground between creative disciplines. The display draws from the NGV’s permanent collections of contemporary art, design, fashion, decorative art, photography, prints and drawings.
The themes – urbanism, nature, time, masculinity and anthropomorphism – allow viewers to explore how ideas, materials, mediums and forms flow, recur or overlap between works of art and design. From the outside in, it looks like the use of unlikely media together, often ordinary objects or nature, are used to create entirely new structures or purpose.
ISSEY MIYAKE, Tokyo (fashion house) Issey MIYAKE (designer) Dress 1994 {spring-summer, flying saucer collection} National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne © Miyake Design Studio
Marc NEWSON (designer) LC2 Lockheed, chaise longue (1985-1986) fibreglass, aluminium, rubber 89.0 x 170.0 x 65.0 cm National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Purchased from Admission Funds, 1990 D17-1990 © Marc Newson
Droog Design, Amsterdam (manufacturer) Tejo Remy (designer) You can’t lay down your memory, chest of drawers 1991, manufactured 2013 used drawers, maple, jute strap 120.0 x 120.0 x 80.0 cm ed. 105/200 National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Purchased NGV Foundation, 2016 © Courtesy of Droog Design, Amsterdam
Gay HAWKES Cape Raoul chair 1991 driftwood and wood 310.6 x 113.6 x 148.0 cm National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Margaret Stewart Endowment, 1993 DC5-1993 © Gay Hawkes
Common Ground is on now at NGV International until February. Entry is FREE.
Pictured at top: Patricia PICCININI Nest (2006) enamel paint on fibreglass, leather, plastic, metal, rubber, mirror, transparent synthetic polymer resin, glass (a-b) 104.2 x 197.0 x 186.4 cm (variable) (installation) ed. 2/3 National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2006 2006.415.a-b © Courtesy of the artist
The Garb Wire 