Ocula Conversation Thao Nguyen Phan: Dangerous Optimism Tessa Moldan, Brussels With Monsoon Melody on view at WIELS, Brussels, her largest solo exhibition to date, Thao Nguyen Phan discusses her transition to film to explore colonial legacies and ecological destruction in Vietnam.
Ocula Report Frieze Los Angeles: Shows to See Tessa Moldan, Los Angeles Los Angeles' art scene has a lot to offer during Frieze Los Angeles, with galleries, non-profits, and museums gearing up for the fair's second edition between 14 and 17 February 2020. In this Ocula Lowdown, Tessa Moldan lists a selection of the city's must-see shows.
Ocula Insight Jaki Irvine's Manifesto on Life at Kerlin Gallery, Dublin Apoorva Rajagopal, Dublin Ack Ro' , Jaki Irvine's reflection on the fragility of life at Kerlin Gallery, Dublin, is an 'ambitious, holistic installation' staged like a 'wild disarray of interconnected yet fragmented pieces'.
Located on one of the world’s most spectacular sites on the edge of Sydney Harbour, the Museum of Contemporary Art opened its doors to the public in November 1991. Established through a bequest by Australian expatriate artist John Power (1881-1943), who left his personal fortune to the University of Sydney to inform and educate Australians about international contemporary visual art, the MCA is dedicated to exhibiting, collecting and interpreting contemporary art.
Read MoreThe vision of the founding Director Leon Paroissien and Chief Curator Bernice Murphy was manifest from its earliest years – a commitment to innovative programming with ground-breaking exhibitions of contemporary art from Australia, the Asia Pacific region and around the world.
In 1998, the first phase of expansion began when the Museum had access to the whole building and created galleries for solo exhibitions by Australian artists.
A strong emphasis on making the MCA a museum that engages artists with audiences led to a program of significant solo shows by Australian and international artists as well as thematic and group exhibitions. The MCA is a major partner of the Biennale of Sydney. Attendances increased to over 580,000 in 2010, leading to the need for further expansion.
In March 2012, following extensive redevelopment a significantly expanded museum was unveiled to the public. Architect Sam Marshall in conjunction with the Governments Architect's Office has created a striking building that responds to its unique location bringing together the old and new and creating a context for engaging artists with audiences for the 21st century. The new museum houses an entire floor dedicated to the MCA Collection, a National Centre for Creative Learning and a series of site specific artists' commissions.
Ocula News Biennale of Sydney to Tackle Race and Colonialism Sydney, 4 February 2020 Newly announced highlights of the event include Arthur Jafa's The White Album , which won the Golden Lion at last year's Venice Biennale.
Ocula Report The National 2019: New Australian Art Elyse Goldfinch, Sydney The National 2019: New Australian Art features work by 70 contemporary Australia-based artists split across three venues: the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) , Carriageworks, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA) (29 March–21 July 2019), as curated by Isobel Parker Philip, curator of photographs at AGNSW; Daniel Mudie...
Ocula Conversation Sun Xun Tess Maunder, Sydney Born in 1980 in Fuxin, China, to a factory-worker and military family, Sun Xun 's father advised him to avoid politics. He was encouraged by his family to move to Hangzhou at the age of 16 to pursue his studies as an artist at a high school affiliated with the China Academy of Fine Arts. It was at CAFA that the artist honed his aesthetic and...
Ocula Report Biennale of Sydney: Equilibrium & Engagement Tess Maunder, Sydney SUPERPOSITION: Equilibrium & Engagement marks the twenty-first edition of the Biennale of Sydney (16 March–11 June 2018). Curated by Mami Kataoka , it brings together over 70 artists and artist collectives from 35 different countries exhibiting at 7 venues, including the Sydney Opera House, and marks the first time an Asian-born curator...
