We arrived in Melbourne in the morning, and the temperature was about 22° instead of 42° which it was in Sydney
two days ago.
We had most of the day to spend in Melbourne, so after buying a "Myki" travel pass, we travelled into the city centre.
Our first stop was at the the National Gallery of Victoria where we enjoyed the excellent Triennial exhibition.
Eternity by Zu Zhen in the foyer
The Triennial "Featured the work of over 100 artists and designers from 32 countries, the NGV Triennial surveys the world of art and design, across cultures, scales, geographies and perspectives."
As you can imagine the exhibition was huge, over four levels, so we didn't manage to see everything, but what we did see was very impressive. A major feature was the monumental work Eternity‑Buddha in Nirvana by Zu Zhen in the foyer.
The exhibition had a strong feeling of whimsy and playfulness that seems missing from exhibitions like the Sydney Biennale, or maybe that's just the aesthetic of the curator.
Flower Obsession by Yayoi Kusama
Flower Obsession by Yayoi Kusama
Frances adding to the obsession
Mixed metal cast by Subodh Gupta
Manga chairs by Nendo
Large panel by Saputro
This is an animated video to accompany the Manga Chairs works by Nendo.
I was particularly taken by the work of Uji (Hahan) Handoko Eko Saputro with its strong graphic design and sense of humour. The image in the first photo is a detail of the round panel featuring a "facade of NGV International, with steps leading up to the Waterwall".
PR for the show "Dream Lover"
We spent a little time in the centre of Melbourne, then decided to spend the rest of our time at the famous Victoria Markets with its historic buildings and excellent range of fresh and processed foods.
Middle-Eastern busker
We also took the opportunity to buy some wine as well as there was a wholesaler at the markets. AUS$10 for the bottle plus AUS$20 corkage to get it on board was still cheaper than buying it on board - Wayne and Jane bought a dozen bottles to last the trip.
While waiting for a tram, I saw the most amazing site of a Middle-Eastern busker dancing in his own unique style to Michael Jackson disco hits. See the video below from YouTube.
The Triennial "Featured the work of over 100 artists and designers from 32 countries, the NGV Triennial surveys the world of art and design, across cultures, scales, geographies and perspectives."
