Maybe I had reached my cultural saturation point?
Maybe I was a bit tired and emotional after a few busy days in the Big Smoke of Melbourne?
Maybe I adopted the incorrect strategy to wander aimlessly through a contemporary art exhibition with no guide and therefore, zero artistic insight?
Maybe I don’t have an artistic bone in my body to understand the creative nuances of the various contemporary styles?
Or maybe it was just plain weird?
Everyone else seemed to be raving about this art exhibition, so where did I go wrong?
You can make up your own mind as I take you around a few of the varied works at the Triennial exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria.
From the absolute get-go I felt like I was flying blind or, more likely, wandering blindly. I am the first to admit that I am old school and the lack of printed material or signage explaining what the Triennial exhibition was all about meant that I was lost before I even started. Yes, I should have done more research before I arrived as, according to the website, the NGV Triennial 2023 “is a powerful and moving snapshot of the world today as captured through the work of 100 artists, designers, and collectives at the forefront of global contemporary practice”.
OK, I’m glad we got that cleared up.
Where I came even more unstuck was that I had no understanding of where the Triennial exhibition started and ended, and which were permanent displays. It all became one big weird blur.
Being the boring logical and linear person that I am, I thought I would just start on the top floor and work my way back down. It would have been a good strategy if it had worked, but I didn’t count on the multiple rooms, corridors branching off every which way, and then the odd descending ramp thrown in for good measure.
I started off earnestly reading all the labels accompanying each of the works until I came to the record player complete with a record pressed from dehydrated cow’s blood! What the?!
That tipped me right over the edge.
From then on, I gave up trying to understand any/many of the works although their information panels were adamant that they were reflections of class struggle or commentary on patriarchy or the environmental degradation of the World or some equally bulldust caption.
Yes, I wasn’t very impressed.
I kept going though, hoping that I would have some sort of epiphany and suddenly marvel at the daring insight of the works. Yes, some of them were clever and even in my ignorant eyes, had some artistic merit. The rest? Yep, just plain weird! Cluster of air purifiers/heaters, anyone?
It was only as I made my way back down to the ground floor of the Gallery that I saw the sign for a guided tour of Triennial 2023. Why didn’t I do my homework and join that tour? I am sure if I had done that, the whole thing would have made a lot more sense.
The Exhibition is not constrained by the walls of the Gallery and flows outdoors, onto the forecourt, and footpaths. Out on the median strips, I did enjoy the small digital screens showing neon-coloured images of pigeons, seagulls and ibis. But, is that art?
There were many other artistically curious folks like me earlyish on that Sunday morning and the foyer of the Gallery was jumping. People were flowing through the doors and standing deeply in thought in front of various works. What was I missing?
Optimistically, a big ‘thumbs up’ sculpture sat proudly in the Gallery’s forecourt. Hmm, maybe a horizontal “thumbs neutral” would be more appropriate from this viewer.
So, is it worth a visit? Yes, I guess so, but don’t make a special trip to Melbourne unless weird art is your thing. 😊
When have you been artistically flummoxed?
The Basics
What: Join a guided tour every day at 11am. They run for one hour and are free. Entrance to the Gallery is also free. If you need to prepare yourself with sustenance (or recover from all that you have seen), there are three different cafes and dining areas.
Where: 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne – about a 5-7minute walk from Melbourne’s main Flinders Street train station.
When: The Gallery and exhibition are open daily from 10am-5pm and move quickly, Triennial 2023 closes on 7 April, 2024.
Why: To make your brain go sideways and to just wonder why.
How: Stroll to the Gallery through the weekend art and craft markets, and past various coffee shops and buskers. Or catch the St Kilda tram that runs straight past the front door.
Who: A very good question! This exhibition is for the art experts or the open-minded.
Related Posts: Something a bit more my style and to my taste are the annual Archibald Prize portrait competition in NSW and the Sculptures by the Sea at Bondi.
Related Blogs: Wandering Teresa also popped into this exhibition and saw a whole stack of stuff I missed completely! Maybe I was in the wrong building? See what she saw here.
Read About it: For an interesting insight into the art work and a pretty good read, grab a copy of The Last Painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith. It really opened my eyes to the world of art fraud.
#destinationvictoria #melbourne #travelinspo #nationalgalleryvictoria #NGV #freetours #modernart #contemporaryart #artexhibitions #painters #touristattraction #sculpture #artgallery #art #triennial2023 #justplainweird #exhibitions #StKildaRd #guidedtour #IknowwhatIlike
Life...one big adventure 
How funny. I’d have been exactly the same in that situation. Thanks for reminding me about the Sunday market, though. I’d forgotten about it.
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Oh good. I’m glad I am not on my own! 🙂
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I am flummoxed by looking at your pictures. I don’t really understand most modern art either. The big orange fabric things remind me of lamps and curtains form the 1970s though. 😊 Maggie
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It was probably the cleverest article in the whole exhibition AND the most practical. I think I will stick with hiking/walking! 🙂
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Hi. I like a lot of modern art. I’d have enjoyed this exhibit.
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Good for you. Obviously I am missing something in my DNA! 🙂
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I am frequently artistically flummoxed. I don’t think I would have really enjoyed this either. I definitely didn’t get the gene for art appreciation, especially modern or abstract art.
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I guess it is good that we are all different and like different things, but sometimes I think there is a blurred line between ‘art’ and sheer pretentiousness. Maybe I am judging too harshly, but I doubt it.
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I love the Why of your post. 🤣🤣🤣 If you were to really ask most sheeple they wouldn’t know why they were here either. The hype is most probably what got them there. Did I see an uneven row of Dyson fans as an art exhibit? Interesting.
I love art, but not this kind.
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Yes, a cluster of Dyson fans is art! Thanks for reading and pondering! 🙂
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I’m someone who has an open mind, but exhibitions like this close it back up very quickly. I’d like to know how many people really enjoy some of this stuff, or do they pretend to just to make the rest of us feel like philistines.
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Yep, agreed. More power to them if it is actually art, but I have my doubts!
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I usually find this kind of art visually stimulating even if I don’t (or can’t) grasp the why of it. I do like the woven, golden “curtains” in your last photos. But good on Victoria for being willing and able to host an exhibition like this. 😁
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Absolutely. I am the first to admit that my taste in art is on the conservative side, but the golden fish nets were a favorite.
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Hmm, interesting! You’ve got me with the purifiers/heaters … maybe the cleaners forgot to put these away?
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Yes, I can picture them rushing about before the doors open, trying to get everything neat and tidy! 😊
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What on earth is going on? A record pressed from dehydrated cow’s blood – honestly what the heck is that. Like you I’d have been baffled and struggled to enjoy a visit. It just seems like being artsy for the sake of being ‘cool’ or something. So weird.
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Agreed, both tacky and weird in the extreme!
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Yes, I would have been flummoxed as well, and maybe even had a few eye rolls. I can appreciate art, but I’m not what you’d call an art lover, especially when it gets particularly off-the-wall, so I would consider some of what you saw pretentious (but your word “weird” is nicer).
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I bet the artists would be unhappy with both our descriptions!
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I find modern art can be very hit and miss. Some pieces are phenomenal, but others are just eye-rollingly pretentious or seemingly created for shock value.
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Yep, maybe that mix is what makes it ‘modern’.
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😂😂😂 This made me giggle. I’ve been to my fair share of ‘modern art’ exhibitions that have made me wonder. Last week in Amsterdam I avoided shimying between two real life nudes in a recreated exhibit at the Marina Abramović exhibition. I took the side entrance.
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Why, why, why? Is that art? Or an attempt to grab media attention? I think it is the latter, for sure!
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Well, it certainly gets the wheels turning, but in the desired direction? 🖼️🤔
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Yep, good question! 🙂
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