As the global economy muddled through its post-pandemic recovery, art organizations ploughed ahead with their plans. The Sydney Modern project at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) welcomed the public on December 3 with a robust program of exhibitions, performances, new acquisitions, and commissions. Designed by Japanese architectural studio SANAA, the AUD 344 million (USD 224 million), 22,000-square-meter complex comprises a new standalone building and a public art garden adjacent to AGNSW’s renovated existing structures.
Not to be outdone, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne announced, backed by a AUD 100 million (USD 74 million) donation from entrepreneurs Paula and Lindsay Fox. Slated to open in 2028, it will become Australia’s largest contemporary art museum, with more than 13,000-square-meters of exhibition space and a 40-meter-high spherical exhibition hall.
