Or rather, a new biennial (the non-European way of saying: an art festival that happens every two years). And before you say “That’s crazy, the current Biennale takes me three months to properly explore”, know this: this new biennial will take place in the off-year of the existing Biennale of Sydney AND it will exclusively feature contemporary Australian art.
Kicking off in March 2017, and with three editions planned (so 2017, 2019, 2021) The National: New Australian Art is a collaborative project between the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW), Carriageworks and the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA).
The biennial will commission new work by Australian artists (including those living overseas), with a strong focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. Lisa Havilah, director of Carriageworks, points to “the extensive commissioning of new work that reflects contemporary Australia and our place in the world.”
Put this in your diary:
The National: New Australian Art 2017 exhibition dates:
Art Gallery of New South Wales: Mar 30-Jul 16
Carriageworks: Mar 30-Jun 18
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia: Mar 30-Jun 18
The curators for the first iteration of the National are: (from AGNSW) Anneke Jaspers (curator contemporary art) and Wayne Tunnicliffe (head curator Australian art); (from Carriageworks) director Lisa Havilah and curator Nina Miall; and (from MCA) Blair French (director, curatorial and digital).