An installation view at NGV International
Letters from the Director

Discover something new

Dear friends,

Last week we reopened the NGV, and it has been truly wonderful to see visitors rediscovering works and moments that have been so missed over the past months. The NGV Collection is home to over 75,000 works of art and design that cross Country, coasts, continents, and cultures. We regularly create new Collection displays so that around every corner there are old favourites to reconnect with and always something new to discover. This week, I thought we’d share some fantastic new works that we have recently acquired for our Collection and are now on display for you to see during your next visit.

Now on display on Level 2 at NGV International are a selection of works that celebrate the Art Deco period. Paul-Étienne Saïn was a French painter and lacquer artist who worked alongside Eileen Gray and Jean Dunand as a group of artists focusing on the technique of lacquer work. Looking at Saïn’s Floor screen, we can see how this group was drawn to lacquer’s lustrous, shiny surfaces and sensuous, decorative effects. While we know that Gray and Dunand trained with Japanese lacquer craftsman Sugawara Seizō after he moved to Paris, it is not known from whom Saïn learned the craft. We can, however, see more of an influence from the Vietnamese lacquering technique which often incorporated crushed eggshell into the design, as seen here. The use of eggshell, along with gold, silver and mother of pearl became common materials that allowed Art Deco designers to transform ancient crafts into the epitome of modernity.

Now on display on Level 2 at NGV International are a selection of works that celebrate the Art Deco period. Paul-Étienne Saïn was a French painter and lacquer artist who worked alongside Eileen Gray and Jean Dunand as a group of artists focusing on the technique of lacquer work. Looking at Saïn’s Floor screen, we can see how this group was drawn to lacquer’s lustrous, shiny surfaces and sensuous, decorative effects. While we know that Gray and Dunand trained with Japanese lacquer craftsman Sugawara Seizō after he moved to Paris, it is not known from whom Saïn learned the craft. We can, however, see more of an influence from the Vietnamese lacquering technique which often incorporated crushed eggshell into the design, as seen here. The use of eggshell, along with gold, silver and mother of pearl became common materials that allowed Art Deco designers to transform ancient crafts into the epitome of modernity.

Coffee table, model no. IN-50 is recognised as a twentieth-century design icon. American designer Isamu Noguchi is primarily regarded as a sculptor. His career, however, was multi-faceted; he designed furniture, lighting, architecture and theatre sets. The rounded sculptural form of this table, designed in 1944, reflects Noguchi’s desire to incorporate sculpture into people’s everyday lives. Similarly, Noguchi’s lighting designs borrowed the traditional Japanese technique of chochin (paper lanterns) and made them modern. Calling them Akari, meaning ‘light’ but also implying lightness, Noguchi intended his lighting designs to add atmosphere to an interior. Noguchi’s ability to envisage and design beyond conventional boundaries is captured in these luminous sculptures which transform traditional art forms into contemporary furniture for the domestic interior.

Coffee table, model no. IN-50 is recognised as a twentieth-century design icon. American designer Isamu Noguchi is primarily regarded as a sculptor. His career, however, was multi-faceted; he designed furniture, lighting, architecture and theatre sets. The rounded sculptural form of this table, designed in 1944, reflects Noguchi’s desire to incorporate sculpture into people’s everyday lives. Similarly, Noguchi’s lighting designs borrowed the traditional Japanese technique of chochin (paper lanterns) and made them modern. Calling them Akari, meaning ‘light’ but also implying lightness, Noguchi intended his lighting designs to add atmosphere to an interior. Noguchi’s ability to envisage and design beyond conventional boundaries is captured in these luminous sculptures which transform traditional art forms into contemporary furniture for the domestic interior.

Like Noguchi, George Nakashima was another influential American furniture designer and craftsman with Japanese heritage. His 1971 Conoïd bench which is displayed with Noguchi on Level 2, encapsulates his design philosophy which aimed to celebrate the natural beauty of trees – timber flaws and all. Appreciating the beauty of trees was central to his practice. He sourced timbers himself, milled them, and stored them in slabs for years. He loved the fact that his furniture offered trees a second life, allowing the beauty of the grain and natural flaws in the wood to be appreciated in perpetuity. While interned during WWII, Nakashima learnt traditional Japanese cabinetmaking, and after the war, opened his own studio which is still run by his daughter today. He is known for producing one-off and limited-edition timber furniture that celebrates the Japanese reverence for hand manufacture and the imperfect.

Like Noguchi, George Nakashima was another influential American furniture designer and craftsman with Japanese heritage. His 1971 Conoïd bench which is displayed with Noguchi on Level 2, encapsulates his design philosophy which aimed to celebrate the natural beauty of trees – timber flaws and all. Appreciating the beauty of trees was central to his practice. He sourced timbers himself, milled them, and stored them in slabs for years. He loved the fact that his furniture offered trees a second life, allowing the beauty of the grain and natural flaws in the wood to be appreciated in perpetuity. While interned during WWII, Nakashima learnt traditional Japanese cabinetmaking, and after the war, opened his own studio which is still run by his daughter today. He is known for producing one-off and limited-edition timber furniture that celebrates the Japanese reverence for hand manufacture and the imperfect.

The beauty of asymmetry can also be appreciated in this Korean eighteenth-century Moon jar which can be seen within the Asian Galleries on Level 1. Unique to Korea, moon jars have gained their name from the round and gentle shape of the moon and the white glow of the moonlight. The moon jar’s unadorned white surface is regarded as a manifestation of restraint and anonymity, devoid of greed or selfishness. The imperfect shape alludes to the beauty found within nature. The minimalist aesthetic is characteristic of Korean historical and contemporary art, and represents Joseon dynasty virtues of purity, honesty and modesty, Buddhist meditative practices, and Zen philosophy. This moon jar is a stunning example of its kind, with a height and width that are roughly equal, and subtle imperfections seen in the tiny ash spots and hues of green that blemish its surface.

The beauty of asymmetry can also be appreciated in this Korean eighteenth-century Moon jar which can be seen within the Asian Galleries on Level 1. Unique to Korea, moon jars have gained their name from the round and gentle shape of the moon and the white glow of the moonlight. The moon jar’s unadorned white surface is regarded as a manifestation of restraint and anonymity, devoid of greed or selfishness. The imperfect shape alludes to the beauty found within nature. The minimalist aesthetic is characteristic of Korean historical and contemporary art, and represents Joseon dynasty virtues of purity, honesty and modesty, Buddhist meditative practices, and Zen philosophy. This moon jar is a stunning example of its kind, with a height and width that are roughly equal, and subtle imperfections seen in the tiny ash spots and hues of green that blemish its surface.

Also within the Asian Galleries stands this ten-panel folding screen which reaches nearly three metres in width. Existing from the Korean Joseon dynasty, the late nineteenth to early twentieth-century design highlights the lotus. This flower was seen as a symbol of enlightenment and spiritual harmony and became a favoured subject of the Joseon literati and women of the royal court. As evident in the sensuous forms of entangled stems, leaves and flowers in this screen, lotuses were also associated with romance and love. This amorous atmosphere is complemented by pairs of fish, heron, ducks, turtles, prawn and shell crustaceans depicted at the bottom of each panel of the screen. Flowers and birds were particularly popular motifs on decorative screens during this time due to their association with wealth, honour and conjugal harmony.

Also within the Asian Galleries stands this ten-panel folding screen which reaches nearly three metres in width. Existing from the Korean Joseon dynasty, the late nineteenth to early twentieth-century design highlights the lotus. This flower was seen as a symbol of enlightenment and spiritual harmony and became a favoured subject of the Joseon literati and women of the royal court. As evident in the sensuous forms of entangled stems, leaves and flowers in this screen, lotuses were also associated with romance and love. This amorous atmosphere is complemented by pairs of fish, heron, ducks, turtles, prawn and shell crustaceans depicted at the bottom of each panel of the screen. Flowers and birds were particularly popular motifs on decorative screens during this time due to their association with wealth, honour and conjugal harmony.

Harmony in nature and design is evident in this pair of Vincennes Porcelain Factory vases from c. 1755 complete with matching forms and complimentary floral decoration. Each of the models produced by the factory were given specific names, and these vases were called ‘vases with ears’ in reference to the way the handles extend organically out of the rim. The scrolling foliate form reflects the prevailing rococo taste of artists and designers in mid eighteenth-century France. With no known similar precedents existing in Chinese porcelain or metalware, it is believed that they were an entirely original creation by the factory’s designer, Jean-Claude Duplessis. The striking colour has an interesting backstory. Having initially been used on a dinner service produced for Louis XV, the turquoise coloured ground, known as bleu celeste, was introduced by the factory in 1753 and quickly became one of the factory’s most sought after and expensive ground colours.

Harmony in nature and design is evident in this pair of Vincennes Porcelain Factory vases from c. 1755 complete with matching forms and complimentary floral decoration. Each of the models produced by the factory were given specific names, and these vases were called ‘vases with ears’ in reference to the way the handles extend organically out of the rim. The scrolling foliate form reflects the prevailing rococo taste of artists and designers in mid eighteenth-century France. With no known similar precedents existing in Chinese porcelain or metalware, it is believed that they were an entirely original creation by the factory’s designer, Jean-Claude Duplessis. The striking colour has an interesting backstory. Having initially been used on a dinner service produced for Louis XV, the turquoise coloured ground, known as bleu celeste, was introduced by the factory in 1753 and quickly became one of the factory’s most sought after and expensive ground colours.

On Level 2 of NGV International visitors will also encounter an early eighteenth-century linen Bedcover whose silk threads shimmer gold in the gallery lights. By the early 1700s, hand embroidered textiles were common in European homes and were produced not only by women but also by men, amateurs and professionals. Embroidered caskets, hangings and bedcovers such as this one are a technical and artistic highlight of eighteenth-century needlework: the illustrative motifs embroidered provide insight into the visual culture of the period. This example features flame-filled cornucopias and musical horn-like imagery that resemble the ‘Bizarre Phase’ during the period 1700–12, where patterns combined idiosyncratic shapes with semi-naturalistic motifs.

On Level 2 of NGV International visitors will also encounter an early eighteenth-century linen Bedcover whose silk threads shimmer gold in the gallery lights. By the early 1700s, hand embroidered textiles were common in European homes and were produced not only by women but also by men, amateurs and professionals. Embroidered caskets, hangings and bedcovers such as this one are a technical and artistic highlight of eighteenth-century needlework: the illustrative motifs embroidered provide insight into the visual culture of the period. This example features flame-filled cornucopias and musical horn-like imagery that resemble the ‘Bizarre Phase’ during the period 1700–12, where patterns combined idiosyncratic shapes with semi-naturalistic motifs.

Across at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia in Federation Square hangs Dora Meeson’s bright, light-filled painting On a Chelsea balcony. In the first decades of the twentieth-century, Dora Meeson and her husband, artist George Coates, were part of the Australian expatriate artist community that lived and worked in London’s bohemian district of Chelsea. Their neighbours included George Lambert, Thea Proctor, Tom Roberts and Arthur Streeton. While Coates worked in a dimly lit studio to achieve his preferred low tones, Meeson was drawn to working en plein air to best express light and colour. This painting, which Meeson brought from London to Melbourne to exhibit at the Athenaeum’s Art Gallery in 1913, shows her skilful use of light and a bold colour palette. Not only was Meeson an important Australian artist, she also become a loyal member of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. She illustrated booklets, designed political posters and postcards and painted the Commonwealth of Australia’s Suffrage Banner.

Across at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia in Federation Square hangs Dora Meeson’s bright, light-filled painting On a Chelsea balcony. In the first decades of the twentieth-century, Dora Meeson and her husband, artist George Coates, were part of the Australian expatriate artist community that lived and worked in London’s bohemian district of Chelsea. Their neighbours included George Lambert, Thea Proctor, Tom Roberts and Arthur Streeton. While Coates worked in a dimly lit studio to achieve his preferred low tones, Meeson was drawn to working en plein air to best express light and colour. This painting, which Meeson brought from London to Melbourne to exhibit at the Athenaeum’s Art Gallery in 1913, shows her skilful use of light and a bold colour palette. Not only was Meeson an important Australian artist, she also become a loyal member of the Women’s Suffrage Movement. She illustrated booklets, designed political posters and postcards and painted the Commonwealth of Australia’s Suffrage Banner.

Joy Hester is an Australian artist best known for her predominant use of ink. This work is a rare sight, being one of the few oils Hester produced during her career. Hester was an incredibly important artist in the Heide art circle (now called the Angry Penguins), based at John and Sunday Reed’s home at Heide in Heidelberg. The Reeds were supporters and benefactors of Hester’s practice throughout her career, until her death in 1960. This painting depicts Pauline McCarthy who owned a Fitzroy bookshop with her husband, Jack. Along with many other Melbourne artists of the 1940s and 1950s, Hester frequented the bookshop and formed strong friendships there with the owners and fellow artists. McCarthy became a confidant and friend to Hester, particularly throughout Hester’s separation from her husband and during her radiation treatment for cancer. This work encapsulates Hester’s expressive and intimate artistic approach.

Joy Hester is an Australian artist best known for her predominant use of ink. This work is a rare sight, being one of the few oils Hester produced during her career. Hester was an incredibly important artist in the Heide art circle (now called the Angry Penguins), based at John and Sunday Reed’s home at Heide in Heidelberg. The Reeds were supporters and benefactors of Hester’s practice throughout her career, until her death in 1960. This painting depicts Pauline McCarthy who owned a Fitzroy bookshop with her husband, Jack. Along with many other Melbourne artists of the 1940s and 1950s, Hester frequented the bookshop and formed strong friendships there with the owners and fellow artists. McCarthy became a confidant and friend to Hester, particularly throughout Hester’s separation from her husband and during her radiation treatment for cancer. This work encapsulates Hester’s expressive and intimate artistic approach.

This bright ensemble by British fashion designer Richard Malone is newly on display in We Change the World. Malone’s work seeks to explore societal perceptions of vulgarity through the garment’s intentional yet wilfully unrefined details including raw edges in the trouser seams and flowing woven fringes. The materiality of the garment speaks to Malone’s interest in sustainable practices. The garment is constructed from handwoven, hand-fringed recycled plastic and viscose from ocean waste and recycled plastic bottles, as well as recycled acrylic yarn, natural dyed handwoven British wool and handmade British leather. The recycled fabrics are woven by female weavers of the South Indian Oshadi weaving workshop. This idea of sustainability is reflected throughout the collection in which this look featured, a collection inspired by the market stalls of the working-class towns of his youth. Malone sees the concept of a market as a beacon of authenticity, resourcefulness and common purpose, and we see these notions both in this design, as well as throughout the exhibition.

This bright ensemble by British fashion designer Richard Malone is newly on display in We Change the World. Malone’s work seeks to explore societal perceptions of vulgarity through the garment’s intentional yet wilfully unrefined details including raw edges in the trouser seams and flowing woven fringes. The materiality of the garment speaks to Malone’s interest in sustainable practices. The garment is constructed from handwoven, hand-fringed recycled plastic and viscose from ocean waste and recycled plastic bottles, as well as recycled acrylic yarn, natural dyed handwoven British wool and handmade British leather. The recycled fabrics are woven by female weavers of the South Indian Oshadi weaving workshop. This idea of sustainability is reflected throughout the collection in which this look featured, a collection inspired by the market stalls of the working-class towns of his youth. Malone sees the concept of a market as a beacon of authenticity, resourcefulness and common purpose, and we see these notions both in this design, as well as throughout the exhibition.

Artist and Southern Kaantju/Umpila woman Naomi Hobson has always connected colours with places and stories. Based in Coen on the Cape York Peninsula, her photography and paintings depict her connection to Country and her community. Her series of photographs titled January First takes its name from an annual new year’s ceremony called Auwa, where people in Coen apply flour or white clay to the faces of relatives as a way of celebrating the renewal that comes with the new year. Depicted in each image are Hobson’s kin, as the viewer is invited into their homes and lives through these intimate portraits. Hobson pushes the boundaries through the images she captures, mixing ancient traditions with contemporary modes of art. By using the camera to tell the stories of her culture, she reclaims a tool that was historically used to document and catalogue Indigenous people. Hobson’s body of work incorporates her signature use of colour to powerfully depict her community as both playful, proud and committed to culture and customary practice.

Proposed acquisition
Naomi Hobson
The Promised One
from the January first series 2021
pigment print
(37.0 x 56.0 cm)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
© Naomi Hobson

Artist and Southern Kaantju/Umpila woman Naomi Hobson has always connected colours with places and stories. Based in Coen on the Cape York Peninsula, her photography and paintings depict her connection to Country and her community. Her series of photographs titled January First takes its name from an annual new year’s ceremony called Auwa, where people in Coen apply flour or white clay to the faces of relatives as a way of celebrating the renewal that comes with the new year. Depicted in each image are Hobson’s kin, as the viewer is invited into their homes and lives through these intimate portraits. Hobson pushes the boundaries through the images she captures, mixing ancient traditions with contemporary modes of art. By using the camera to tell the stories of her culture, she reclaims a tool that was historically used to document and catalogue Indigenous people. Hobson’s body of work incorporates her signature use of colour to powerfully depict her community as both playful, proud and committed to culture and customary practice.

Proposed acquisition
Naomi Hobson
The Promised One
from the January first series 2021
pigment print
(37.0 x 56.0 cm)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
© Naomi Hobson

These are just a few of the new works you’ll encounter on your next visit to the Gallery. We hope you visit them soon.

Tony Ellwood AM
Director, National Gallery of Victoria

These are just a few of the new works you’ll encounter on your next visit to the Gallery. We hope you visit them soon.

Tony Ellwood AM
Director, National Gallery of Victoria