2023 NGV Architecture Commission
(This is) Air by Nic Brunsdon
NGV International
Ground Level, NGV Garden
23 Nov 23 – 2 Jun 24
The NGV 2023 Architecture Commission is a poignant large-scale outdoor installation that makes the invisible visible. (This is) Air, developed by Nic Brunsdon in collaboration with ENESS, draws attention to one of the universal and defining features of life on earth: breathing air.
Utilising air as a building material, (This is) Air takes form as a large sphere structure, set within the NGV Garden. It will morph and change throughout the day as it expands and then releases air in a natural rhythm. A contemplative study of air and time, the fully inflated spherical form will stand more than fourteen metres tall, evoking a sense of uplifting optimism. Throughout the day, the structure will ‘exhale’, releasing gusts of air as it transforms into an array of cloud-like configurations, before filling to capacity once more. By making air seen, heard and felt, the work highlights our connection to and dependency on air – a finite resource whose quality is becoming increasingly affected.
This year’s Architecture Commission is part of the 2023 NGV Triennial, which brings contemporary art, design and architecture into dialogue, offering a visually arresting and thought-provoking view of the world today.
The NGV Architecture Commission Design Competition process is delivered by CityLab.
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