This summer, you can finally visit the $344 million Sydney Modern Project; the most major cultural development to be constructed in the Harbour since the Sydney Opera House. It opens its doors to the public on Saturday, December 3, with about 15,000 excited visitors already registered to attend the launch.
The Art Gallery of NSW has completed its new freestanding construction, which lies adjacent to the existing Art Gallery of New South Wales. It’s the central focus of the Sydney Modern development and has been in the works for a decade. The elegant tower is designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA.
“This gallery demonstrates how powerful art can be,”
explains critically acclaimed artist Tony Albert, member of the Art Gallery of NSW Trust, at the new gallery’s media launch.
To honour this momentous event, the Art Gallery is offering a free opening programme. It’s full of exhibits, collection presentations, and new works by over 900 artists from across the world. It kicks off on Saturday, across its two buildings and outdoor spaces.
“Art has the ability to heal and to transcend culture, age and language to educate and to challenge. With the opening of Sydney Modern, this art museum has the opportunity to engage many more people than ever before.”
Says Albert.
Sydney Modern is a truly world-class modern art institution. Rather than obscuring the city’s expansive views, the architecture complements them. Sheer glass-panelled walls, a Wonka-esque glass elevator, and levels of escalators with glass railings all contribute to the landscape’s status as an artwork in and of itself.
How to Visit
From December 3 to 11, the Art Gallery will be open until 10 p.m. and will host free opening celebrations such as a concert in the Domain headlined by Grammy-nominated international pop star Ellie Goulding and supported by Australian artists Meg Mac and Electric Fields. Find out more on the art gallery website.
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