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Art Gallery of NSW reveals opening date of A$344m Sydney Modern project

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art gallery of new south wales sydney modern

Designed by Japanese architects SANAA, the new building is connected to the existing museum by a public art garden.

The Art Gallery of New South Wales is opening its A$344 million ‘Sydney Modern’ expansion on 3 December 2022, nearly doubling the museum’s exhibition space.

Designed by Japanese architects SANAA, the new building is connected to the existing museum by a public art garden. It includes a permanent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander gallery.

“Our new art museum campus brings together art, architecture and landscape in spectacular new ways providing visitors with art and cultural experiences only possible here,” said Michael Brand, director of the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

‘We can’t wait to share our dazzling new stage for art,” Brand added.

“It will be a place of generosity and inclusion where contemporary art is shown in context with historical art – a place where everyone is welcome.”

New building designed by SANAA

The building features galleries for 21st century art and is home to a vast underground art space for special commissions and performances, repurposed from a decommissioned WWII naval oil tank.

The Art Gallery of New South Wales’ historic building has also been updated by Australian architects Tonkin Zulaikha Greer, including a complete reinstallation of the collection.

According to a press release, the Sydney Modern project will be the most significant cultural development to open in the city since the Sydney Opera House.

“The Sydney Modern Project allows us to engage our audiences and work with our artists in thrilling new ways,” said Maud Page, deputy director and director of collections at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.

Building updated by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer

‘When we open in December visitors will experience art right across our campus – indoor and outdoor – from the inaugural installations in our new building to the completely re-installed galleries in our existing building,” Page added.

“Our collection will be accentuated by bold and compelling new art commissions that contribute to important global conversations of our time from our place here in the Asia Pacific.”

The Sydney Modern expansion is still on track, with construction of the new building by Richard Crookes Constructions close to completion.

Elsewhere, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) in Melbourne has received a donation of A$100m to construct The Fox: NGV Contemporary, Australia’s largest contemporary art museum.

Images: Art Gallery of New South Wales

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Bea Mitchell

Bea is a journalist specialising in entertainment, attractions and tech with 10 years' experience. She has written and edited for publications including CNET, BuzzFeed, Digital Spy, Evening Standard and BBC. Bea graduated from King's College London and has an MA in journalism.

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