A World-First Exhibition by Pierre Bonnard and India Mahdavi Is Coming to the NGV in 2020
The former is a famous 20th-century French painter and the latter is the acclaimed designer of London's all-pink sketch restaurant — here, their works will collide.
Summer's yet to kick off, but already you can get a jump-start on plotting your entertainment for the cooler months, as the NGV drops its jam-packed 2020 autumn/winter art program.
Heading the lineup is world-premiere exhibition Pierre Bonnard, created in collaboration with famed Parisian museum the Musée d'Orsay. It offers a glimpse into the life and work of acclaimed 20th-century French artist Bonnard through a sprawling collection of pieces on loan from the likes of London's Tate and The Museum of Modern Art in New York, along with other renowned French museums. A close friend of the legendary Henri Matisse, the artist is best known for his stylised decorative works evoking scenes of everyday domestic life.
The exhibition will see Bonnard's recognisable designs brought to life even further, with the help of famed Iranian-Egyptian-French architect and designer India Mahdavi. Mahdavi — who has designed eye-catching spaces like London's Red Valentino store and the famous all-pink Gallery at sketch — will use her signature colour palettes and love of textures to create an immersive, life-size version of one of Bonnard's domestic scenes.
Coffee (1915), Pierre Bonnard, Tate, London, presented by Sir Michael Sadler through the NACF 1941.
Another of the NGV's upcoming exhibitions is the first major Australian survey of contemporary artist and Venice Biennale Silver Lion winner, Camille Henrot. The now New York-based artist creates rich multimedia works that explore the idea of myth, while striving to capture the ways in which we humans try to make sense of existence.
This season also sees the NGV pulling together the biggest ever retrospective of Melbourne-based artist Destiny Deacon, who explores their links to the K'ua K'ua and Erub/Mer peoples to create humorous works that confront the tougher parts of Australia's history. You'll catch a generous collection of over 100 installations, photos, sculptures and videos, including newly commissioned pieces and collaborations with fellow artist Virginia Fraser.
Pierre Bonnard will run from June 5–October 4, 2020; Camille Henrot from May 22–October, 2020; Destiny from March 27–August 9, 2020.
Images: The Gallery at sketch designed by India Mahdavi, London, 2014, photo by Thomas Humery; The Pale Fox (2014), Camille Henrot, copyright and courtesy of the artist and Kamel Mennour, Konig Galerie, Metro Pictures, photo by Anders Sune Berg; Smile (2017), Destiny Deacon, copyright and courtesy of the artist.
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