Nine new commissions announced for Sydney Modern Project

The expansion of the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney – titled the Sydney Modern Project – continues to develop, with the gallery recently unveiling nine Australian and international artists that have been commissioned to create works as part of the build.

The project seeks to revitalise the gallery as it becomes part of an extended art museum campus, which will feature a building designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of the Japanese firm SANAA, a public art garden and restorations to the historic building.

The artists commissioned come from a variety of backgrounds and disciplines with notable Indigenous Australian artists a key part of this line up. The artists commissioned for this project are: Lorraine Connelly-Northey (Waradgerie Country, NSW, represented by Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery, Sydney), Karla Dickens (Bundjalung Country, Lismore, NSW, represented by Sullivan+Strumpf, Sydney), Simryn Gill (Eora, Sydney, NSW, represented by Utopia Art Sydney, Sydney), Jonathan Jones (Gadigal Country, Sydney, NSW, represented by Cooee Art, Sydney), Yayoi Kusama (Tokyo, Japan, represented by Ota Fine Arts, Japan, Victoria Miro, London and David Zwirner, New York), Richard Lewer (Naarm, Melbourne, Victoria, represented by Jan Murphy Gallery, Brisbane and Gertrude Contemporary, Preston), Lee Mingwei (Paris, France and New York City, USA, represented by Perrotin and Jane Lombard Gallery, New York), Lisa Reihana (Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand, represented by Gallery Sally Dan-Cuthbert, Sydney, Page Galleries, Wellington and Milford Galleries, Dunedin) and Francis Upritchard (England, Italy and Aotearoa New Zealand, represented by Kate MacGarry, London and Anton Kern Gallery, London).

Art Gallery of New South Wales director, Michael Brand says: “Together these new works establish the expanded Art Gallery as a global art museum offering a unique experience in Sydney – one that is responsive, purposeful and engaging and where each visit creates new encounters, new stories and new connections.”

The gallery will continue to reveal details on further commissions and acquisitions as the project continues. The Sydney Modern Project is due to be completed later this year.