MELBOURNE.- The first details of the largest and most ambitious exhibition in the NGV’s 152 year history were revealed this week. Joined by a group of Melbourne’s leading contemporary artists, Tony Ellwood, NGV Director, announced the first group of 30 artists of the 130+ artists involved in the NGV’s major summer exhibition, Melbourne Now.

Tony Ellwood, Director NGV said: “Melbourne Now is about artists and intersections with architecture, design, fashion and performance, but it is also about the people of Melbourne. I am very pleased to announce the involvement of many remarkable contemporary artists and designers who will produce innovative, immersive and thought-provoking works.

Melbourne Now will present over 250 works including major new pieces and commissions such as:

• A major sound and light installation of overwhelming sensory intensity by Marco Fusinato, whose work will also feature in a forthcoming exhibition at New York’s Museum of Modern Art in August;

• A new video commission focussing upon Melbourne’s laneway networks by Daniel Crooks;

• Artists’ collective The Hotham Street Ladies, who will transform the foyer of NGV Australia into an icing-coated share-house;

• An interactive children’s commission by artist and designer Julia deVille involving a room filled with taxidermied animals in a Victorian-era setting;

• Leading avant-garde artist John Nixon is involved in two projects, as curator of an exhibition of drawings; and a series of performative installations and children’s choir by his art-music collective The Donkey’s Tail;

• Patrick Pound’s ‘Museum of Air’, drawn from aspects of the NGV’s collection interspersed with the artist’s vast and esoteric archive, exploring the idea of air, wind and being blown off your feet;

• Three ‘exhibitions within the exhibition’ focussing upon architecture, design and the demographics of the city, curated by Fleur Watson, Simone LeAmon and Ewan McEoin respectively;

• A curated section by UnMagazine involving an extensive network of artists, designers and writers;

• An architecturally-designed Community Hall, to serve as a meeting room, stage, platform and catwalk, which will host a rotating program involving the widest range of community expression from choirs, workshops, multicultural groups, performance artists, cake decorators, philosophers and poets, among many other community members.

Melbourne Now represents a new direction for the NGV in its collaborative curatorial approach with artists and audiences, through ground breaking artists projects, commissions for kids and families, architecture and design initiatives, and curatorial engagement with dance, performance, music and sound.

The Minister for the Arts, Hon Heidi Victoria MP said: “Melbourne Now is set to be a stunning showcase of the creativity of our city and state – and the diversity of our artistic talent – right here, right now. I can think of no better focus for the largest exhibition the NGV has ever staged in its 152 year history. It is an ambitious undertaking and one that the Victorian Government welcomes and is delighted to support.”

Melbourne Now celebrates the latest art, architecture, design, performance and cultural practice to reflect the complex cultural landscape of creative Melbourne. This ambitious and far-reaching exhibition across two sites will show how visual artists and creative practitioners have profoundly contributed to creating a place with a unique and dynamic cultural identity,

Preliminary list of selected artists and designers and collaborating curators announced alphabetically:

•Lauren Berkowitz •Ross Coulter •Daniel Crooks •Destiny Deacon •Julia deVille •Marco Fusinato •Bianca Hester •Matt Hinkley •Hotham Street Ladies •Rory Hyde •Peter Kennedy •Jess Johnson •Christopher Langton •Lucy McRae •Linda Marrinon •Sally Marsland •Toni Matecevski •Laith McGregor •Tom Nicholson •John Nixon •Patricia Piccinini •Patrick Pound •Reko Rennie •Darren Sylvester •Yhonnie Scarce •Caleb Shea •Ronnie van Hout •Fleur Watson

In addition to more than 20 NGV curators, Melbourne Now also welcomes the involvement of collaborating guest curators including Simone LeAmon, Ewan McEoin, John Nixon, UnMagazine, Fleur Watson, among others…

Melbourne Now will be on display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia and NGV International from 22 November 2013 – 23 March 2014. 10am – 5pm. Free entry