Adam Newman and Kelvin Tsang installed a colorful, mural-clad version of the Parthenon at NGV's Garden.

Melbourne-based architects Adam Newman and Kelvin Tsang have installed a small-scale version of the Parthenon in the Grollo Equiset Garden at Melbourne's National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), Australia. The installation, called Temple of Boom, features a colourful and vibrant reimagining of the iconic Ancient Greek temple. The Parthenon is a global architectural icon located on the Acropolis in Athens.

Taking its name from the vibrations of music, the installation will act as a community meeting place and an outdoor venue hosting a diverse program of performances, programs and music across the summer period. Newman and Tsang, who are the architects of NWMN, created a third scale of the original building to invite audiences and visitors to consider the effect of time on all architecture.

The installation will be gradually transformed with large-scale artworks and murals painted by local artists in three phases between November 2022 and August 2023.

Newman and Tsang draw inspiration from the colourful and artistic embellishments that once covered the original building over two- thousand years ago. By working with local artists, they hope to create a sense of community and bring some life back into the area.

Drez, Manda Lane, and David Lee Pereira are contemporary artists who have designed dynamic and eye-catching floral motifs and optical illusions that wrap the installation. 

Drez is a multidisciplinary artist based in Melbourne. His work is influenced by Greenbergian Modernism and Op-Art, and he uses colour and form to play with perspective. 

Manda Lane is a visual artist who specializes in creating detailed drawings by hand. Her work often features intricate patterns and designs inspired by nature. 

David Lee Pereira is a Brazilian artist who creates colourful, geometric paintings. His work is inspired by the Brazilian landscape and culture.

Drez has created a mural that is bold and colourful. The mural changes composition when viewed from different angles.

Manda Lane is a Collingwood-based artist who specializes in botanicals. Her art explores the interactions between the natural world and industrial or man-made objects. 

In this installation, Lane has depicted various growth behaviours of plants, creating a visual metaphor for personal expression and growth.

David Lee Pereira is the final artist whose works will be on display. His pieces explore the fluidity of gender, sexuality and identity, and are heavily influenced by the work of impressionist and surrealist artists Georgia O'Keefe, Salvador Dali and Edvard Munch. The large-than-life floral motifs that adorn the structure are a direct nod to nature's flamboyant use of scent and colour to allure pollinators.

 

"One of the most famous examples of classical architecture, The Parthenon in Athens is often viewed as a potent symbol of Western art and culture," said Tony Ellwood AM, Director of the NGV. 

"This thought-provoking work by Adam Newman and Kelvin Tsang invites us to consider how we create and imbue architecture with meaning, as well as how this meaning can shift across time periods and cultures," Ellwood added.

 

The program activities for the upcoming season are presented in partnership with the Hellenic Museum Melbourne and they are all based around Henry Moore's 1958 sculpture, Draped Seated Woman. The discussions, performances, and VR experience will transport visitors to The Parthenon and allow them to virtually walk around the Acropolis in Greece.

NGV also announced that, in addition to the nine-month installation, there will be weekly programming celebrating the historical and cultural significance of the Parthenon as well as its resonance with the Greek diaspora. This will include the return of NGV Friday Nights this summer with performances by some of Melbourne’s best DJs.