- Year: 2022
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Photographs:Eugene Hyland, NGV, Sean Fennessy
Text description provided by the architects. 22 November 2022: The 2022 NGV Architecture Commission: Temple of Boom, an evocative reimagining of The Parthenon, has been unveiled in the NGV Garden. A global architectural icon, The Parthenon on the Acropolis in Athens, an Ancient Greek temple, is an apex symbol of Western civilization, democracy, and perfection. Temple of Boom celebrates these interpretations, while simultaneously expanding our understanding of the iconic Parthenon building and the enduring beauty it emanates.
Designed by Melbourne-based architects Adam Newman and Kelvin Tsang and built to a third scale of the original building, this year’s commission invites audiences to consider the effect of time on all architecture as the structure gradually transforms with large-scale artworks and murals painted by local artists in three phases between November 2022 and August 2023.
Drawing inspiration from the colorful and artistic embellishments that once covered the original building over two- thousand years ago, Temple of Boom debuts with dynamic and eye-catching designs ranging from floral motifs to optical illusions by contemporary artists Drez, Manda Lane, and David Lee Pereira.
Taking its name from the vibrations of music, Temple of Boom will be a community meeting place and an outdoor venue for a diverse program of performances, programs, and music across the summer period.
Presented in partnership with the Hellenic Museum Melbourne, audiences can engage with a program of panel discussions, performances, and a VR experience transporting visitors to The Parthenon and allowing them to walk virtually around the Acropolis in Greece. The historical and cultural significance of the Parthenon and its continuing resonance with the Greek diaspora will be celebrated with further programming across the nine-month installation.
