VOLUME ONE AT THE MCA

By Benjamen Judd

It’s a good omen when the list of things you plan to do in the new year are all culturally minded. Once upon a time our diary would have hinged around various underground dance parties, pub-crawls and numerous art openings just for the free booze. Well…we still base our weeks around this sort of stuff but we try to mix it up a bit by attending more intellectually stimulating events as well.

Currently showing at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) in Circular Quay is Volume One – an exhibition that takes up an entire floor within the gallery that showcases 130 Australian artists from the past twenty years.

This new selection highlights the diversity of Australian contemporary art and includes, work by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, film and video installations, wall paintings, ephemeral and performative art and a range of cultural voices.

When you get there you will be able to engage with the beauty and poetry of Nicholas Folland’s icy chandelier The door was open … and explore diverse visions of Australian culture through moving image installations by Khaled Sabsabi, Kate Murphy, Shaun Gladwell and Richard Bell among others. Be intrigued by Stephen Birch’s spiderman, Louise Weaver’s oracle fox and Maria Kozic’s double portraits.

Volume One is currently showing now at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Circular Quay.