Latest news with #NGV
AU Financial Review
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- AU Financial Review
A second chance to make a first impression at NGV's winter blockbuster
Four years ago, during the pandemic lockdowns, an exceptional group of French impressionists travelled to Australia – but barely got out of their crates. Nowhere in the world have artists such as Monet, Renoir, Degas and Cezanne had such a dismal reception, although the National Gallery of Victoria was more than willing to roll out the red carpet. Next month, in what must be a first for local museums, the NGV will restage the show that misfired four years ago. The impressionists are once again leaving their home in Boston's Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), and taking the voyage to Melbourne, for this year's Winter Masterpieces exhibition. The return season is an extraordinary act of good will on behalf of the Boston museum, where many of these works are normally on permanent display. And it's a testament to the depth of Boston's holdings that they can fill the gaps with similar pieces.
The Advertiser
16-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Advertiser
Aussie-born customised cot is a world first
The year 2020 may be associated with a global pandemic, however it also inadvertently gave people more time - and with that, the headspace to create new innovations that continue to be released to this day. This week Bold Baby launched the world's first fully customisable cot, the idea of husband and wife Jim Walsh and Megan Cooper, which was able to be fully realised during Melbourne's COVID lockdowns. "Working near the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria), I was surrounded by rotating exhibitions and incredible design," says Jim, who has worked in advertising and design. "It made me see the cot not just as a piece of furniture, but as a canvas; something that could evolve, tell a story, and reflect the life around it." This story began when Megan and Jim had their first child. Jim upcycled a hand-me-down cot by giving it new ends with painted designs, and the concept for a cot incorporating art was born. Family life and the arrival of two more children took over before the restrictions that transpired in 2020 allowed the idea to flourish. "There wasn't anything available that truly reflected parents' unique style, personality and individuality," Megan says. "We wanted a cot that captured that family's character, and that could change and evolve alongside the baby." After four years of meticulous design, rigorous safety testing, and honest feedback from parents, Bold Baby has just launched online. The cot's unique interchangeable panel system sets it apart, four double-sided panels offering 16 different combinations that can be swapped as a parent's mood changes, or as the child grows. The concept taps into a growing demand from families who want nursery spaces that grow with and reflect them, not a one-size-fits-all approach. Crafted from sustainably sourced European beechwood, the cot is as functional as it is beautiful. It has two adjustable mattress heights, smooth rounded edges, and a toddler bed conversion that's coming soon. But it's not just about aesthetics. Research in colour psychology shows the visual environment plays a crucial role in a child's emotional and cognitive development. "The environments we create for our children send powerful messages about identity, belonging, and self-expression," says Dr. Easton Gaines, clinical psychologist and founder of MindCare Psychology. "When we incorporate bold and bright colours, we're not just decorating - we're giving kids permission to take up space, feel joy, and explore their emotions in a sensory-rich way." "We believe nurseries should be an extension of the family's style and values," Megan says. "Our cot gives parents the freedom to create a space that feels personal, vibrant and full of possibility, without compromising on quality or safety." The year 2020 may be associated with a global pandemic, however it also inadvertently gave people more time - and with that, the headspace to create new innovations that continue to be released to this day. This week Bold Baby launched the world's first fully customisable cot, the idea of husband and wife Jim Walsh and Megan Cooper, which was able to be fully realised during Melbourne's COVID lockdowns. "Working near the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria), I was surrounded by rotating exhibitions and incredible design," says Jim, who has worked in advertising and design. "It made me see the cot not just as a piece of furniture, but as a canvas; something that could evolve, tell a story, and reflect the life around it." This story began when Megan and Jim had their first child. Jim upcycled a hand-me-down cot by giving it new ends with painted designs, and the concept for a cot incorporating art was born. Family life and the arrival of two more children took over before the restrictions that transpired in 2020 allowed the idea to flourish. "There wasn't anything available that truly reflected parents' unique style, personality and individuality," Megan says. "We wanted a cot that captured that family's character, and that could change and evolve alongside the baby." After four years of meticulous design, rigorous safety testing, and honest feedback from parents, Bold Baby has just launched online. The cot's unique interchangeable panel system sets it apart, four double-sided panels offering 16 different combinations that can be swapped as a parent's mood changes, or as the child grows. The concept taps into a growing demand from families who want nursery spaces that grow with and reflect them, not a one-size-fits-all approach. Crafted from sustainably sourced European beechwood, the cot is as functional as it is beautiful. It has two adjustable mattress heights, smooth rounded edges, and a toddler bed conversion that's coming soon. But it's not just about aesthetics. Research in colour psychology shows the visual environment plays a crucial role in a child's emotional and cognitive development. "The environments we create for our children send powerful messages about identity, belonging, and self-expression," says Dr. Easton Gaines, clinical psychologist and founder of MindCare Psychology. "When we incorporate bold and bright colours, we're not just decorating - we're giving kids permission to take up space, feel joy, and explore their emotions in a sensory-rich way." "We believe nurseries should be an extension of the family's style and values," Megan says. "Our cot gives parents the freedom to create a space that feels personal, vibrant and full of possibility, without compromising on quality or safety." The year 2020 may be associated with a global pandemic, however it also inadvertently gave people more time - and with that, the headspace to create new innovations that continue to be released to this day. This week Bold Baby launched the world's first fully customisable cot, the idea of husband and wife Jim Walsh and Megan Cooper, which was able to be fully realised during Melbourne's COVID lockdowns. "Working near the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria), I was surrounded by rotating exhibitions and incredible design," says Jim, who has worked in advertising and design. "It made me see the cot not just as a piece of furniture, but as a canvas; something that could evolve, tell a story, and reflect the life around it." This story began when Megan and Jim had their first child. Jim upcycled a hand-me-down cot by giving it new ends with painted designs, and the concept for a cot incorporating art was born. Family life and the arrival of two more children took over before the restrictions that transpired in 2020 allowed the idea to flourish. "There wasn't anything available that truly reflected parents' unique style, personality and individuality," Megan says. "We wanted a cot that captured that family's character, and that could change and evolve alongside the baby." After four years of meticulous design, rigorous safety testing, and honest feedback from parents, Bold Baby has just launched online. The cot's unique interchangeable panel system sets it apart, four double-sided panels offering 16 different combinations that can be swapped as a parent's mood changes, or as the child grows. The concept taps into a growing demand from families who want nursery spaces that grow with and reflect them, not a one-size-fits-all approach. Crafted from sustainably sourced European beechwood, the cot is as functional as it is beautiful. It has two adjustable mattress heights, smooth rounded edges, and a toddler bed conversion that's coming soon. But it's not just about aesthetics. Research in colour psychology shows the visual environment plays a crucial role in a child's emotional and cognitive development. "The environments we create for our children send powerful messages about identity, belonging, and self-expression," says Dr. Easton Gaines, clinical psychologist and founder of MindCare Psychology. "When we incorporate bold and bright colours, we're not just decorating - we're giving kids permission to take up space, feel joy, and explore their emotions in a sensory-rich way." "We believe nurseries should be an extension of the family's style and values," Megan says. "Our cot gives parents the freedom to create a space that feels personal, vibrant and full of possibility, without compromising on quality or safety." The year 2020 may be associated with a global pandemic, however it also inadvertently gave people more time - and with that, the headspace to create new innovations that continue to be released to this day. This week Bold Baby launched the world's first fully customisable cot, the idea of husband and wife Jim Walsh and Megan Cooper, which was able to be fully realised during Melbourne's COVID lockdowns. "Working near the NGV (National Gallery of Victoria), I was surrounded by rotating exhibitions and incredible design," says Jim, who has worked in advertising and design. "It made me see the cot not just as a piece of furniture, but as a canvas; something that could evolve, tell a story, and reflect the life around it." This story began when Megan and Jim had their first child. Jim upcycled a hand-me-down cot by giving it new ends with painted designs, and the concept for a cot incorporating art was born. Family life and the arrival of two more children took over before the restrictions that transpired in 2020 allowed the idea to flourish. "There wasn't anything available that truly reflected parents' unique style, personality and individuality," Megan says. "We wanted a cot that captured that family's character, and that could change and evolve alongside the baby." After four years of meticulous design, rigorous safety testing, and honest feedback from parents, Bold Baby has just launched online. The cot's unique interchangeable panel system sets it apart, four double-sided panels offering 16 different combinations that can be swapped as a parent's mood changes, or as the child grows. The concept taps into a growing demand from families who want nursery spaces that grow with and reflect them, not a one-size-fits-all approach. Crafted from sustainably sourced European beechwood, the cot is as functional as it is beautiful. It has two adjustable mattress heights, smooth rounded edges, and a toddler bed conversion that's coming soon. But it's not just about aesthetics. Research in colour psychology shows the visual environment plays a crucial role in a child's emotional and cognitive development. "The environments we create for our children send powerful messages about identity, belonging, and self-expression," says Dr. Easton Gaines, clinical psychologist and founder of MindCare Psychology. "When we incorporate bold and bright colours, we're not just decorating - we're giving kids permission to take up space, feel joy, and explore their emotions in a sensory-rich way." "We believe nurseries should be an extension of the family's style and values," Megan says. "Our cot gives parents the freedom to create a space that feels personal, vibrant and full of possibility, without compromising on quality or safety."
Sydney Morning Herald
08-05-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Congestion levy and hybrid work underpin productivity chief's CBD vision
'Hybrid [work] is going to be the sweet spot for a lot of organisations,' Wood says. 'You get the same, if not slightly better productivity with hybrid work, while also bringing the benefits to your workers of flexibility, the time savings of the commute and a greater capacity to combine work and family.' It's why the CBD must continue to diversify on the road to 2050, Wood says, to cement itself as a meeting place for leisure through shopping, dining, nightlife and major events. 'All those things act together to help promote the city into a destination.' Wood says that transport systems need to be tweaked to improve and spread out the flow of people moving in and out of the city. She says time-based road user charges should be on the table to ease congestion and prompt drivers to change when they visit, or to use other transport modes. She also supports improving public transport with measures such as staggered work start times, more frequent services during the day and cheaper off-peak fares to encourage more off-peak travel. Wood also says that increasing high-density residential development in inner and middle suburbs and making the planning system more efficient, both of which are central to the Allan government's housing plans, will aid access to the CBD. Ellwood agrees there is an ongoing shift towards the city serving as a social hub as much as a place to work. 'The urban planning that they're talking about, the beautification of the city and the open mindedness of creative people more generally, I think, is a pretty exciting combination,' he says. Ellwood believes Melbourne in 2050 will be a creative and collaborative city. 'Melbourne has always treated creativity as not just a nice thing to do, but as an essential part of the power of the city,' he says. 'We think differently than other cities, we support risk, and we see it as a core part of who we are.' Unsurprisingly, Ellwood sees the NGV Contemporary, a gallery that is still in the design phase, as key to Melbourne's future. 'We don't see anything of this ambition anywhere in our part of the world,' he says. Ellwood says the $1.7 billion space itself – together with the $45 million in new exhibits the NGV has acquired from its three Triennial exhibitions – will be transformative. 'We're bringing in a whole new collection that the community can then start to really connect with,' he says. 'While that's opening in four to five years' time, and I know the vision in this forum is around 2050, it is a great launchpad and a great indication of community working together to create something that for the next three decades is going to be sharing the most relevant contemporary thinkers and practitioners that we have around the world.' Ellwood's ambition for Melbourne in 2050 is for the city to be seen as one of the globe's top providers of cultural life. As for the gallery, his vision is for it to be among the top 10 in the world. 'I believe that will happen,' he says.
The Age
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Age
Congestion levy and hybrid work underpin productivity chief's CBD vision
'Hybrid [work] is going to be the sweet spot for a lot of organisations,' Wood says. 'You get the same, if not slightly better productivity with hybrid work, while also bringing the benefits to your workers of flexibility, the time savings of the commute and a greater capacity to combine work and family.' It's why the CBD must continue to diversify on the road to 2050, Wood says, to cement itself as a meeting place for leisure through shopping, dining, nightlife and major events. 'All those things act together to help promote the city into a destination.' Wood says that transport systems need to be tweaked to improve and spread out the flow of people moving in and out of the city. She says time-based road user charges should be on the table to ease congestion and prompt drivers to change when they visit, or to use other transport modes. She also supports improving public transport with measures such as staggered work start times, more frequent services during the day and cheaper off-peak fares to encourage more off-peak travel. Wood also says that increasing high-density residential development in inner and middle suburbs and making the planning system more efficient, both of which are central to the Allan government's housing plans, will aid access to the CBD. Ellwood agrees there is an ongoing shift towards the city serving as a social hub as much as a place to work. 'The urban planning that they're talking about, the beautification of the city and the open mindedness of creative people more generally, I think, is a pretty exciting combination,' he says. Ellwood believes Melbourne in 2050 will be a creative and collaborative city. 'Melbourne has always treated creativity as not just a nice thing to do, but as an essential part of the power of the city,' he says. 'We think differently than other cities, we support risk, and we see it as a core part of who we are.' Unsurprisingly, Ellwood sees the NGV Contemporary, a gallery that is still in the design phase, as key to Melbourne's future. 'We don't see anything of this ambition anywhere in our part of the world,' he says. Ellwood says the $1.7 billion space itself – together with the $45 million in new exhibits the NGV has acquired from its three Triennial exhibitions – will be transformative. 'We're bringing in a whole new collection that the community can then start to really connect with,' he says. 'While that's opening in four to five years' time, and I know the vision in this forum is around 2050, it is a great launchpad and a great indication of community working together to create something that for the next three decades is going to be sharing the most relevant contemporary thinkers and practitioners that we have around the world.' Ellwood's ambition for Melbourne in 2050 is for the city to be seen as one of the globe's top providers of cultural life. As for the gallery, his vision is for it to be among the top 10 in the world. 'I believe that will happen,' he says.
ABC News
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Martin Grant NGV exhibition traces the designer's moves from Melbourne to Paris Fashion Week
One of Australia's most successful fashion designers, Martin Grant, left Melbourne for Paris in 1992 in pursuit of an international fashion career. Since then, his namesake label has wooed everyone from Cate Blanchett to Emma Stone, Tilda Swinton and Lady Gaga. A major retrospective at Ian Potter Centre, NGV Australia, plots Martin Grant's extraordinary career — from the early 1980s to now, including supermodel Naomi Campbell walking his first ever runway show, to the elegant A-listers who became his inner circle. Polly Borland photographed Cate Blanchett wearing Grant in 1999, after she'd finished making the film Elizabeth. ( Supplied: NGV/Courtesy Polly Borland ) His sartorial superpowers put his brand in the timeless category, and he continues to honour his formative influences to this day. Making clothes as a teenager Grant is one of six siblings who grew up in the outer eastern Melbourne suburb of Blackburn. He adored his maternal grandmother Nancy who worked as a seamstress. "My grandmother wore a beautiful camel coat, taught me to sew, and took us into town at the top end of Collins St. "It all seemed very sophisticated and it's where I noticed all the well-dressed Italians and Greeks who had migrated to Melbourne and brought their sophisticated tailoring and café culture to town. Those silhouettes really stood out and inspired me to want to make coats," he says. Intricate details and nods to history are part of Grant's signature style. ( Supplied: NGV/Jessie Obialor ) Grant would also lose hours scoping his mother's fashion wardrobe, a well-dressed woman who wore a YSL Mondrian dress made from a Vogue pattern the moment it was released. And he was raised by five sisters who took him under their creative wings. He studied at Fashion Design Council (FDC), established in Melbourne in 1983 to support avant-garde and emerging designers. At 15, he was already making clothes. Those early slash-pieces, while tailored, were inspired by the punk movement. His designs were part of an FDC runway show in Melbourne at the time, where other emerging and soon-to-become big names in fashion also took part including Peter Morrissey, Leona Edmiston and Fiona Scanlan to name a few. It was while studying fashion that Grant made the switch to the Victorian College of the Arts where he studied sculpture; but he wouldn't go on to finish that degree either. He cut his studies short to relocate to Paris to try his luck abroad as many of his peers had done before him. From sculpturally tailored coats to trenches, and skirts that cinch at the waist in the nip of curvaceous time, Grant's pieces have always flirted between ready-to-wear accessibility and the hallmarks of couture. Grant's pieces are works of art designed to be worn. ( Supplied: NGV/Courtesy Martin Grant ) But he doesn't describe himself as a couturier. "What I do isn't couture, even though this dress has a couture feel. Couture is all hand-made, this is still ready to wear, with a couture feel and hand to it," he says. 'A great creative moment' It was Melbourne's clubbing scene where Grant made many creative partnerships and friendships that have stood the test of time. "Polly Borland and I became fast friends at Inflations in the 80s," he says. "Then I met Deanna Bond, who Nick Cave wrote his song Deanna about. We were the same age, 15, and clubbing together a lot," Grant says. "Then I met Polly's younger sister Emma. I was already making fashion but then I started making clothes for Polly and she started taking photos around 1984 for me. That's when she photographed model Sophie Knox who is wearing a slash-back coat shirt that was really influenced by the scene at the time," he says. Photo shows Woman in bright red dress sits on fluffy white couch smiling widely. A painting is above her head behind her. From repurposed quilt covers and op-shop treasures to hemp and cactus leather, sustainable fashion is proudly showing off at this year's Melbourne Fashion Festival. The photograph was taken in a park near their apartment in Albert Park where they all lived. Hat designer Tamasine Dale was also in the same building, as were Knox and the Borland sisters. "It was a great creative moment in Melbourne," Grant recalls. "Then a few of us got studios in Stalbridge Chambers House in the city. I was 18, working hard designing. It was being around other designers, musicians, artists and architects that made it all the more exciting and really inspired me to do what I did," he says. Last year, Grant donated 200 pieces to the NGV, and half of those garments are part of this retrospective. A further 40 pieces came with him from Paris, unearthed from his archives there. The last time he showed at NGV was in 2004. More than 20 years of new collection works are on display here for the first time. The teenage tear-away stuck to his proverbial guns; he went from suburbia to Paris Fashion Week and lives to tell. Dressing supermodel Naomi Campbell When Naomi Campbell walked for Grant in 1999, it launched him in Paris. "I had opened a shop in the Marais, and American journalist André Leon Talley got me Naomi. The store was the size of a matchbox. I lived above it, and the next morning, I found a business card at the door by Head Buyer at Barney's New York saying, 'Call me,'" he explains. "I called her and she was told to come and see my collection. All the key editors were at my show including Vogue, Harper's and WWD (Women's Wear Daily)." From there, US department store Barneys picked up his collection and Grant's profile started to grow. "A lot of articles were written that said Naomi Campbell modelled for free, and who on earth was this designer that got her to walk on a strip of lawn in his shop! Andre [Leon Talley] was the one who encouraged me to do the show with Naomi. I didn't feel ready and he said just do it. I am glad I did," Martin says. Grant launched his first ready-to-wear collection at 16. ( Supplied: NGV/Sean Fennessy ) "I met Andre through an ex-boyfriend, a British journalist. He is the one who introduced me to socialite Lee Radziwill. Sadly, they both died in the same year in 2019," Grant says. "Lee and I became close friends after she bought a coat from Barney's. Mario Testino photographed her for Vogue in the first jacket she owned that I made. She told Andre she wanted to meet me. I designed the silver jacket for her that's on show at NGV. I called it the Radziwill. I made her entire wardrobe." An artistic segue Perhaps like his friend Polly Borland, the time has come for Grant to segue. "What I do isn't couture," Grant says. ( Supplied: NGV/Josh Robenstone ) Borland moved into making sculptures only a few years ago. A similar move for Grant is not off the cards. "The sculptural side made me look at fashion from a different perspective and it definitely informed it," he says. "I would like to make sculptures, now that I have more time, so yes, I am planning to do more things outside of fashion going forward. "Watch this space." 'Martin Grant' is at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square until January 26, 2026
