Artworks that broke the mould

The average gallery-goer only lingers for 27 seconds when they look at a work of art. Does our haste to absorb everything mean we actually leave with less than we’d like?

Learn to look deeper in this online video series for art-lovers with short attention spans. Explore items from the NGV’s permanent collection with sharper eyes as you’re guided by Faculty of Arts experts. Decode the mysteries hidden just beneath the surface and discover how artists and artworks broke the mould and helped shape the world around us.

'Spatial concept (Concetto spaziale)' (1964-1965) Lucio FONTANA

Metallic paint on canvas
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, 1973

Presented by Associate Professor Anthony White

'The Wave (La Vague)' (c. 1872) Gustave COURBET

Oil on canvas
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1924
19th Century European Paintings Gallery, Level 2, NGV International

Presented by Associate Professor Anthony White

'Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence' (1620-1624) Jusepe de RIBERA

Oil on canvas
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased with funds donated by Allan and Maria Myers and Andrew Sisson, 2006
17th to 18th Century European Paintings Gallery, Level 2, NGV International

Presented by Associate Professor Christopher Marshall

'Balzac' (1898); cast 1967 Auguste RODIN

Bronze
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1968
Grimwade Gardens, Ground Level, NGV International

Presented by Associate Professor Christopher Marshall

'Chase' (2001) Julie GOUGH

Tea Tree (Myrtaceae family), cotton, steel, jute
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of the artist, 2005

Presented by Dr Susan Lowish

Acknowledgments from Dr Lowish: I would like to respectfully acknowledge artists’ talks and published works by Julie Gough, from which much of this text directly quotes. I also heavily relied upon the wonderfully erudite visual analysis of E Phillip’s Fox’s work by Una Rey. I crafted a specific narrative for this recording, and any errors are mine alone.

'Untitled' (1989) Pansy NAPANGATI

Synthetic polymer paint on canvas
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased from Admission Funds, 1989
© Pansy Napangati/Ngurratjuta Arts

Presented by Dr Susan Lowish

Acknowledgments from Dr Lowish: I would like to respectfully acknowledge the work of Judith Ryan, Geoffrey Bardon, Dick Kimber and Vivien Johnson, from which much of this text directly quotes. While I crafted a specific narrative for this recording, and any errors are mine alone, the Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) remains entirely with the artist and her family. I am grateful for the opportunity to relay her information previously provided to the authors named above.

Anthony White

Associate Professor Anthony White

Anthony is an Associate Professor and Deputy Head (Research) in the School of Culture and Communication. His research focuses on the history of modern and contemporary art. He has published several books, including Italian Modern Art in the Age of Fascism (Routledge, 2020), and his writing on modern art has been published widely in leading peer-reviewed journals.

Christopher Marshall

Associate Professor Christopher Marshall

Christopher is an Associate Professor in Art History and Museum Studies in the School of Culture and Communication. His publications on Baroque art, collecting and the art market include Baroque Naples and the Industry of Painting (2016) and those on museums and curatorship include Sculpture and the Museum (2011) and contributions to Museum Making; Making Art History and Reshaping Museum Space (2005, 2007, 2012). His research distinctions include two years support from the Australian Research Council and the Paul Mellon Visiting Senior Fellowship.

Susan Lowish

Dr Susan Lowish

Susan is a Senior Lecturer in Australian Art History in the School of Culture and Communication. Her current research focuses on cross-cultural and cross-disciplinary understanding of art in Australia. She teaches subjects on Australian art history, contemporary Aboriginal art and Indigenous art histories. Susan has a keen interest in co-creating digital resources for Australian art history, engaging communities through archives and on-line resources.

This series was produced in partnership with:

National Gallery of Victoria
The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) is the oldest and most visited gallery in Australia. Founded in 1861, today the NGV holds the most significant collection of art in the region; a vast treasury of more than 76,000 works that span thousands of years and a wealth of ideas, disciplines and styles.

2022 Being Human Festival
The Being Human Festival is the first and only national festival of the humanities in the UK. Founded in 2014, the Festival demonstrates the breadth, diversity and vitality of the humanities, and that research in the humanities is vital for the cultural, intellectual, political and social life. It is supported by the School of Advanced Study at the University of London in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy.