Disassembled NGV 2022 Parthenon replica found discarded in Epping Field
Source: NEOS KOSMOS
Amid the cattle grazing paddocks along the busy Craigieburn Bypass, lies a significant piece of Melbourne’s recent art history.
In November 2022, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) revealed the Temple of Boom, a large-scale reimagining of the ancient Greek Parthenon. The installation, roughly one-third the size of the original, featured lightweight concrete pillars that served as a canvas for local artists.
For nine months, it was prominently displayed in the NGV’s St Kilda Road gallery garden, hosting a variety of artistic programs and events. After its tenure, it was dismantled and transported to an undisclosed location, unknown even to its creators.
An aerial view published by The Age has now revealed that the dismantled Temple of Boom resides in an Epping paddock far removed from the city, situated in a rocky field inhabited by a small herd of cows.
The structure is broken into hundreds of pieces, loosely stacked, wrapped in plastic and polystyrene, and secured behind an electric wire.
Temple of Boom – homage to the Parthenon in the heart of Melbourne revealed
A hiker stumbled upon the remnants last month while exploring the Craigieburn Grassland Nature Reserve, mistakenly thinking they had been illegally dumped.
Property records show that the land is privately owned and is being developed into a large logistics park.
The NGV commented on the situation, explaining that its outdoor Architecture Commission series allows Australian architects to create temporary pieces of architecture.
“Wherever possible, the building materials are designed to be recycled, reused, or relocated. The materials are in the process of being moved to a storage location,” the gallery stated.
Adam Newman, the architect behind the project, had expressed hopes that the Temple of Boom would find a new home after its decommissioning. He noted that the columns could be “decommissioned and removed relatively simply, and re-erected in another place.” Newman added,
“We are somewhat confident that somewhere in Melbourne or Victoria will be interested in having the Parthenon.”
Jessie French, a Melbourne-based artist and designer involved with the MPavilion series, pointed out that the art industry cycles through installations like the retail sector cycles through window displays. French reiterated the need for sustainable art practices, inspired by the Gallery Climate Coalition’s mission to reduce consumption in the art world.
The original article: belongs to NEOS KOSMOS .
