A Colossal, Colour-Bombed Recreation of Greece’s Parthenon Is Landing in the NGV’s Garden This Spring

Is there anything more iconically Greek than the Parthenon?

The ancient, crumbling former temple commands the hill of the Acropolis in Athens. But this November, a modern recreation of it will land in the garden at NGV International.

Called Temple of Boom, the joint project by Adam Newman and Kelvin Tsang – of Melbourne architecture practice NWMN – is the winning design of the annual NGV Architecture Commission. The national competition is an opportunity for architects to create a temporary, site-specific structure for the gallery’s Grollo Equiset Garden.

The colossal reimagination will be splashed with colourful large-scale works by local artists as a way to encourage Melburnians to appreciate both the beauty of the ancient ruin (while seeing it in a whole new light) and the effect of time on all architecture.

“One of the most famous examples of classical architecture, the Parthenon in Athens is often viewed as a potent symbol of Western art and culture,” NGV director Tony Ellwood AM said in a statement.

Named for the vibrations of music, “This thought-provoking work by Adam Newman and Kelvin Tsang invites us to consider how we create and imbue architecture with meaning, as well as how this meaning can shift across time periods and cultures.”

Temple of Boom will be on display at NGV International’s Grollo Equiset Garden from November 21. Entry will be free.

ngv.vic.gov.au