Although only recently unveiled, Lindy Lee’s dazzling new public sculpture Ouroboros at the National Gallery of Australia already feels familiar. This might be due to the video diary of the work’s making, interstate journey and final installation broadcast across the NGA’s socials, including the “high-stakes reality series” Art Truckers now screening on YouTube. Ouroboros will undoubtedly remain a fixture of our social media pages as an eminently Instagrammable addition to the capital’s cultural landscape.
Artist Lindy Lee after the official unveiling of her sculpture Ouroboros in front of the National Gallery of Australia on October 24. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen An air of familiarity may also be due to the breathless coverage of the work’s $14 million price tag that accompanied director Nick Mitzevich’s announcement of the commission of the most expensive work in the gallery’s history in September 2021. Critics seem perennially absorbed by the cost of cutting-edge contemporary art, convinced that funds would be better spent elsewhere.
The classic case is the acquisition of Jackson Pollock’s Blue Poles by the NGA’s inaugural director, James Mollison, in 1973 for the then exceptional sum of $1.3 million. More recently, Mitzevich faced criticism over the 2019 purchase of Jordan Wolfson’s $6.
67 million robotic performer Body Sculpture . Ouroboros is at its best when seen at night. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen Cost is certainly a factor when considering the v.