NGV’s new exhibition displays never-before-seen works of renowned artist Reko Rennie
NGV’s new exhibition REKOSPECTIVE by artist Reko Rennie is now open, featuring a 15-metre-wide neon light sculpture, a Rolls Royce car in bold pink and black camouflage colours, and his latest large scale figurative painting.
Located in The Ian Potter Centre, the exhibition is free to all visitors and is open until January 27, 2025.
This is Mr Rennie’s largest presentation of work to date, and his first retrospective exhibition.
With more than 100 pieces of art, including new never-before-seen bodies of work, Mr Rennie takes viewers on an autobiographical journey, inviting them to explore his compelling responses to specific histories, cultures and materials.
Introduced to graffiti culture at a young age, Mr Rennie is now globally renowned for his distinctive style and visual language displayed through his various artworks, merging contemporary artforms with traditional Kamilaroi designs in his practice.
With the intention of subverting romantic ideologies of Aboriginal identity, audiences can see a mix of Kamilaroi diamond-shaped designs, hand-drawn symbols and repetitive patterning displayed in his art.
He also uses contemporary mediums such as print, sculpture, video, painting and neon.
In 2008, Mr Rennie committed to art as his full-time practice in the same year he received the prestigious Victorian Indigenous Art Award.
This was held across major state collections and received significant public art commissions from across Australia.
REKOSPECTIVE represents the extent of Mr Rennie’s artistic career; from his early paintings that translate the language of street art onto canvas, to works that reflect the development of his original and distinctive aboriginal camouflage designs.
Across the exhibition, visitors can see early bronze sculptures, prolific steel totems and newer works interacting with marble and light, which together demonstrate Mr Rennie’s ability to apply his distinctive style to new materials and subject matter.
“Starting out as a street artist, Reko Rennie is today one of Australia’s most respected contemporary artists. Over the last two decades, Mr Rennie has developed an instantly recognisable signature style that amalgamates his Aboriginal heritage with a bold contemporary point of view,” NGV director Tony Ellwood said.
“We are delighted to be sharing the work of this renowned Melbourne-born artist in his first-ever retrospective at an Australian public Institution.”
For more information, visit the NGV website. •

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