AG-NSW - Ancient & Modern

Long-time followers of this blog will know how much I treasure the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AG-NSW). How I get a shiver down my spine as I walk up the steps to the entrance, through this glorious non-Sydney foyer, and then into the fabulously low-ceilinged ground floor.

Well, all that is about to change. The AG-NSW is adding a new wing. The way in which I have written that sounds too plebian. The AG-NSW is reinventing itself, sounds more accurate. I am a bit anxious about this. Positive, but tremulous. Not that this is going to happen tomorrow. They have taken a year to invite a dozen architects from around the world to present a concept plan, and to choose the successful concept. This is quite speedy, I suspect. Now, the winning architectural practice has to submit detailed plans and costings.

Today, I am featuring the building that houses the gallery at the moment. This is not going to be touched ... well except for where the two morph into each other. The way patrons will PERCEIVE this original building will be dramatically altered. And much, today, is all in the perception. For some reason, this new venture is called "Sydney Modern". I suspect it to be named AFTER someone. Probably a beneficiary of the Gallery, as so many of their new installations are so named. Tomorrow, detail about this new "wing".