From a banana gaffer-taped to a wall to robot dogs, haute couture and even worn undies, the National Gallery of Victoria's Triennial showcases a wide range of contemporary art designed to spark conversation.
The free exhibition across the gallery's four levels features more than 100 works connected to the theme 'magic, matter and memory' in various mediums including artificial intelligence, textiles, sculpture, video, animatronics and other conceptual art.
A fresh banana taped to a blank white wall by Maurizio Cattelan and AI-enabled dogs trained by Agnieszka Pilat are expected to draw in crowds, while a giant work from Yoko Ono is visible to anyone walking or catching a tram down St Kilda Road.
Other highlights include embroidered clothes by leading French couture house Schiaparelli, a giant fish fence painstakingly woven by 13 artists from Western Arnhem Land, giant statues from Thomas J Price and a neon installation from Tracey Emin.
Smac McCreanor's joyful videos featuring choreography imitating food being crushed are featured in a major institution for the first time.
"I literally went from TikTok to fine art gallery," Ms McCreanor said.
A talking mouse delivering a bleak message on mortality by Ryan Gander is so small the artist knows some people will miss it but he doesn't mind as long as they still talk about it.
"The more people that use my work as dinner party conversation fodder and then don't see it the better, that's a massive sign of success," Mr Gander said with a smile.
Much of the exhibition is up for interpretation and some of it easy to accidentally step on, including Elmgreen and Dragset's satirical work featuring worn Levi jeans and Calvin Klein underwear tossed in a corner.
NGV director Tony Ellwood said the works on display are created by some of the world's most compelling artists reflecting on both the world as it currently is and how they would like it to be.
"The works on display explore some of the most pressing and urgent issues of our time including self expression and identity, the impacts of new technologies such as AI and the race to preserve the natural environment," Mr Ellwood said.
The free exhibition at NGV International on St Kilda Road opens to the public on December 3 and runs until April 7, 2024.
