A major new exhibition, Floribunda, opens at Bunjil Place Gallery on 29 March 2025 – and it features over 150 works from the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) collection. Curated by artist David Sequeira, the exhibition explores the enduring influence of flowers across artistic disciplines.
“My first love as an artist and a curator is being with people as they create a place for art in their lives. It is a joy and an honour to be the link between Bunjil Place’s audience and the National Gallery of Victoria collections,” shares David Sequeira, Curator of Floribunda. “I visited the NGV as a seven-year-old and I could not believe that there was an entire building dedicated to art. I never imagined that more than 50 years later I would be working with that same collection to curate Floribunda.”
A collaboration between NGV and Bunjil Place, Floribunda marks one of the largest single loans in NGV’s history. The exhibition spans painting, ceramics, photography, sculpture, installation, jewellery, textiles, printmaking, drawing and fashion, with works from international and Australian artists including Azuma Makoto, John Brack, Margaret Preston, Jim Dine and Yves Saint Laurent.
Designed by Studio Peter King, the exhibition aptly follows a rose-like layout with unfolding sections. Highlights include Block Flowers (2023) by Azuma Makoto, featuring 130 preserved plant specimens, and Deanne Gilson’s Before Joseph Banks, Our Baskets and Plants Held Sacred Knowledge (2022), presented alongside engravings from Bank’s Florilegium (1770–1784). Also featured is Jim Dine’s The Temple of Flora (1984), a series of prints integrating Sufi poetry.
The fashion component examines sculptural and decorative interpretations of floral themes, with garments by designers such as Akira Isogawa, Carla Zampatti, Yves Saint Laurent and Jean Patou.
“From Dutch still-life paintings to contemporary haute couture, Floribunda explores the timeless beauty and enduring appeal of floral imagery across place, culture and artforms. With works drawn exclusively from the NGV Collection – including those by Yves Saint-Laurent, Grace Cossington-Smith, Nora Heysen, Arthur Streeton and more – this exhibition presents a wonderful opportunity to share the State collection with the City of Casey,” says Tony Ellwood, NGV Director. “We’re incredibly grateful to our presenting partner, Bunjil Place, for their collaboration on this important exhibition for the local community, as well as AWM Electrical for their support of our regional touring program.”
Floribunda is the first partnership between NGV and Bunjil Place and forms part of NGV’s wider collaborations across Victoria.
And Sovereignty gumnut, tiara set 2021.
NGV,
Purchased, NGV Supporters of Fashion and Textiles, 2021.
Paul Vasileff (designer) Dress 2016 from The Snow Maiden collection, autumn–winter 2016. NGV, Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2019.
John Brack Solandra 1955, NG,. Presented through the NGV Foundation from the Bequest of Mrs Elizabeth Summons MBE, Founder Benefactor, 2003.
Next up: International Women’s Day saw Nipa Doshi head to Melbourne for NGV Women in Design Commission