MCA Australia Debuts Latest Sculptural Commission by Ricky Swallow

On August 6, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in Sydney unveiled Bent Forms #1–#4 (2025), a new site-specific sculpture by Los Angeles-based Australian artist Ricky Swallow. Marking the institution’s eighth Loti Smorgon Sculpture Terrace Commission, the work features a quartet of giant stainless steel spoons, cast from enlarged wax prints of warped teaspoons. The twisted utensils, which are installed on the museum’s terrace overlooking Sydney Harbor, evoke the supernatural forces of telekinesis, inviting viewers to encounter mundane, everyday objects through a surrealist lens. In a statement, the artist described his work as “things that have created themselves or forms responsible for their own form. I’d like it to feel as if you’re walking into a field of formal mystery, familiar as well as alien.” Swallow, who represented Australia at the 2005 Venice Biennale, is known for creating playful yet uncanny sculptures, often drawing on themes of temporality, labor, and mortality. Bent Forms #1–#4 represents his return to the Australian art scene after a years-long absence, and will be displayed until July 20, 2026.

De Sarthe Gallery Announces Relocation in Hong Kong

Hong Kong’s De Sarthe gallery is relocating to a larger space in Wong Chuk Hang, a former industrial neighborhood in the city’s Southern District. Located in the Vita Tower, the new 930-square-meter venue is set to launch on September 20, with further details about the inaugural exhibition to be revealed ahead of the opening. The gallery will continue to spotlight tech-focused artists while also showcasing contemporary art and 20th-century masterpieces in separate areas. In early 2017, De Sarthe left its first space in the Central district to settle in Wong Chuk Hang, before moving again in 2022 to a different building within the same area. In a statement, gallery owner Pascal de Sarthe described the latest relocation as “a major expansion that will allow us to offer larger and more ambitious programs.” He further emphasized the importance of physical galleries in an ever-evolving digital age, as they offer “a space where artists and audiences can engage in meaningful dialogue.”

Te Tuhi Appoints Suzy Park as Lead Curator

Te Tuhi, a contemporary art space based in Auckland, has appointed Suzy Park as the organization’s lead curator, effective this November. Currently based in Seoul, Park brings significant experience to the role, having held curatorial roles at the 2024 Busan Biennale and various art spaces in the South Korean capital, including the Total Museum of Contemporary Art, WESS, and BOAN1942. Park expressed gratitude over her appointment in a statement: “Joining Te Tuhi . . . offers a rare opportunity to rethink the nature of art across different geographies. . . . What excites me most is the chance to engage with artists here through both fresh eyes and long-held questions.” In a press release, Te Tuhi’s executive director Hiraani Himona noted that “[Park’s] curatorial approach resonates deeply with Te Tuhi’s values—community-minded, collaborative, and socially engaged,” adding that she will be a “tremendous asset” to the institution. As Te Tuhi is closed for renovation until 2026, Park will relocate to Aotearoa New Zealand later this year to develop the gallery’s new programming.

New York to Welcome New Public Sculpture by Monira Al Qadiri

Later this year, Monira Al Qadiri is set to debut First Sun (2025), a towering sculpture of a half-human, half-beetle figure in New York’s Central Park. Co-commissioned by the New York-based nonprofit Public Art Fund and Toronto’s Lassonde Art Trail, the project marks a new partnership between the two cultural organizations, as well as Al Qadiri’s first-ever public artwork. Her 5-meter-tall aluminum sculpture is inspired by the scarab-faced Khepri, an Egyptian solar deity, and features iridescent pigments that change colors throughout the day. In a statement, the artist said: “I hope that this work will prompt people to reflect on how we value nature and embrace the unknown.” The project will be on view from September 3 to August 2, 2026 in New York before traveling to Canada, where it will be displayed at a new outdoor art trail in Toronto.

Eggplants Stolen from Suzann Victor’s Artwork at National Gallery Singapore

Still Life (1992/2025) by Singaporean artist Suzann Victor, which comprises 200 wall-mounted eggplants, has allegedly been vandalized during its display at the National Gallery Singapore (NGS). According to the museum, some eggplants were removed by visitors, although the exact number has not been specified. In response to The Straits Times, the NGS noted that “clear signage” has now been placed to warn visitors against touching the installation. First presented in 1992 at Singapore’s artist-run space 5th Passage, Still Life examines patriarchal dominance in public spaces. Recommissioned by the NGS and installed in July, the work has attracted significant public attention, with some visitors mistakenly believing the vegetables were free to take. While the eggplants are regularly replaced as they decompose, online discussions have also focused on concerns about perceived food wastage. “We kindly seek the public’s cooperation in preserving the artwork so that everyone can enjoy it in its intentional form,” the NGS stated.