Both exhibition spaces are public art galleries, held in spaces that are professionally directed, curated and designed. Melbourne Now, an exhibition so large, that it has taken over both NGV Australia, and NGV International. All the artists’ involved are local and work in a vast variety of materials, techniques and mediums. Unlike the ACCA exhibition, ‘Crescendo,’ all the artists are of a European background, which is heavily incorporated into their artworks. All the work in Crescendo is film based, rather than the wide variety of techniques and materials found in Melbourne Now.
Melbourne Now had to work with the egos and personalities of possibly extravagant artists and worked in a generally white exhibition space to create cohesion between the artworks, since they had incredibly different stylistic and visual qualities and tended to contradict the intended cohesion. In Crescendo the walls of almost all the featuring artworks were a deep black, to compliment the name of the exhibition, the general theme and over all aesthetics. A large red curtain, possibly representing stage productions or the drawing of the red curtain, after and prior the show accompanied the entry into Crescendo. The vibrant curtain contrasted with the interiors of the exhibition, as the show incorporated brooding halls filled with darkness, only illuminated by a solitary artwork within each room. The entry of Crescendo was important in visually communicating the theme and lets the audience prepare prior to entering the show, as to the entry at Melbourne Now, it is not distinctly signified. As the exhibition really started as you enter the building. Small intriguing artworks and objects are placed near the stairs and escalators to slowly draw in its audience.
