Thomas Demand: The Object Lesson

Thomas Demand: The Object Lesson presents a large-scale, immersive intervention within the Isaac Wakil Gallery, designed by SANAA, at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Conceived and curated by German artist Thomas Demand, the project reimagines the gallery’s architecture through the addition of layered spatial modifications and custom-designed wallpapers. This transformation is designed to frame and recontextualise nearly 60 selected works from the John Kaldor Family Collection, offering visitors a multisensory encounter with a major body of contemporary art.

At the heart of the exhibition is Demand’s interpretation of the collection’s significance and latent potential. The featured works span a diverse roster of international and Australian artists, including Francis Alÿs, Allora & Calzadilla, Christo, Gilbert & George, Andreas Gursky, Sol LeWitt, Nam June Paik, Richard Prince, Robert Rauschenberg, Ugo Rondinone, and Saskia Olde Wolbers, among others. The Object Lesson draws upon more than 200 works generously donated by John Kaldor to the gallery, focusing on the innovative curatorial possibilities that such a collection enables within a contemporary museum environment.

Complementing the main installation is an extensive public program that aims to engage a range of audiences. The weekly "Object Lessons" series takes place every Wednesday evening, inviting artists, curators, historians, and commentators to offer interpretive insights into individual works from the display. Notable participants in this component include Donna West Brett, Luke Johnson, Michael Dagostino, Tracey Moffatt, Neil Armfield, Penelope Seidler, Nadia Odlum, and Tom Polo. Their discussions are structured to reveal new perspectives and deepen the audience's connection to the exhibition’s themes and materials.

Musical and sound-based interpretations form an additional layer of engagement, with composer Jules Reidy producing "Only Above," a specially commissioned score inspired by the spatial qualities of Demand’s installation. The score is presented both in live performances by Reidy and in renditions by Sydney-based musicians Megan Alice Clune, Banana (comprising M Hopkins and Alexandra Spence), Mary Rapp, and a culminating ensemble with Ivan Cheng.

Educational programming includes interactive and participatory resources, notably a workshop for children and families led by Sydney-based artist Nadia Odlum. The "Lessons Loosened" sessions draw on play-based educational theory, employing loose-parts play, reflective drawing, and storytelling to facilitate creative participation and engagement with the exhibition’s themes.

This project exemplifies the ongoing collaboration between Kaldor Public Art Projects and the Art Gallery of New South Wales. It highlights the capacity of contemporary curatorial practice and architectural intervention to animate major art collections in ways that foster interdisciplinary dialogue and public engagement, bridging the spheres of visual art, design, music, and education within a leading public institution.