In a World War II-era fuel storage tank deep beneath Sydney, the smell of gasoline still hangs in the air. Pulsing lights sweep the cavernous space to reveal fragments of"The End of Imagination," an installation by Argentine artist Adrián Villar Rojas. Five twisting sculptural forms, born from a digitized future of Rojas' creation, emerge out of the darkness.
"The next commission, whoever comes, will have to deal with the fact that people know that it is waiting for them," Rojas explained."This is a unique moment; this is a very fragile moment that we have."The depths of the Tank are almost antithetical to the gleaming harbor above. The underground gallery also stands in contrast to the rest of the Sydney Modern Project, where multiple stories of glass windows and towering ceilings produce fresh, light-filled exhibition spaces.
"There is no border to cross," he said."There is not just one way to come in and come out. You can choose the way." "It's very important in Australia, in Sydney, to have a place where school kids or international visitors can come and get a snapshot of how important Indigenous culture and Indigenous visual arts are for Australia," he said.The gallery's deputy director, Maud Page, meanwhile said it was crucial that Indigenous works were placed throughout the gallery, not siloed in a specific room.