The Balnaves Foundation and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA Australia) are delighted to announce Thomas J Price as recipient of the inaugural Neil Balnaves Tallawoladah Lawn Commission.
This is the first contemporary sculptural commission for the iconic Tallawoladah Lawn, in front of MCA Australia, overlooking Warrane, Sydney Harbour at Circular Quay, to be presented annually over the next three years.
Born in London in 1981, Thomas J Price is renowned for his large-scale sculptural works of fictional figures that bring together traditional sculpting methods with digital technology. In these works, the artist plays with scale, material and detail to challenge and surprise the viewer and confront preconceived attitudes towards representation and entrenched power structures.
In contrast to traditional public monuments commemorating historical figures, Price’s sculptural works reframe the ordinary as extraordinary and celebrate individuals engaged in everyday activity; disrupting the ways in which we predetermine value. In utilising Western sculptural traditions to elevate the everyday lives of people of colour, Price’s brilliantly “ordinary” sculptures prompt audiences to consider their own socially conditioned attitudes.
This landmark annual commissioning series on the historic and culturally significant site of Tallawoladah, advances Sydney’s position as one of Australia’s leading cultural destinations. The Commission offers an exceptional opportunity for millions of Australians and visitors to engage with world-leading contemporary art and ideas, beyond the walls of the Museum. Tallawoladah is the traditional lands of the Gadigal people and has been home to stories, art and culture for over 65,000 years.
Thomas J Price’s newly created work will be unveiled in Spring 2025 and remain on public display until Autumn 2026.
About the Neil Balnaves Tallawoladah Lawn Commission
The Neil Balnaves Tallawoladah Lawn Commission series is supported by The Balnaves Foundation to celebrate the life of our founder Neil Balnaves AO (1944–2022) and pay tribute to his vision and philanthropic contribution to the arts in Australia.
The Neil Balnaves Tallawoladah Lawn Commission will present a large-scale sculptural work from a leading international or Australian contemporary artist from spring through to autumn each year from 2025–28, creating memorable encounters with the best contemporary art and ideas for millions of Australians and visitors.
Hamish Balnaves, CEO, The Balnaves Foundation said, ‘The Balnaves family is delighted to partner with the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia on this extraordinary project and we are excited that Thomas J Price will be the inaugural artist for the Neil Balnaves Tallawoladah Lawn Commission. Price’s relatable, thought provoking, bold and engaging works resonate deeply with my father, Neil Balnaves’, life-long commitment to enrich people’s lives through art and this Commission is a fitting tribute to his life, legacy and memory.’
Artist Thomas J Price said, ’I’m honoured to be the first recipient of the inaugural Neil Balnaves Tallawoladah Lawn Commission. Public sculpture has been a vital element of my practice for over two decades, dismantling perceptions of historical figures of power and presenting an alternative that celebrates us all. For me, sculpture is about understanding your environment and your place in space, your connection to others and capacity for empathy. My ambition has always been that these works would bring communities closer together and live in the public realm as silent totems for change.’
Suzanne Cotter, MCA Australia Director said, ‘We could not be more pleased to be announcing Thomas J Price as the first artist to create a new publicly sited sculpture for our inaugural Neil Balnaves Tallawoladah Lawn Commission. Thomas’s work is boldly dramatic and irresistibly generous in its call to see one another as we are and its cues for deeper human connection. We are excited for the many visitors to this culturally significant site to access and experience his art at all times of the day.’
Thomas J Price, installation view, Thomas J Price. Thoughts Unseen, Hauser & Wirth Somerset, 2022,
image courtesy of the artist and Hauser & Wirth © the artist, photograph: Ken Adlard