With less than a month left in its run Hyper Real is escaping the National Gallery of Australia and taking to the streets of Canberra.
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No need to worry however, it's not Ron Mueck's huge Wildman, nor, heaven forbid Mark Quinn's blood-filled head. And Paul McCarthy's That Girl is staying exactly where she is.
Instead several doppelgangers of Ronnie Van Hout's doppelgangers, Sitting Figure I and II, those pyjama-clad, weary-looking man-children perched on the toilet, will run amok through Canberra from January 22-26.
Van Hout himself won't be in town. He wouldn't dare be confused for one of the stand-ins, who'll be wearing pyjamas and specially made masks that are eerily life-like.
Lots of Van Hout's figures often feature his own face and the Melbourne-based artist likes the idea of this deceit.
"I like the idea of being in disguise, running around a city in a lawless way," he says.
"We too often regulate our behaviours when we move around a city.
"I think this should be a great bit of fun."
To find Ronnie follow the clues on @nationalgalleryofaustralia on Facebook or @nationalgalleryaus on Instagram, or listen to Hit104.7 each morning between 9-10am to find a Ronnie at a Canberra icon each day.
Will he be at Cockington Green, Hotel Hotel or the National Library of Australia? Get your photo taken with a doppelganger and post to social media with the hashtag #whereisronnieNGA and receive a two for one adult ticket to the Hyper Real exhibition and a catalogue.
But hurry, Hyper Real finishes up on February 18, 2018.
But wait, there's more
Have you looked at Patricia Piccinini's Hyper Real pieces and wondered what is going through her head? Her art pushes beyond today's understanding of the natural by producing transgenic beings and fantastic hybrid creatures.
Piccinini joins NGA senior curator of contemporary art, Jaklyn Babington, for a casual conversation at Canberra restaurant and bookshop Muse on Sunday, February 4.
Piccinini was named the most visited contemporary artist in the world last year after her exhibition in Brazil eclipsed audience expectations, attracting more than 1.4million visitors. She was the Australian representative at the 2003 Venice Biennale. She is one of the major artists of the Hyper Real exhibition.
Her compassionate approach to the "other" has resonated with people the world over. Canberrans know her for the incredible - and at times divisive - Skywhale that flew over Canberra skies in 2013.
Muse's Sunday Salon on February 4 provides a unique opportunity to hear Piccinini discuss her work and life. Event tickets are $12 and include a complimentary glass of house wine or soft drink.
