An eight-metre-long robot sculpture by Ronnie van Hout presented by Satellite Art Projects will be unveiled during the 2008 Melbourne Art Fair.

Van Hout's temporary public sculpture R.U.R will be lying prone on the concrete paving of the Royal Exhibition Buildings forecourt as if it has just fallen. Its dark grey form echoes the concrete block design of the forecourt and playfully critiques the monumental modernist public furniture nearby. Passersby will be invited to touch, engage with and sit on the robot, installed from 31 July to 3 August 2008.An eight-metre-long robot sculpture by Ronnie van Hout presented by Satellite Art Projects will be unveiled during the 2008 Melbourne Art Fair.

Van Hout's temporary public sculpture R.U.R will be lying prone on the concrete paving of the Royal Exhibition Buildings forecourt as if it has just fallen. Its dark grey form echoes the concrete block design of the forecourt and playfully critiques the monumental modernist public furniture nearby. Passersby will be invited to touch, engage with and sit on the robot, installed from 31 July to 3 August 2008.Ronnie van Hout has an extensive exhibition history in New Zealand, where he was born, Australia, and internationally including Germany, Austria, Lithuania, and USA since 1981. His work is held numerous important contemporary collections including Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, USA; National Gallery of Victoria, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Art Gallery of Western Australia, Monash University Collection, Australia; Auckland Art Gallery, Wellington City Gallery, and Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, New Zealand.

At the 11th Biennial Melbourne Art Fair 2008 more than 900 artists will be represented by more than 80 leading national and international galleries from Australia, New Zealand, China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Switzerland, Germany and Ireland

More than 3000 contemporary artworks including Paintings, Works on Paper, Sculpture, Photography to Digital Media and Video, will be showcased under one roof during the four day event.

Exhibiting artists include: Brook Andrew (Aust), James Angus (Aust), Billy Apple (NZ), Lyndall Brown & Charles Green (Aust), Daniel Buren (France), Ian Burns (Aust), Martin Creed (UK), Li Dafang (China), Hayden Fowler (NZ), David Griggs (Aust), Claire Healy & Sean Cordeiro (Aust), David Hookey (Aust), Callum Innes (Scotland), Silvana & Gabriella Mangano (Aust), Samuel Namunidja (Aust), Tomoko
Sawada (Japan), Julie Rrap (Aust), Sally Smart (Aust), Louise Weaver (Aust), Ai Weiwei (China).

The Project Rooms include: Damiano Bertoli (Aust), Jonas Dahlberg (Sweden) and Pat Foster and Jen Berean (Aust) curated by Mark Feary; Centre of Contemporary Photography Melbourne; Gertrude Contemporary Art Spaces; Joint Hassles; Next Wave Festival, The South Project; Kyungah Ham (South Korea); and, Anne Zahalka (Aust) at Sofitel Melbourne.

One of the highlights of Melbourne Art Fair is the commissioned works, which are positioned within the Royal Exhibition Building and gifted to an Australian institution at the conclusion of the Fair. In 2008 two prominent Australian artists have been commissioned to realise large-scale works that will be unveiled during the 4-day event.

2006 saw contemporary New Zealand artist, Michael Parekowhai create Cosmo, a monumental inflated rabbit sculpture standing 8m high x 5m wide, later gifted to the National Gallery of Victoria.

More information

Satellite is a new non-profit contemporary art agency that initiates, develops and presents ambitious public projects and commissions. Director Simon Maidment founded Satellite in October 2007, and this commission represents the first public outcome of its ongoing activities. This inaugural project reflects Satellite's mission to work closely with artists to realise ambitious new projects and facilitate new directions in their practices.

All components of Melbourne Art Fair directly benefit the work of living artists. Over it's 20-year history, the Fair has generated a wealth of national and international commercial and critical attention for artists and galleries. The 2006 Fair was attended by over 26,000 people and provided living artists with over AUD $6M from sales. Presented by the Melbourne Art Fair Foundation - a not-for-profit organisation with its primary goal being the promotion of contemporary art, the ethical representation of living artists and raising awareness of artists working today- the Melbourne Art Fair is a breakeven event that takes no revenue from the sale of artworks.

Image details: R.U.R, Ronnie van Hout; painted polyurethane on polystyrene; 8 x 3.3 x 1.5m (LxWxH); 2008.

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