Art

How Public Sculpture Can Reshape Power and Identity | Thomas J Price: Ancient Feelings

Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA)
Museum of Contemporary Art Australia (MCA)•Mar 10, 2026

Why It Matters

By challenging traditional narratives of authority, the work pushes museums and cities toward more inclusive representation, influencing future public‑art commissions.

Key Takeaways

  • •Historical sculptures convey authority; Price challenges that narrative
  • •Fictional figure blends ancient references with real emotions
  • •Public art redefines power dynamics in communal spaces
  • •MCA commission showcases inclusive representation through sculpture
  • •Childhood museum visits inspire contemporary identity discourse

Pulse Analysis

Public sculpture has long served as a visual shorthand for power, often reinforcing elite narratives through grand, static monuments. In recent decades, curators and artists have begun to interrogate this legacy, asking whose stories are elevated and whose are omitted. This shift reflects broader cultural conversations about representation, prompting institutions to reconsider the symbols that dominate civic spaces. By foregrounding the politics of form, contemporary public art can become a catalyst for dialogue rather than a mere decorative backdrop.

Thomas J Price’s Ancient Feelings epitomizes this evolving discourse. Raised on trips to the British Museum and the V&A, Price internalized the language of ancient statuary—idealized bodies, heroic poses, and an aura of permanence. He now subverts those conventions, constructing a fictional figure that borrows classical motifs but is animated by the gestures and fleeting emotions of everyday individuals. The result is a figurative sculpture that feels both timeless and immediate, bridging the gap between historical reverence and present‑day lived experience.

The upcoming installation at the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia’s Tallawoladah Lawn Commission signals a broader institutional commitment to inclusive storytelling. By placing a work that questions traditional hierarchies in a public setting, the MCA invites visitors to engage with art that reflects diverse identities and power structures. This approach not only enriches the cultural fabric of the city but also sets a precedent for future commissions, encouraging artists and funders to prioritize representation that resonates with a wider audience.

Original Description

Artist Thomas J Price discusses the ideas behind Ancient Feelings and how sculpture can reshape the way power, status and identity are represented.
Drawing on childhood visits to museums such as the British Museum and the Victoria & Albert Museum, Price reflects on how historical sculptures have traditionally communicated authority and prestige. He describes how those early encounters with fragments of ancient figures continue to inform his work today.
In this interview, Price explains how Ancient Feelings draws on those influences while imagining a fictional figure informed by real people, observed gestures and moments of emotion. By combining historical references with contemporary experiences, his work invites viewers to reconsider whose identities are represented in sculpture—and how those figures are remembered.
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