SYDNEY.- This summer the Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney presents the first large scale exhibition of works by acclaimed Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson ever to have been seen in Australia. The exhibition, entitled "Take your time: Olafur Eliasson," runs at the MCA Sydney exclusively in Australia from December 10, 2009 to April 11, 2010.

Olafur Eliasson is among the most influential and widely acclaimed artists of his generation. From light filled environments to walk-in kaleidoscopes, his unique participatory works offer alluring spaces that harness optical cognition and meteorological elements, examine the intersection of nature and science, and explore the boundary between the organic and the artificial.

Having been raised partly in Iceland, Eliasson’s practice is informed by that country’s primordial landscape and spectacular weather. He recontextualises elements such as light, water, ice, fog, arctic moss, and lava rock to create altogether new circumstances that shift the viewer’s consciousness and sense of place. By extension, his work prompts an intensive engagement with the world outside and a fresh consideration of everyday life.

"Take your time: Olafur Eliasson" gathers works from major public and private collections worldwide and spans Eliasson’s diverse range of artistic production from 1993 to the present, including installations, large-scale immersive environments, freestanding sculpture, and photography.

MCA Director Elizabeth Ann Macgregor says: “Olafur Eliasson is one of the most widely acclaimed artists of his generation and we are proud to be able to present this major exhibition of his work to Australian audiences for the first time. We are delighted to have been able to work with one of the world’s most prestigious arts institutions SFMOMA, to make this extraordinary exhibition happen.

“We expect this exhibition to be hugely popular both with existing and new audiences for the Museum. As we are the only Australian venue presenting this show, we hope to see an influx of interstate visitors as well, which will contribute further to the MCA’s continued strong growth in visitor attendance figures.”