Global galleries seeking to stage Len Lye exhibition

Fresh off a successful stint in Melbourne, Len Lye could be leaving our shores again.

The recent Len Lye exhibition at Melbourne's Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) was the largest and most comprehensive exhibition of the artist's work.

About 35,000 people visited the exhibition during its 12-week stint and it gained a lot of interest from overseas galleries.

Senior curator at ACMI, Alessio Cavallaro says the success of the show has breathed new life into the artist's eclectic work.

"We have had such a positive response. Galleries from all over the world, in Europe, Japan and America, are wanting to know if the exhibition is touring and how they can get it in their country," Mr Cavallaro says.

The gallery is three times the size of Govett-Brewster and covered the full breadth of Lye's work.

Govett-Brewster Len Lye collection curator Tyler Cann says touring the work is a real possibility.

"There has been a lot of interest previous to the Melbourne exhibition but it has given it another spur so we are considering it," Mr Cann says.

"We were very pleased with the response."

While several well-known people in the art world attended the exhibition over its 12-week course there was no one more notable than actress Katie Holmes who brought her daughter Suri Cruise for a look.

"We have had some great reviews from everyone and I have been told Katie and Suri really enjoyed the exhibition," he says.

A new exhibition, Len Lye; The Cosmic Archives will be on display in Auckland at the Gus Fisher Gallery from Friday as well as at Govett-Brewster from December 12 in an exhibition called Art That Moves; The Work of Len Lye.

- © Fairfax NZ News