Art
Art, art galleries and exhibitions in Melbourne
An immersive festival of ‘ecstatic’ music and performance is taking over Arts Centre Melbourne
Supersense, the festival of ‘ecstatic’ music and performance, returns to the Arts Centre in August to give the building a three-day pre-spring clean – or “turn the place on its head”, as curator, vocalist and performer Sophia Brous puts it. Forget formal seating and prosceniums – Supersense wants to take the audience into places within the Arts Centre that they’ve never been before; and places they have been in – but give them a totally different experience. The goal? An “ecstatic” state. Brous, who masterminded the inaugural event in 2015, describes the festival as a “confluence of ritual and communion” designed to take audiences to “spaces of heightened perspective.” “Where in the past people sought out spaces of revelation in the presence of divinity, increasingly we are seeking these things out in spaces of collective artistic expression. I wanted to create a festival that explores these interrelated states of ecstatic perspective – within a contained environment.” Anyone who missed the first festival is likely to be enticed by this year’s big names – Russian revolutionaries Pussy Riot; UK space-rockers Spiritualized; New York art-rockers Blonde Redhead – but ‘headliners’ are not really the point of the festival. Rather, it’s designed as a three-day immersive “journey”, from Friday night to Sunday night. The whole should be more than the sum of its parts. “The seed was a conversation, back in 2011 or 2012, with David Anderson [then head of music programming at the A
David LaChapelle is headlining Ballarat International Foto Biennale
Ballarat International Foto Biennale (August 19-September 17) – Australia’s largest international photography festival – has announced its headliner for 2017: iconoclastic American photographer and director David LaChapelle. In a coup for incoming festival director Fiona Sweet, the Biennale will present the first LaChapelle solo exhibition in Australia, featuring around 90 of his artworks at the Art Gallery of Ballarat. And yes, the artist will be present. LaChapelle is best known for his editorial and fashion work, shooting for Interview, Rolling Stone and Vanity Fair – and collecting a who’s-who list of American celebrities over the years, including Michael Jackson, Madonna, Andy Warhol, Britney, Kanye West, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Pamela Anderson… LaChapelle in fact started in fine art photography, studying at North Carolina School of the Arts and coming up through New York’s 1980s art scene alongside Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat. 'Kings Dominion' from the Land Scape series, 2013. Photograph: David LaChapelle After suddenly moving to Hawaii in 2006, he took up fine art photography again – so you can expect recent personal projects to feature in the Ballarat exhibition, including his 2013 series Land Scape, where he shot colour saturated hyperreal photos of model oil refineries made from garbage. Find out more about the Ballarat International Foto Biennale, and buy tickets to the LaChapelle exhibition ($8-$18).
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Little Creatures Live
You might already enjoy their beer – including Pale Ale, Rogers' and Dog Days – but did you know there's a way to take your Little Creatures love a little deeper? This year the brewery is taking their show on the road with a series of parties that feature live performance art, food and beer at various on-premise locations and festivals across Australia. They're calling it Little Creatures Live – inspired by the original moniker of their very first Pale Ale, brewed their own way with fresh hops flowers and live yeast. Little Creatures Live will be back in Melbourne very soon. Curious as to what to expect? Check out our recaps below. Or if you can't wait, why not pay a visit to Little Creatures' Geelong or Fremantle breweries?
The Perth Hitlist: What to do and where to go on a three or five day stay
It’s the only capital city in Australia where you can watch the sun set over the ocean, but that’s not the only reason Perth is now one of the coolest places to visit. Once known only for its pristine beaches, Perth’s love of food and culture is capturing the attention of tastemakers. Blame it on Instagram or the perfect weather – no one can explain how WA’s capital city made its way onto the international radar – but the latest frenzy of new hotel openings, a statewide culinary scene that is booming and a string of new urban projects may provide some clues. Stay a little longer and you can explore ancient caves and award winning wineries just three hours ‘down south’ around Margaret River. // var axel = Math.random() + ""; var a = axel * 10000000000000; document.write(''); //
13 things we love about winter in Melbourne
When winter's chill sets in, it can be tempting to hibernate. Our advice: don't. As a city that takes pride in its top-notch food and drink culture, arts, festivals and fashion, Melbourne comes into its own in winter – and we're here to help you make the most of it. Never have a boring winter's day again with these 14 rainy day activities in Melbourne; and stay toasty with our list of 21 ways to beat the cold. If all else fails, grab a seat next to the fireplace at one of these cosy pubs.
Taste your way around Melbourne at this new Southbank eatery
There’s something so intrinsically Melbourne about Bombini Buzz, Arts Centre Melbourne’s newest eatery. Part café and part bar, you can seamlessly transition from morning to night here without even having to leave its prime river’s edge location. The best part? Bombini Buzz put the focus on Melbourne makers – everything from the coffee to the Melbourne inspired tarts sold in store are locally made, so you’re supporting local suppliers while you dine. Keen to have a perfect Melbourne experience featuring goods from Bombini Buzz? Here’s a little itinerary we prepared earlier. 9am: Start your day with a micro-roasted coffee from Seven Seeds coffee brewed fresh by Bombini Buzz’s talented baristas. Take a sip alongside one of BB’s house made pastries – these specially made tarts are inspired by the streets and laneways of Melbourne. Our pick? The Queensberry Street tart, a chocolate cake with raspberry curd and coconut mousse. 10am: Next, take a short walk over to the Royal Botanic Gardens. If there’s anywhere you can escape the madness of the city CBD without actually leaving it, this is the place. Home to a cool 8,500 plant species, zen lakes and lush lawns, visitors can take part in workshops, tours, walks and talks that showcase the intricacies of the gardens. 12pm: Time for a gelato! Try some natural gelato and sorbet from Billy van Creamy, served fresh and ice cold at Bombini Buzz. While it’s locally produced in Fitzroy North, Bombini Buzz has a range of their most po