The spirit of New York’s underground downtown art scene during the 1980s is flowing through the National Gallery of Victoria on Friday nights. With a little help from Bombay Sapphire, the latest NGV Friday Nights series is inspired by the gallery’s summer blockbuster exhibition, which celebrates the work of two of the most influential artists of the late 20th century, Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Every Friday night from December 6 to April 10, DJs are spotlighting different moments in ’80s music from disco to post-punk, hip hop and new wave, mixed in with drag performances, New York City street food, classic cocktails from the Bombay Sapphire Gin Bar, and an '80s dance floor in the NGV Garden to wrap up each night. Explore the Keith Haring | Jean-Michel Basquiat: Crossing Lines exhibition after dark and lean into the fascinating corners of 1980s music and pop culture with curated beats, talks and interactive activities.
The December 13 event, New York Jazz and the Golden Age, features a jazz-infused DJ set from Loure, a set spotlighting the golden age of hip hop by DJ/producer Paul Gorrie and an exhibition talk by NGV curatorial project officer Meg Slater. On January 3, the gallery delves into Paris is Burning-era ballroom culture with Sass & the Ballroom. Danny Hotep will lay down a banging soundtrack of pure '80s sass followed by Melbourne DJ MzRizk piling on the funk, with a talk on art from the margins by Dr Quinn Eades from La Trobe University.
In March and April, the themes ride a new wave. On April 10, New Wave Synth sees DJ River Yarra revive the unique but short-lived New York No Wave movement before Yo! Mafia brings a full set of synth, pop and new wave. It all wraps with a special Saturday-night event dedicated to Minimal Wave and Garage on April 11.
Haring and Basquiat both died young, but each made a huge impression with their art. They made work with strong social and political messages, particularly about racism and the AIDS crisis, and each had his own distinctive visual style. There’s no better way to explore their work and their ongoing influences than on a Friday night with a Bombay Sapphire gin cocktail in hand and a curated soundtrack.
Tickets are $35 (or $16 for children under 15 and $28 for members). Find out more below, or book your tickets and explore the weekly themes on the website.