Down at Sydney’s seaside museum, the Year of the Tiger is getting off to a swimming start with art, workshops, kids’ activities and music for everyone. So throw away any preconceptions about cats and water not being a good mix, and dive in. The Maritime Museum has partnered up with 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art and the Korean Cultural Centre for three big weekends of art and activities that explore traditions and push boundaries.
Over the first weekend from January 28-30, synchronised dance and synth beats meet the sea with fun, energised open-age dance workshops from K-POP cover groups 9bit and Magic Circle.
Elsewhere, artist Eugenia Lim will suit up as a gold Mao-suited ‘Ambassador’ for The People’s Currency, an interactive exhibition and performance. Lim will inhabit a ‘factory’ printing counterfeit currency of her own design and act as floor manager to this ‘factory’ of workers. Taking its name from Renminbi (China’s currency), the work explores the social impacts of globalisation upon those who seek their fortunes in the factories of China – or the ‘workshop of the world’. You can simply observe, or if you’re game, you can register to be a worker in Lim’s factory. This work will be accompanied by children’s dance workshops.
During the second weekend from February 5-6, you can join in creative Lunar New Year inspired artmaking in family friendly drop-in workshops.
Lion and dragon dances with martial arts displays will create a big finish for the Lunar New Year celebrations on Sunday February 13. Over the final weekend, February 12-13, families can also drop in for printmaking workshops inspired by the year of the tiger and tiger camouflage patterns. Or tantalise your senses with a snack making workshop with colourful drag personality Radha. This workshop costs $15 and you can register here.
Throughout the Lunar New Year, the museum also presents artist Cindy Yuen-Zhe Chen’s exhibition Spaces to Stir. This newly commissioned body of work responds to unique landscapes and stories of women-identifying diaspora. Presenting a bespoke exhibition comprising video, sound and installation, Spaces to Stir will amplify the quiet and considered lived experiences of the artist.
Kids can also adventure around the museum’s maritime inspired displays with the Lunar Seas activity trail, inspired by Lunar animals and constellations that feature in the museum’s collection. You can complete the trail to receive a lucky dip pack filled with creative activities.
Most activities are free with museum entry (hot tip: you can use your Dine and Discover vouchers). Find out more here.
