The Concrete Playground Hot List
The very best of what's happening this week in Sydney.
MCA Opening by Zacha Rosen. See the gallery here.
It’s back: the only reason non-tourists ever visit the rocks (besides a 2am pancake craving and home-brewed beer). The MCA, our resplendent harbour-side cultural gem (uh, the other one) reopens this weekend, showing off its shiny makeover with new exhibitions, talks and events to remind us why we love contemporary art, and especially why we love it in Sydney (the new upstairs café that offers sweeping views of the harbour for one).
But as delighted as we are to have our homecoming queen back on the scene, it doesn’t mean we should forget our humbler, less glamorous members of team contemporary art. Offering up some fierce rivalry to any grand opening of any grand establishment are some of our local favourites: Anna Schwartz with Shoot from the Hip, The Tate with Dancing Words, and Serial Space with a unique approach to the concept of a lecture. There’s also no shortage of film, theatre and events that make you go hmmm, to add to your cultural calendar this week. But whatever you do, do it with the lights out. Earth hour is once again upon us, so this Saturday let’s aim for the kind of pitch black that would put a Stanley Kubrick film to shame.
MCA Opening Weekend
The details: Thursday, March 29 - Sunday, April 1 @ Museum of Contemporary Art
After an absence of more than a year, the Museum of Contemporary Art is rebuilt, refit and ready to bring you more art than ever before. Its innards have been expanded, a white, lego-like addition fused to its northern edge and a cafe upstairs now offers you a view with your mid-art breaks. For its Opening Weekend, the MCA lights itself up to take its first contingent of new guests, with talks, art and events to keep you busy for three full days of artistic exploration. Read more
La Traviata - Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour
The details: Saturday, March 24 - Sunday, April 15 @ Mrs. Macquaries Point
Probably the best outdoor event to ever be staged in Australia, this stunning spectacle floats in the harbour, while you sip champagne from Fleet Steps. Read more
Lauren Brincat: Shoot From the Hip
The details: Wednesday, March 28 - Saturday, April 21 @ Anna Schwartz Gallery
Moody video cycles and triangular sculpture feature in this solo show, Lauren Brincat's first at a private gallery. Read more
The Wellington International Ukulele Orchestra
The details: Thursday, March 29 @ Oxford Art Factory
Featuring Bret McKenzie from Flight of the Conchords, here is something that could either be truly amazing or amazingly bad. Read more
Message Sticks 2012
The details: Tuesday, March 27 - Sunday, April 1 @ Sydney Opera House
See great Indigenous films for free, alongside a fiery array of music, talks, dance and art. Read more
Earth Hour 2012
The details: Saturday, March 31 @ Sydney City Streets and Parks
The Hour started in Sydney in 2007, and has become an international event in the years since. Get unplugged, as small acts lead to bigger things. Read more
Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes
The details: Saturday, March 31 - Sunday, June 3 @ Art Gallery of New South Wales
While we can always count on this annual crowd magnet to deliver awe-inspiring celebrations of Aussie celebrity, the Archibald Prize offers especially fascinating portraiture. Read more
The Hunger Games
The details: Thursday, March 22 - Wednesday, April 25 @ Various cinemas
An exhilarating debut from the bestselling series about teenagers engaged in a deadly bloodsport. Read more
