Overview
GRAPHIC Festival — with its melange of comics, animation, illustration, music, multimedia and storytelling — puts on some of the most new and daring events in the country. In past years, the program has included Gotye's live animated album preview for Making Mirrors and Elefant Traks' Dr Seuss-inspired concert.
The headliners are here in abundance in 2013, and they're mainly drawn (ha) from the world of comics. The man most credited with introducing comics as a 'serious' medium and Pulitzer Prize winner for Holocaust-themed Maus, Art Spiegelman, will present a hybrid of slides, talk and music in a performance specially commissioned for the festival. The event, called WORDLESS!, will see Spiegelman share his own history while expounding on the depth comics are capable of.
The writer and cartoonist sneaks so much emotion and revelation into humble, scratchy packaging that this special, premiere event should be no less than spectacular. Sydney-based New Yorker Phillip Johnston provides the music, bringing his experience scoring silent films such as The Adventures of Prince Achmed to Spiegelman's inspiring imagery.
Art Spiegelman's WORDLESS! with Music by Phillip Johnston in on at the Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, on Saturday, 5 October. Thanks to the Sydney Opera House, we have three double passes to giveaway. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au with your name and address.