The Ten Best Things to See at Art Month Sydney 2015
Nighttime gallery trails, art-dotted bike rides and the shoebox-sized gallery you can only visit with a magnifying glass.
The Ten Best Things to See at Art Month Sydney 2015
Nighttime gallery trails, art-dotted bike rides and the shoebox-sized gallery you can only visit with a magnifying glass.
For the month of March, Sydney will be sprinkled with fun and informative events to bulk up your knowledge of contemporary art. Curated by Glenn Barkley and happening throughout March, Art Month Sydney is now in its sixth year and has been refreshed with the theme 'Where Art Happens'. It’s all about testing the boundaries between public and private, local and global, and emerging and established. While there's nothing too new or revolutionary from previous years' programs, this year does see the return of favourites like Art at Night and ARTcycle, alongside some provocative talks and intriguing exhibitions.
To save you trawling through the extensive list of events, we’ve picked out the best ones — many of which won’t cost you a cent.
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Held at the appropriately underground ALASKA Projects, this discussion will unpick that ambiguous label ’emerging artist’. It seems we’re always on the watch for vibrant young game-changers, but what does this term actually mean? Is it tied to age? Or experience? A solid lineup of speakers will trace the path from art school to art establishment, hopefully shedding a little more clarity. Sharing their thoughts will be Tess Allas, Alexie Glass-Kantor, William Sturrock, Sam Wild, Andrew Frost (MC) and recipient of the 2014 NSW Visual Art Fellowship (Emerging), Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran.
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Like two peas in a pod, there’s no uncoupling art from wine. Alongside their respective solo shows during Art Month, artists and educators Bill Sampson and Christopher Orchard will be participating in ‘Getting It! A fool-proof guide to understanding contemporary art forever, and why the relationship between art and wine was made in heaven’. Todd Slater of Five Ways Cellars will share the secrets of this happy marriage while Orchard and Sampson will provide an insider’s account of contemporary art. Luckily for you, the exhibition opening at Paddington’s Wagner Gallery includes the opportunity to sample some award-winning wine from Leeuwin Estate.
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Shaping up to be a standout exhibition is Chromatic Syncopation, opening at Firstdraft on March 3. It will feature three of our best contemporary artists — Reko Rennie, Ross Manning and Rebecca Baumann (of last year’s Romance Was Born exhibition) — brought together for the first time. Harnessing a range of different media, each artist engages with processes of reproduction and mechanisation. They also share a deft understanding of patterns and colour schemes. Curated by Consuelo Cavaniglia, this show aims to explore points of harmony and discord. You can probably expect whirring colours and kinetic sculptures — a bit like a deconstructed rainbow. Odds are it will be a dynamic and stimulating experience.
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If you haven’t been down to The Tit yet, this place is the perfect combination of art and free-spirited fun. Unveiling a new array of bodily parts, GROT(TO) comprises the work of Ramesh Marion Nithiyendran, Beth Dillon, James Gatt and Mahny Names. This sprawling and circus-like exhibition aims to interrogate the connection between cleanliness and godliness, beauty and the grotesque. Using collage, ceramics and performance, each artist will dismantle the human form, scattering and rearranging the parts.
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This conversation delves into the relationship between art and its underestimated cousin, craft. Far from living room knits and quilts, there’s a mountain of innovative products finding a lucrative market online. Through platforms like Etsy and Instagram, these entrepreneurial makers are carving out new business models and satisfying the demand for a more local touch. Held at Koskela in Rosebery, the panel will consist of Emma Rutherford, Luke Temby of CUPCO, Rebecca Chua of Chuchu Designs and design writer Gillian Serisier (MC).
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Strap on your helmet and saddle up, because ARTcycle Tours are all about diving into different neighbourhoods. As you wind through street art scenery, these events are designed to open up new pockets of grassroots culture. In the way of guides, Alex Wisser will be sharing his knowledge of the inner-west on a ride dotted with talks from gallerists and artists. And Jason Wing will take you through the inner-south, mapping out the Indigenous significance of the area. You can also take a peek into creative spaces with the open studio trails around Leichhardt and Marrickville — LOST and MOST. So crank up the pedal power and get involved.
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Everyone has an opinion about public art. And with Clover Moore’s recently unveiled plans for a souped-up CBD, there’s plenty to talk about. Dominating the debate was the Cloud Arch/Space Noodle, a sculpture which will be gracing our city skyline in 2017. It’s amazing how quickly the announcement polarised public opinion. This discussion will be led by some of the more qualified voices. The speakers include Tony Albert, Elizabeth Fortescue, Ian Milliss, Bridget Smyth and Michael Snelling. Held at the State Library, a stone’s throw from the future construction site, the group will address how public art is commissioned and current funding models.
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Who’d have guessed that one of the biggest highlights of Sydney Art Month would require a magnifying glass in order to view it? No larger than a breadbox, Sydney’s Smallest Gallery will showcase works the size of thimbles. The diminutive free gallery is the brainchild of Natalie Cheney and Stephen Clement, and will be housed inside the (regular sized) Nauti Studios in Stanmore. Only one person will be permitted to view the tiny gallery at the time, although it will be populated by several equally minuscule patrons.
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A solid fixture in the Art Month calendar is Collector’s Space, which offers the chance to catch a sneaky glimpse into some covert private collections. From IT professionals to celebrity chefs, it’s a diverse bundle of participants this year. Clinton Bradley, Kylie Kwong and Nell, Sue Cato, Max and Gaibrielle Germanos, and Noel McKenna will be sharing their hidden treasures. Brimming with personal stories and passions, this annual showcase (and its mini program of talks and events) ought to inspire the investor in you. In addition to Collector’s Space, there will be a variety of Buy Art tours taking punters behind-the-scenes of commercial galleries and providing key pointers on how to get cracking.
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Like socialising, gallery-hopping is better at night. Three must-do precinct parties will be be activated over the course of the month: East Sydney (March 12), Paddington/Woollahra (March 26) and Chippendale/Redfern (March 19). Gallery doors will be wide open, ready for your keen insights and witty comments. If you’re new to the whole art party scene, these DIY tours are the perfect induction. Grab a group of friends and head off on a local adventure before settling into the precinct’s ArtBar for some sweet tunes and performances.
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