StartledArt Pop-Up Exhibition

Overview

To many people, the words ‘art exhibit’ recall hushed voices, polite chatter, and snooty, bespectacled gallery staff. Not so Startled Art’s first pop-up exhibit in Manly, where punters can expect a quirky kaleidoscope of artworks created by emerging Aussie artists amid a setting of Astroturf, pink flamingos, lollipops, and Post-It notes.

Founded by Freshwater local Lena Peacock, Startled Art was born when this frustrated curator couldn’t find her dream job and decided to launch a curated site for buying and selling affordable art (a cool thousand is the ceiling for the most expensive pieces) solely from emerging Australian artists.

Eschewing a traditional gallery space, the exhibit will be hosted in The Space, Manly, where A3-sized mixed-media, paintings, and interactive artworks will rub shoulders with Mojitos and Bloody Marys. Expect a kooky Mad Hatter-themed opening night — complete with live music — where loud, rambunctious chatter and surprises will be the norm.