Naomi Milgrom Foundation launches second visionary MPavilion in Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Gardens

A major international architecture commission and design collaboration was unveiled today in Queen Victoria Gardens. MPavilion 2015 initiated by Naomi Milgrom Foundation is designed by AL_A, the studio of renowned British architect Amanda Levete. The second groundbreaking MPavilion employs materials and technology developed for the aerospace industry to create a graceful ‘forest canopy’ of five and three metre‐wide translucent petals supported on slender four metre‐high columns. Each petal is just a few millimetres thick and the resulting ultra-lightweight structure sits lightly in the landscape and gently responds to the climate. The petals are fitted with LED lights that are activated at sunset to give a light performance synchronised with music. 

MPavilion is presented free to the public over four months from 6 October 2015 until 7 February 2016 and populated by more than 200 free events, created in collaboration with more than 200 arts organisations, designers and architects from Melbourne and around the globe.

The MPavilion 2015 was officially opened by Martin Roth, Director of London’s Victoria and Albert Museum and commemorated by a live performance by Yorta Yorta soprano Deborah Cheetham, overseen by MPavilion founder, Naomi Milgrom AO, Melbourne’s Lord Mayor Robert Doyle and commissioned architect Amanda Levete of award-winning British architecture studio AL_A. 

Kaldor Public Art Projects and Carriageworks present highly acclaimed French choreographer Xavier Le Roy

Kaldor Public Art Projects in collaboration with Carriageworks presents a groundbreaking new Project with world renowned choreographer Xavier Le Roy. Le Roy will develop a new exhibition Temporary Title, 2015, which will be informed by a series of open rehearsals and presented alongside three performances of Le Roy’s seminal solo work Self Unfinished.

Celebrated choreographer, performance artist and dancer Le Roy collaborates with Hong Kong based choreographer and dancer Scarlet Yu, and 18 Australian performers to develop and present this thought provoking exhibition Temporary Title, 2015, which premieres at Carriageworks on Friday 20 November 2015.

Le Roy has selected Australian performers from Melbourne and Sydney to collaborate closely in the development and presentation of this new work. A former molecular biologist, Le Roy brings a deep, critical, curiosity to his collaborative experimental process. Rather than instructing his performers to move using a specific technique, direction or tempo, he proposes ideas to be discussed and actualized in movement and form. In this new work, he invites the audience through a series of open rehearsals to participate in this unique process.

Le Roy’s 18 Melbourne and Sydney-based performers are drawn from a variety of ages, demographics, experience and performance backgrounds. They are: Natalie Abbott, Christine Babinskas, Geraldine Balcazar, Georgia Bettens, Eugene Choi, Matthew Day, Lauren Eiko, Peter Fraser, Ryuichi Fujimura, Alice Heyward, Becky Hilton, David Huggins, Marcus McKenzie, Kathryn Puie, Amaara Raheen, Darcey Wallace, Adam Warburton and Ivey Wawn.

First Australian edition of The Other art Fair attract over 8,000 in attendance

Sydney, Australia: The Other Art Fair launched for the first time in Sydney from 10 until 13 September, at Ambush Project Space, Central Park Chippendale. The launch event on Thursday 10 September saw 2,300 people attend, with an overall attendance of 8,400 for the four days. The audience welcomed the opportunity to meet and buy art direct from artists with 1,233 artworks sold, ranging from affordable prints from $49 to larger scale works of $12,000.

The selected artists, both emerging and undiscovered, showcased their work direct to the public at the Fair across four days, with mediums spanning installation, sculpture, mixed media, printmaking, painting, video works and photography. Participating artists were hand-picked by a selection committee of art experts including artist Mikala Dwyer, collector Dr Dick Quan, art advisor Virginia Wilson, curator Meg Robson and Paris Neilson.

The Other Art Fair 2015  succeeded in achieving its key objectives for artists; bringing them enhanced visibility within the art market, providing a platform for sales with collectors and the greater public and the opportunity to engage with gallery representatives and discuss the potential for future representation.  Sherna Teperson’s work was acquired as part of the Australian Government initiative Artbank and many artist initiated relationships with Australian galleries. 

Fair Director Emilya Colliver commented: “We are delighted with the outcome of the Fair. The introduction of this new interactive platform, that encourages collectors and the public alike to meet and engage with artists directly, generated a strong momentum and we look forward to the further of the Fair.” 

The Other Art Fair was established by Fair Director Ryan Stanier in London in November 2011 and has since presented eight successful editions in the United Kingdom, firmly establishing itself as London’s favourite alternative art event. The Fair’s unique premise of championing individual artists has earned it praise in the media as well as receiving considerable interest from some of London’s leading contemporary art galleries being regular visitors.  

Sydney Contemporary announces line-up for talks program and short film screenings

From L-R: Actress Rachel Griffiths, chef Adriano Zumbo, Romance Was Born design

Sydney Contemporary announced the full speaker line-up for Talk Contemporary, its series of free panel discussions presented from Wednesday 9 September to Sunday 13 September at Carriageworks.

The talks will explore topical and controversial themes in contemporary art with leading figures across a range of fields. Speakers include actress Rachel Griffiths; Art Gallery of NSW Director Dr Michael Brand; chef Adriano Zumbo; Romance Was Born designers Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett; and international gallerist Pearl Lam of Pearl Lam Galleries.

In addition to the Talk Contemporary series of discussions, Sydney Contemporary will present the debut and a screening of two short artistic films by artists Tracey Moffatt and Del Kathryn Barton. 

The Talk Contemporary program is free upon entry to the Fair, however bookings are essential given spaces are limited. 

Sydney Architecture Festival announces 2015 program, creative vision and four-day condensed format

The ninth annual Sydney Architecture Festival (#sydarchfest) returns in 2015 with new dates, a fresh vision and a condensed program presented from Friday 2 October until Monday 5 October, activating inner Sydney locations with a packed schedule of design and architecture inspired activities. In 2015, Archrival, a Sydney-based collective of young design creatives, in partnership with JOC Consulting, will take the reigns as the Festival Event Directors, marking the first time in the Festival’s history a directorship approach has been implemented.

“Architecture is a driver for city lifestyles to become more sustainable, connected and liveable. We wanted the Festival to capture this potential and broadcast it to a city undergoing massive change,” said Claire McCaughan, Co-Founder, Archrival.

The new format of a four-day Festival condenses the formerly 10-day long program into an action packed long weekend of talks, events, tours, competitions and activities. The program includes a mix of free to the public and ticketed events that will run from morning until late evening throughout the Festival at locations around inner Sydney.

Festival-goers are invited to participate in a diverse range of events including conversations about design and architecture; short films; food and music experiences; children’s activities and guided tours. This year’s Festival seeks to engage actively with social media, with each day of the Festival having a dedicated hashtag. The daily hashtags are: Day 1 #DesignSecrets; Day 2 #TheGoods; Day 3 #NewCity; and finishing with Day 4 #GoGlobal.

Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery presents first Australian solo exhibition by Glaswegian artist Jim Lambie

Jim Lambie Metal Box (Tea Tree Orchid) 2015

Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery presents Zero Concerto by Jim Lambie, in what is to be his first ever Australian solo exhibition. Presented free to the public from 13 August to 26 September, the installation invites audiences into a frenzy of multi-coloured potato sacks, bicycle wheels and a psychedelic palette of vinyl tape. Working with the existing architecture of the room, Lambie installed continuous lines of tape to the floor, adhering to his trademark style collectively titled 'Zobop'.

Raised in the 1970s, Lambie’s work is influenced by his passion for music and his installations often comment on fantasy, glamour and notably, popular culture. His work was most recently shown in Australia in 2014 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, as part of the 19^th Biennale of Sydney, You Imagine What You Desire.

Design renders for MPavilion 2015 revealed

The renders for the second MPavilion, designed by British architect Amanda Levete's studio AL_A, have been revealed. Described as "a forest canopy", the design will utilise the latest technology in nautical engineering to create seemingly fragile and translucent petals, supported by columns that will sway gently in the wind. AL_A is collaborating with Australian specialist mouldCAM and using cutting-edge technology to form petals that are five metres in diameter, but only a few millimetres thick. 

Founded in 2014, MPavilion is an architectural and design event commissioned by Naomi Milgrom Foundation in Melbourne, Australia. Every year for four years, an outstanding architect is selected to design a temporary pavilion for the Queen Victoria Gardens. Naomi Milgrom, Chair of Naomi Milgrom Foundation notes that MPavilion 2015 is marked by a meaningful Australian-British collaboration. 

MPavilion will be officially opened on 5 October 2015 by Martin Roth, Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London. A meeting place for ideas, MPavilion 2015 will be accompanied by a free, four-month public program of talks, workshops and performances from October to February.