Posted by Audrey Lee on August 27, 2010
Last week we took a breather from the daily grind for a much-needed creative boost at the Museum of Contemporary Art Spring season preview, an annual spring event featuring talents from around the globe. This year, MCA will be hosting three eye-opening exhibitions. Here’s how the calendar is shaping up:
As we previously announced, Primavera makes its 19th comeback, ensuring the work of new young artists from across the country can be seen by an audience. Seven exciting talents have been taken under the wing of this year’s Guest Curator, Katie Dyer. Through a diverse and an inventive approach in the form of painting, sculpture, photography and performance, the works explore themes such as social relationship, natural environment and the re-interpretation of past precedents. Happening now to 21st November.
Levels 1 and 2 of the gallery feature series of works including Alasdair McLuckie’s The highest mountain peaks, right before dawn, Agatha Gothe-Snape’s Wrong Solo and Akira Akira’s Spillberg (black) No. 1.
Upstairs gallery guests can unearth a new environmentally-themed exhibition – In the Balance: Art for Changing the World. Art goes green inside the gallery and out, featuring over 100 works by more than 30 artists and artist collectives which respond to current environmental debates such as waste and recycling, water shortage, urban regeneration and recycling. Some of the exhibition highlights include Catherine Rogers’ Red Road, Lauren Berkowitz’s Sustenance (an installation consisting of 250 living edible and medicinal plants) and a four-hour eco tour around Sydney’s CBD, Urban Wildlife Safari, led by artist Joni Taylor. Saving the environment doesn’t get more exciting than that!
As one of the most influential movers and shakers in the contemporary art scene (at least in our books), Bangladesh born London based artist, Runa Islam, flies solo for the first time across Level 4 of the MCA. She is best known for her 16mm and 35mm films which deeply reference the history and aesthetics of cinema. Featured works include Runa’s Assault, a silent film that digs into the emotive reaction of a young man who is subjected to a constant colour-changing ‘screen test’, and a 16mm film Be The First To See What You See As You See It, which suggests a different perspective to preconceived ideas and expectations.
The MCA opens daily from 10am-5pm. Entry is free. The MCA Spring 2010 season also features additional events where bookings are essential. To sign up or learn more, visit the MCA's website.
museum of contemporary art, mca, primavera, agatha gothe-snape, akira akira, alasdair mcluckie, catherine rogers, lauren berkowitz, joni taylor, runa islam