Nite Art 2014
Last week I, along with many other art enthusiasts, braved the cold for a free evening of creative discovery called ‘Nite Art’. From 6pm on the 23rd of July 80 + artists showed their work across 40+ art sites and 35 exhibitions.
‘Nite Art’ is a contemporary not-for-profit organization being an interconnected web for artists, art sites and art lovers. The works on show covered mediums, such as photography, painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, new media and street art. The exhibitions also featured live music, talks, and live creative performances.
I loved the fact the evening had no particular program. It meant I could explore at my own pace and somewhat curate my own night. This wandering around not only allowed me to appreciate the art, but the buildings and laneways it was displayed in also! Some venues included the internationally famous Degraves Street walls, various levels of the beautiful old Nicolas building and museums, such as The Ian Potter Museum and ACMI. Also, another twist; ‘Nite Art’ holds partnerships with Open House Melbourne and the University of Melbourne. This meant art also appeared in unusual spaces such as the Royal Melbourne Hospital tunnels, Citipower J substation tunnels, the Kelvin Club and Athenaeum Library.
Whilst ‘Nite Art’ spread from Federation Square to North Melbourne- I felt there was a definite hotspot of activity within the ‘Paris’ end of he CBD. One particular gallery caught my attention- The Flinders Lane Gallery. This space featured captivating works of sculpture, photography, paintings and taxidermy from talented local artists: Jon Eiseman (collaborating Anna Conron) and Michelle Molinari. Check them out for sure.
Jon Eiseman’s sculpture and photo collaboration works at Flinders Lane Gallery.
Michelle Molinari’s ‘Into Memory’ oil painting from her ‘Nature Mort’ exhibition at Flinders Lane Gallery.
I really enjoyed the evening and feel the event was a success as it brought a whole new audience to the featured artists and galleries. The event gave the general public who work during the day a chance to explore the galleries that are otherwise closed when they have time free to visit. Many of exhibitions are still open, be sure to check out the ‘Nite Art’ website for links to exhibitions and artist pages.
Great work NITE ART! I’m looking forward to next year. 🙂
