The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) will become a hotbed of nocturnal activity from tonight, with the launch of a 10-night festival celebrating art, food, fashion, music, design, performance and ideas.
Taking its lead from the NGV’s sprawling Triennial exhibition, EXTRA will take over all levels of the NGV International at night and includes an outdoor bar and a music hub in the NGV Garden.
We’ve picked a few the unmissable highlights to help get you started.
We think you might like Access. For $12 a month, join our membership program to stay in the know.
SIGN UPART: Einat Amir’s Coming Soon Near You
This is a late-night film festival like you’ve never experienced before. Einat Amir’s interactive art installation, Coming soon near you, is a specially designed lounge-room setting inside the Triennial. Amir invites visitors to watch their favourite film or home video on a vintage television – and literally become the artwork in this participatory performance-art piece. As part of EXTRA, there’s a special evening session available. Snacks and light refreshments provided.
Bookings essential. Fri January 19 to Sun January 28, 7pm.
FOOD AND DRINK: Dan Murphy’s Discovery Bar
Inspired by classical sculpture, Melbourne artist and designer Ryan Foote has created a mythological playground in the NGV Garden, complete with marble pedestals, and daybeds. His Dionysian vision extends to the bar counter, which features a series of arches inspired by the NGV’s iconic water wall and Roman aqueducts.
Foote says these sculptures often depict people reclining, drinking and revelling, and wants to encourage those lounging or partying in the garden to do the same.
2016 Australian Bartender of the Year and owner of Sydney bar This Must Be The Place Charlie Ainsbury has put together a summery drinks menu inspired by classic cocktails and native Australian flavours, including Native Mist, a riff on the French 75 with gin, lemon myrtle, lemon, prosecco, absinthe and dry ice; and the Sparkling Swagman, with eucalyptus and lemon myrtle.
Open every night of the festival, 6pm to midnight.
PERFORMANCE: Chunky Move’s Accumulation
Melbourne’s internationally acclaimed contemporary dance company Chunky Move is taking over the Triennial with Accumulation, a guided dance tour of the exhibition created by the group’s artistic director Anouk van Dijk. It involves more than 40 dancers and volunteers performing among the artworks.
The five new performance works – created by van Dijk and choreographers Antony Hamilton, Prue Lang and Thomas E.S Kelly – explore human rituals and the transient relationships between people, places and objects.
Fri January 19, 7pm, 8pm and 9pm.
Sat January 20 to Wed January 24, 7pm, 8.30pm and 10pm.
IDEAS: Talks, workshops and discussions
If you’re in the mood to expand your mind, a series of current and future-centric discussions will tackle far-reaching topics that impact us all: issues of identity; technology and the environment; democracy and religion.
Don’t miss Fashion FOMO, presented by Intent Journal, which encourages us to question how our fear of missing out drives our buying behaviour and the way we engage with fashion. Another highlight is Leading Change, presented by Parlour, which emphasises the extraordinary fact that each Melbourne university school of architecture is currently run by a woman. What does this mean for the city and its future? Four women in architecture reflect on the opportunities and challenges.
On throughout the festival. Full program available online.
MUSIC: NGV Garden
Kick off each night of Triennial EXTRA in the balmy backyard listening to a series of rare summer DJ sets from the likes of Australian rockers Tex Perkins, Adalita and Dan Sultan; electrifying nine-piece Saskwatch; and indie-pop duo Big Scary. Stalwart vinyl spinners such as Nina Las Vegas will also stop by.
Every night of the festival, 6pm to midnight.
Triennial EXTRA runs at NGV International from Friday January 19 to Sunday January 28, 6pm to midnight each night. Full program information is available online.
Broadsheet is a proud media partner of the NGV.
For Melbourne’s latest, subscribe to the Broadsheet newsletter.