Get ready to engage all five of your senses as Melbourne celebrates performance art, music and food across three nights in August.
From Thursday the 22nd – Saturday the 24th of August (this weekend), you will witness the city host large-scale performances, culinary/music offerings and art installations. This iconic event has undergone a transformation and will re-introduce itself to Melbournians as White Night Reimagined.
Three major locations in the city will be transformed into various ‘realms’. Birrarung Marr will turn into the Physical Realm which showcases ‘grace and dexterity’, a true celebration of the performing arts. Meanwhile, the Carlton Gardens will be transformed into the Spiritual Realm, which will stoke your imagination with mysterious illuminated creatures and other immersive spiritual experiences. Lastly, the Treasury Garden will become the Sensory Realm in which your senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch will become fully engaged.
Here are a few exciting programs scheduled across those three winter-nights:
Birrarung Marr
In the Physical Realm’s (Birrarung Marr) ‘Heliosphere’, you will be able to witness the world’s best aerial artists floating, spiraling, spinning and performing to music above you. This interactive event features an otherworldly ‘astronaut’ that could go from dancing among the stars to swooping down towards you at any second – making it feel as though you’re a part of an Elton John music video.
‘Heliosphere’ has been performed all over the world and it is brought to you by the UK-based group, The Dream Engine. The Dream Engine creates mysterious performances installations that combine the best parts of science and art.
You can catch this event throughout the three nights.
Show Time: 15 minute duration
Thursday 22 August & Friday 23 August
7pm, 8:20pm, 10:05pm, 11:40pm
Saturday 24 August
7pm, 8:35pm, 10:20pm, 11:10pm, 12:50am, 1:40am
*Performance times are weather dependant
Carlton Gardens
Let’s move on to the Spiritual Realm that is the Carlton Gardens, and discuss the ‘Spirit Creatures’ brought to us by The Lanternist. The ‘love-child’ of Tyson Savanah and Evie Wittingslow, The Lanternist combines traditional lantern designs with aspects of sculpture and illustration which then results in unique pieces of art.
The event features mythical and lantern-like animals surrounding a waterhole and a ‘massive creature’ that acts as a ruler and guardian of this world. These dream-like sculptures were hand-crafted using metal frames, LED lights and silk skin. Savanah and Wittingslow’s other designs also represent the fauna and flora to be found throughout Australia.
‘Spirit Creatures’ is the ‘perfect family selfie spot’, the perfect Instagram post or story! So, charge your phones and get your selfie sticks ready.
This program also runs across three nights.
Thursday 22 August & Friday 23 August
7:00pm – 12:00am
Saturday 24 August,
7:00pm – 2:00am
Treasury Garden
Unleash the artist inside of you and enhance your visual senses in the Sensory Realm’s (Treasury Garden) ‘Waterlight Graffiti’.
This event features a wall of LEDs that light up when it comes into contact with water. It will then go dark as the liquid evaporates. Audiences in New Zealand, Austria, the United States and Canada approves of ‘Waterlight Graffiti’ – and now the Aussie crowd will get to experience its debut at White Night Reimagined.
French artist Antonin Forneau is the man responsible for this unique artistic exhibition. He has completed residencies in Japan, New Zealand and Spain – his digital-based artworks have been seen all around the world.
Don’t miss out on this popular event – grab a spray bottle and express yourself through illuminated graffiti!
Thursday 22 August & Friday 23 August
7:00pm – 12:00am
Saturday 24 August,
7:00pm – 2:00am
Cultural Institutions
Cultural institutions such as The National Gallery of Victoria, State Library Victoria and Melbourne Museum will be open for extended hours due to its food and music programs. These include the ‘Australian Music Vault’, ‘Where Do Books Come From?’ and the famous ‘Terracotta Warriors’.
Lastly, on Sunday 25th of August, Australia’s best artists will be at the Arts Centre of Melbourne. ‘The Push Stage’, an all-ages event, will feature Ball Park Music, Thelma Plum, Tyne James Organ, TOTTY and Tulliah.
Visit the White Night Reimagined page for full details regarding locations, times and free/ticketed events.
What: White Night Reimagined
Where: Birrarung Marr, Treasury Garden, Carlton Gardens and Cultural Institutions across Melbourne
When: 22nd – 25th August 2019
