If you’ve always thought that the one thing the streets of Brisbane could really use a lot more of was the opportunity for group sing-a-longs, then you’re in luck with the arty exhibition hitting town this month.
As part of the Queensland Music Festival, 20 pianos will be popping up across the city, all of them having been given a unique makeover by a different Queensland artist or community group. From Shorncliffe to Sunnybank and every plaza, square and public garden in between, you’ll find the pianos hidden away in every corner of town from 5 to 28 July, just waiting to be found.
Best of all, you won’t find a velvet rope and a ‘do not touch’ sign around these one-of-a-kind art pieces—every single piano is tuned up and ready to play, with an accompanying bench just begging you to sit down and bang out a few chords. Whether that’s the one nursery rhyme you remember from your childhood keyboard or a full blown rendition of Beethoven’s "Symphony No. 5", you’ll be doing just what the exhibition has been designed for: engaging, activating and claiming ownership of the urban landscape through music (bonus points if you can inspire that public karaoke session with a killer tune).
The exhibition, titled ‘Play Me, I’m Yours’, is part of an internationally touring artwork devised by British artist Luke Jerram. Touring the globe since 2008, the artwork has reached millions of people worldwide, with more than 1,900 street pianos installed in over 60 cities across the globe, from Tokyo to New York, bearing the simple instruction to ‘Play Me, I’m Yours’.
Dredge up those rusty piano playing skills for a musical treasure hunt and find the full list of locations here, with a rundown of all the amazing artists who contributed to the exhibition also available on the QMF website.
THE DETAILS
What: Play Me, I’m Yours
Where: Around Brisbane
When: 5 to 28 July
Find out all the details and download a map here.
Feeling cultured? Check out all the exhibitions happening in Brisbane this month here.
Image: Supplied