Gone are the days when the chillier months meant wrapping up in a blankie and Thomas The Tank Engine PJs while diving into a vat of wine. Well, the first two anyway. In true 2022 fashion, autumn and winter are all about making the most of the amazing things your city has in store: and this time, it’s chock-full of moving, immersive, spine-tingling, head-bopping experiences.
And once again, our friends at Fed Square have done their bit to ensure you’re soaking up everything the bright city lights and temperamental weather Melbourne has to offer.
Get your coat, we’re going out.
Be Moved By Josh Muir’s The Place Exhibition
Friday, May 6 - Friday, May 27
Yorta Yorta/Gunditjmara artist Josh Muir left a huge hole in the world when he passed away in early 2022, leaving his family and an unfinished collection behind. To honour Josh, Fed Square will present The Place: an exhibition of Josh’s final projects throughout May, with each work up for sale for the benefit of his two children. Expect to be enchanted by Josh’s signature graphic style, moved (and saddened) by his depiction of history, and inspired by his ongoing legacy.
Revel In The Power of Unvanished
Friday, 27 May - Sunday, 5 June
Created by Barkindji artist Kent Morris and Studio John Fish, Unvanished has been described as “a reminder of the strength and resilience of First Nations people, knowledge and culture – and their ongoing connection to the land, water and sky”. The work features AR and light design for a fully immersive experience. It will be unveiled at Fed Square at the beginning of reconciliation week, and open to the public 24 hours a day until 5 June.
Get Lured Into Rising Festival: The Invisible Opera
Friday, 10 June & Saturday, 11 June
We’ve all soundlessly swayed and enthusiastically mouthed along to noiseless bangers through oversized earmuffs at a silent disco, but The Invisible Opera… that’s new. Hand over your ears and your expectations and submit to the mystery of the immersive show; a show described as “a kaleidoscopic trip through the macro and micro dynamics of public space”. Intriguing indeed. Created by performer Sophia Brous and others, it’s a completely new way to ask ourselves a million questions. And we’re all about new, so don the headphones and be ready for this eerie, exciting adventure.
Look On The Bright Side At Light: Works from Tate’s Collection at ACMI
Thursday, 16 June - Sunday, 13 Nov
Coming all the way from the UK, Light: Works from Tate’s Collection at ACMI is a celebration of over 200 years of art history. If you’ve been known to fangirl/boy over iconic art, this one’s for you: get ready to be starstruck by the likes of James Turrell’s 1969 Raemar, Blue, Yayoi Kusama’s iconic 2005 work The Passing Winter, and Bridget Riley’s colourful 1993 work, Nataraja. And that was just a few: there are over 70 pieces, linked by their connection to light, to take in, with something for the seasoned, beret-wearing art enthusiast right down to the know-nothing noobs. All are welcome, all will enjoy.
Put On Your Dancing Shoes at Friday Night Lights
Friday, June 17 and 24 | Friday, July 1
To celebrate the launch of Light: Works from Tate’s Collection at ACMI, there’ll be a cacophony of sick beats coming out of Fed Square’s Main Stage from 6-9pm across three events in June and July. There will be by kelly Tee, Dirty Bird, and DJ Duchess Kay, guaranteeing good times among the lights. Clear eyes, full hearts, banging tunes, can’t lose.
The Details
What: Events at Fed Square this winter
Where: Fed Square, Swanston St & Flinders St, Melbourne
When: Various dates from May to July
Looking for more ways to embrace the cooler months in Melbourne? Check out Fed Square's full calendar here.
Image credit: hero supplied, Damien Raggatt for Josh Muir Exhibition
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