Sydney is once again about to be transformed into a living canvas for art, performance and storytelling as Art & About returns to the city from September 19 to October 12. The theme this year is ‘Endangered’, and festivalgoers will be able to enjoy a myriad of quirky and quintessentially Australian works. The BRAG chatted to creative director Gill Minervini about this year’s festival and what makes Art & About so special.
“We’ve really carefully grown [the festival] and listened to what our audience wanted,” Minervini says. “We’ve also tried to carve out a niche that makes it different from others. We’re really interested in work that engages the audience and allows them to participate in the work.”
One of the most unique and important aspects of Art & About is the different perspectives it provides about Sydney itself. This year, the idea will be explored through tours, exhibitions and even in people’s homes. “We ask people to view the city in a totally different light,” says Minervini. “Whether that’s from a stranger’s lounge room, Hyde Park becoming a gallery or Martin Place becoming a backyard, it’s about the possibilities the art can bring to the city and providing a fresh perspective.”
One tour that will really explore this concept is The Walking Neighbourhood – devised and led by children. “It’s refreshing to see a neighbourhood through kids’ eyes,” says Minervini. “When I came up with the theme ‘Endangered’, it was about things like this. It no longer seems like kids can own their own neighbourhoods or walk the streets, particularly in the inner city. This show encapsulates a time when kids walked the streets and parents would say, ‘Go out and play, and come back when it’s dark.’”
This nostalgic look at the city will also be represented through the return of old-school milk bars, presented by artist Eamon Donnelly, which will be scattered through Sydney during the festival. “What I love about the milk bar story is that it tells the narrative of modern Australia from the perspective of family businesses, migration and community,” Minervini says. Other perspectives will also be explored through multi-sensory tours such as The Hungry Ghost Walk, presented by Bourke Street Bakery, and Plague, which takes a journey through The Rocks at the turn of the 20th century. “Every time we do something to do with [history], people are intrigued. I think the contemporary interpretation of history is something that we’ve done quite a lot of, and our audience always tells us that it’s something that they’re interested in.”
Most Sydneysiders will remember the giant snails that graced the city during last year’s Art & About. Although they won’t be returning this year, we can look forward to some other large-scale events and installations. “The teepees by Neon Nomads that will be set up in Hyde Park are going to be incredible,” Minervini says. “Us by The Glue Society that will be set up in front of the QVB is in a different vein, but the idea of having your photo taken on old-style bleachers with a bunch of strangers is going to capture a lot of people’s imaginations. I also think that our opening night in Martin Place is going to be incredible. We’re turning the quarter acre between Castlereagh and Pitt Street into an Australian backyard, which is something else that is now endangered in modern society.”
Art & About Sydney 2014 is being held fromFriday September 19 to Sunday October 12.
