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The Gertrude Street Projection Festival (GSPF) will celebrate its eighth year of staging inner Melbourne’s most visible and accessible free large-scale arts festival, transforming its hippest street into one of the most visible, illuminated outdoor art galleries.
For 10 days this July, bright lights, enticing video and perfectly positioned colour-scapes will adorn over 40 sites on and around Gertrude Street in Fitzroy, injecting electric splashes of colour on almost anything you can imagine. Shop fronts, laneways, windows and footpaths will come alive with bold visions of award-winning projection artists, all exhibited for free.
Presented by The Gertrude Projection Association and managed by Festival Director Nicky Pastore and Festival curators Kym Ortenburg and Yandell Walton the festival aims to shine a light on relevant issues within the community
Festival director Nicky Pastore said, “We are really excited about introducing this brand new initiative – the GSPF Mentorship Program will not only provide artists an opportunity to receive one-on-one mentoring but also develop the creation of new site specific artwork. Each project aspires to challenge the projection art form in its own way – utilising sculpture, immersive installation, large-scale projection and autonomous electronic devices.”
Head to the opening ceremony at the Fitzroy Beer Garden where you can hear from key festival sponsors and the festival director about what is in store for the 2015 festival! The party continues at the GSPF Festival Hub the Festival Hub this year is The Catfish which will be transformed into a late night space offering a range of free and ticketed events including live performances, workshops, panels, music and of course, projection artworks galore.
The festival is categorised into three themes – explore, experience, and exchange. Some highlights this year include: ‘The New Vanguard’ exhibition at Seventh Gallery featuring artists who use innovative and experimental projection techniques to create artworks that are distinctly twenty-first century. The exhibition culminates in a discussion about where ideas and practices of projection have come from historically and points towards a future where art, culture, and technology collide; the ‘Wheel Of Fate’, a roving theatre performance which leads audience members on a ‘choose your own adventure’ around Gertrude Street and surrounding areas; and artist Chase Burns explores the modern day zeitgeist of the rising sea levels where he invites us to open our minds and have a sneak peak of what things could be in the not too distant future with his large-scale projection of crashing waves engulfing the Builders Arms.
To top it all off, celebrate the end of the fest at the Festival Hub’s Robot Party – bringing all forms of electronica into one space, celebrating the diversity of technological arts forms, ‘Robots’ encourages concepts associated with androidism and cyborgism where by the line between human, machine and digital data are blurred. Start channeling your inner CHAPPiE, robot costumes are strongly encouraged!
Gertrude Street Projection Festival
10 to 19 July, 6pm – midnight
Fitzroy, Melbourne
Images:
Mihra, Fly Screen
Skunk Control, Secluded Evolution
Chase Burns, White Wash
Robots, opening night celebrations
