Latest news with #PatriciaPiccinini
Time Out
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
From Tokyo to Coffs: teamLab is bringing this mesmerising exhibition to regional Australia for the first time
There are countless reasons Aussies travel to Japan – some chase bowls of steaming ramen, others take on the mighty Mount Fuji and plenty are there to just soak in a real-deal onsen. For me, one of the biggest drawcards was to step inside an installation by teamLab – the world-renowned collective behind immersive, multidimensional art experiences in Japan and beyond. Tokyo's teamLab Borderless installation was the highlight of my trip, and I'd fly all the way back just to see another one. But now I don't have to. For the first time, the world-renowned art collective is bringing one of its spellbinding digital artworks to regional Australia – and it's completely free to explore. teamLab's exhibitions have drawn huge crowds everywhere from Tokyo and New York to London and Singapore — with tickets often selling out months in advance. Now, for the first time, the world-famous art collective is bringing one of its mesmerising digital experiences, Flowers and People – A Whole Year per Hour, to regional Australia. Landing at Coffs Harbour 's Yarrila Arts and Museum (YAM) from June 14 to August 24, it marks a major moment for the coastal NSW city – and teamLab's first-ever showing outside a metro area. For those who haven't been to a teamLab exhibition, they're not something you simply admire – they're artworks you become part of. This particular interactive video installation condenses the year-long life cycle of flowers into just one hour. As you stand still, the flowers will bloom and grow in front of you. But move, and the petals will scatter and disappear. This real-time interaction means the artwork is continuously changing, and no two cycles are ever the same. 'We anticipate Flowers and People – A Whole Year per Hour will bring new audiences to YAM. Visitors can chill out on beanbags or move in the space to engage with the video and experience this immersive and highly photogenic installation,' YAM City Cultural Services Team Leader Carrie Kibbler said. To make things even better, Flowers and People – A Whole Year per Hour is completely free to enjoy. You can just walk in and explore at your own pace, then check out YAM's two other blockbuster winter exhibitions. That includes Interconnected Entities, a collection of surreal sculptures by artists Patricia Piccinini and Caroline Rothwell, and Shadows Make the Light Shine Brighter, a mind-bending ceramic and video installation by artist Juz Kitson. Flowers and People – A Whole Year per Hour is on at Yarrila Arts and Museum in Coffs Harbour from June 14 to August 24, 2025, and you can find out more here.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
Hot air balloons draw tourists to Northam in winter
Colour and light filled the skies in Northam during Western Australia's long weekend as the Wheatbelt town marketed itself as the "ballooning capital of Australia". Hundreds woke up to foggy skies in the Avon Valley, 100 kilometres east of Perth, to admire the hot air balloons over three mornings, before 8,000 visitors flocked to see the balloons light up at night, in time to rock tunes, for the Elevate Festival. A major drawcard of the Northam long weekend line-up was the inflation of the Skywhale and Skywhalepapa hot air balloons that were designed and made by Patricia Piccinini. Piccinini's artworks are travelling around the country with Northam one of six national showings. For a hot air balloon to take flight, on-ground wind speeds must not exceed 10 kilometres per hour, and the Avon Valley largely protects the area from such wind speeds. Unfortunately, due to unfavourable weather conditions, Piccinini's balloons were unable to take flight over Northam, instead tethering and putting on a show from the ground. Shire of Northam president Chris Antonio said the town's ability to embrace the cool conditions of the Avon Valley that were ideal for hot air ballooning, and turn them into a thriving tourist economy, was vital to the growth of the region. "Leveraging our unique climate and tying it in with ballooning is more important than I probably even realised," he said. "Traditionally in WA, tourism booms through the sunny months of the year, but we've been able to make tourism work in the peak of winter — that's our busiest time of year. "We are able to position ourselves as the ballooning capital of Australia." Mr Antonio said the town, which traditionally operated as a service town for smaller Wheatbelt communities, had previously struggled to establish a strong brand with tourists, but through hot air ballooning had become competitive with other tourism regions of the state. "But when winter comes, we have the flowing Avon River and the hot air balloons. "You can't do that in other places. That is our point of difference." Speaking at the Wheatbelt Futures Forum in Northam in May, North Eastern Wheatbelt TRAVEL's Linda Vernon said there was limited data on tourism in the region as a whole, with more focus on areas such as the South West. Despite limited data, she said there had been growth in visitor numbers to the Wheatbelt over the past decade that indicated an appetite for going inland. "The tourism space in the Wheatbelt is still immature and emerging," she said. Ms Vernon said feedback from tourists indicated that drawcards were niche events allowing visitors to connect with residents.
Time Out
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The iconic Skywhales will soar over the Gold Coast to launch the city's coolest contemporary arts festival
This year, the iconic Skywhale – a 34-metre-long, manatee-like marvel that first soared above Australian skies in 2013 – and its equally spectacular companion, Skywhalepapa, have reclaimed the sky on a grand regional tour around Australia. Now, they're headed to the Gold Coast, where they'll take flight to kick off BLEACH* Festival – Queensland 's most unique contemporary arts and culture event, which returns in 2025 with a fresh line-up of 100-plus events from July 31 to August 10. Renowned artist Patricia Piccinini 's beloved hot air balloon creations, Skywhale (2013) and Skywhalepapa (2020), will lift off at dawn in a stunning aerial performance starting at 5am on Thursday, July 31, to kick off the festival, which will unfold over the next 11 days across three festival hubs: Kurrawa Park, Emerald Lakes and HOTA, Home of the Arts. From intimate performances inside the gallery to electrifying displays on the beach, this year's festival serves up more than 20 shows spanning live music, visual art, dance, immersive experiences and feasting. The line-up includes three world premieres created on the Gold Coast, alongside five Queensland premieres and a hand-picked selection of standout works from across the country. For the first time ever, artist and curator Kirsha Kaechele is taking MONA 's highly controversial ' Ladies Lounge' installation on tour outside of Hobart, bringing it into the HOTA Gallery. This boldly feminist, living artwork will be free to explore (for ladies only), and will host live performances, poetry, talks and dining experiences. (And gents, Kaechele is even allowing some men in for domestic arts lessons and other reparations.) On the music front, BLEACH* Festival will feature more world premieres, including Breaking Into Heaven – a genre-busting outdoor performance featuring a huge rock band, a 33-piece orchestra, immersive visuals and First Nations dancers from Karul Projects. Over at Kurrawa Beach, the festival's grand finale, Cavalcade, will dazzle with a fusion of opera, classical music and dancing horses (yes, you read that right). Take note: the dress code is strictly black tie and boardshorts. here.
West Australian
19-05-2025
- Climate
- West Australian
IN PICTURES: Patricia Piccinini's Skywhales Across Australia take off at Albany's Retravision Stadium
Patricia Piccinini's Skywhales Around Australia exhibition took over Retravision Stadium on Saturday night, drawing a crowd of thousands to see the massive spectacle. City of Albany mayor Greg Stocks said the city had registered more than 5000 people for the free family event, which was postponed from Saturday morning due to unfavourable weather. Albany residents and visitors poured into the stadium just before sunset to see Skywhale and Skywhalepapa inflate above the grass, and were treated to an atmospheric show on a cool but cloudless night, with whale song and natural sounds played around the stadium to set the scene. Menang elder Aunty Averil Dean welcomed the gathered masses to Menang country, and spoke about the importance of looking after our natural world, particularly the beloved whales that migrate past Albany each year. Mr Stocks made his own welcome on behalf of the City of Albany, before a recorded message from the artist Patricia Piccinini played over the stadium speakers. Piccinini thanked everyone for coming, and echoed Ms Dean's message about our integral role in looking after our natural world and its animals.
