New arts festival to enliven Tokyo over winter

Tokyo's streets, waterfronts, parks and public spaces will become a canvas for creativity with the launch of ARTE TOKYO, a new city-wide festival of arts and culture running from October 10 until the end of the year. 

The vibrant Japanese capital will take art beyond traditional galleries and museums. 

The inaugural festival promises to bring together art, theatre, music, performance, illuminations and entertainment across the city, encouraging visitors to discover Tokyo through culture as they explore its neighbourhoods and public spaces. 

The festival will centre on three main areas, Tokyo's Waterfront, Hibiya and Marunouchi, along with and Yoyogi and Shibuya. 

It will transform the Tokyo Bay waterfront into a stage as Odaiba Beach, waterfront parks and promenades will become settings for installations and interactive experiences. 

Visitors can also experience the festival from the water aboard the Arte Tokyo Cruise, connecting Odaiba and Tennoz from October 10 to December 20 - mainly on weekends and public holidays. 

From mid-November, ARTE TOKYO will bring contemporary art into the streets and public spaces of Hibiya and Marunouchi, from Tokyo Midtown Hibiya and Hibiya Park to Tokyo International Forum and the area around Tokyo Station. 

In December, Yoyogi and Shibuya become another major focus, with art and cultural experiences appearing throughout Yoyogi Park and surrounding public spaces. The program connects Yoyogi Park with Shibuya, Harajuku and Omotesando, encouraging visitors to explore an area where parks, shopping, entertainment and contemporary culture come together.

The festival also overlaps with Tokyo's winter light season, including Yoyogi Forest of Lights, Omotesando Illumination 2026 and Blue Grotto Shibuya 2026, which will illuminate a 900-metre stretch from Shibuya Koen-dori to Yoyogi Park.

ARTE TOKYO will also offer a different way to experience one of the city's historic landscapes.

To coincide with the inaugural festival and the 80th anniversary of Hama-rikyu Gardens, a special night-time art project is planned from November 25 to December 24. 

For more info see https://artetokyo.jp/en/

Escaping a world of "dysregulation and overwhelm"

There will be a new reason to visit Hobart's Museum of Old and New Art from November. 

Zia McCabe, one of the founding members of American rock band The Dandy Warhols, will reveal a new musical installation in Tasmania.

SEE HEAR NOW will take the form of an "ambient sound-filled, earth-toned, mid-century lounge that responds to visitor interactions". 

As visitors engage with different works in the space, each touch will transform the objects into instruments -producing overlapping soundscapes and reinforcing the relationship between movement, attention, and listening.

The musical component of the exhibition is a non-linear sonata composed by keyboardist McCabe with the support of Tamil Rogeon and Louise Woodward (the duo behind The Dandy Warhols’ symphonic arrangements). The sonata features near-infinite variations that will always sound in harmony, regardless of which combinations are playing.

One of the unique aspects of the musical creation is the unusual marriage of McCabe’s analogue psychedelic synth, and classical instrumentation performed by Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra musicians.

Recorded and mixed at Mona’s Frying Pan Studios by head producer and engineer Chris Townend, the sonata’s different sequences will be connected to the lounge's various artworks, which have been designed by McCabe with visual artists Buckley, James Lambert, Madeleine Stamer and Chaz Barrisson of The London Police.

"I’ve only recently become committed to making installations through the lens of music," McCabe says. 

"But this concept came to me years ago during an open house of a creative space I was renting. During a visit to Mona last year, I was so moved by the incredible artworks, I couldn't help but pitch my own.

"What a dream to have my idea accepted and see it come to life. I am so happy to be featuring some of my favourite visual artists in this space and to know I am offering a unique room for visitors to briefly escape this world of dysregulation and overwhelm. 

"Giving their nervous systems a break, in a way that is still interactive and unpredictable, more psychedelic than opiate, more retro than modern, more harmony than discord."

The Dandy Warhols will launch their next tour of Australia with a performance at the Odeon in Hobart on Tuesday, November 24. 

See mona.net.au

Image: Lauren Krohn

Hobart’s Mona to open Bangkok offshoot

The Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) in Hobart, Tasmania, and Asset World Corp Public Company Limited (AWC) in Bangkok, Thailand, have announced they are working together to develop MONA Bangkok, a major new art destination on the banks of the Chao Phraya River.

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff joined Mona founder David Walsh, artist and curator Kirsha Kaechele, DarkLab CEO and creative director Leigh Carmichael and Mona executives in Bangkok for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with AWC, represented by Chief Executive Officer and President Wallapa Traisorat, and Chief Commercial Business Officer Michael Hariz.

The signing was also attended by Australian Ambassador-Designate to Thailand Pablo Kang, Thai Minister of Culture Sabeeda Thaised, Governor of Bangkok Chadchart Sittipunt and Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand Thapanee Kiatphaibool.

The MOU outlines the shared vision for MONA Bangkok, which will bring together Mona’s extensive experience creating internationally acclaimed art, music and cultural destinations with AWC’s record of landmark developments in Thailand.

David Walsh, Mona’s founder, said: "Having spent most of the last 25 years studying how museums work, AWC has presented us with a remarkable opportunity to take what we’ve learned to one of the great tourist centres of the world."

Since opening in Hobart in 2011, Mona has been visited by over 5.2 million people. It has helped change visitors’ perception of Tasmania and turn Hobart into an international cultural destination, drawing audiences from across Australia and around the world through its idiosyncratic approach to exhibitions, festivals, architecture, and hospitality.

The MONA Bangkok project will be led on Mona’s side by Carmichael under the direction of Walsh, with assistance from a project team of skilled creatives.

Carmichael has worked with Walsh for over 20 years. Together they established the Mona brand, the Dark Mofo festival, and cultural precinct In The Hanging Garden.

“MONA Bangkok will take the creative spirit of Mona into a new context,” Carmichael said. “Like the museum in Hobart, it will be unconventional and unique, and will present work by leading international artists, while also creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue with Thai artists, audiences and cultural traditions.

“The theme of light will be explored both as a physical phenomenon and as a metaphor. Light has long been a source of fascination, reflection and hope across cultures, and it feels especially resonant in Bangkok, with its rich cultural life and traditions. I’m looking forward to listening, learning and seeing where this project leads as it develops.

“We look forward to working with AWC on this ambitious project, and to meeting with Thai artists, designers and makers as we begin the journey.

“Bangkok is already home to important contemporary art events and institutions including the Bangkok Art Biennale, MOCA Bangkok and the newly opened Dib Bangkok. MONA Bangkok is intended to build on this momentum, helping strengthen the city’s position as a global art destination.”

Traisorat said: "At AWC, Building a Better Future is at the heart of everything we do. This collaboration with Mona reflects the power of partnerships to create lasting cultural and economic value. 

"Together, we are building more than a new destination - we are creating a bridge between Thailand and Australia through a shared vision, a passion for art, a shared commitment to sustainable tourism and a belief in the power of culture to connect people.

“We are excited to welcome Mona to Bangkok to create a world-class cultural landmark that inspires creativity, fosters meaningful artist communities, and encourages more people to discover new experiences. By bringing together art, innovation and hospitality, MONA Bangkok will strengthen the creative industry and enhance Thailand as the leading global sustainable destination.”

Further details on the project will be announced in due course.

Image: An early rendering of MONA Bangkok. Courtesy Mona, AWC and Six Degrees Architects.

A new take on a classic gin - with an artistic touch

Hendrick's Gin is one of the highest-profile spirits brands globally - and now it has a sibling.

Another Hendrick's' Gin, offering a new take on the ultra premium brand, is the first permanent addition to the range for a decade.

“Another Hendrick’s was created to explore contrasts - bright citrus and floral notes balanced with the depth of cacao," says Hendrick’s head of marketing Jonathan Sully.

Launched in 1999, with its distinctive dark apothecary bottle, Hendrick's Gin was a prime driver of the premium gin renaissance of the early 2000s.

Packaged in a striking white bottle, the new expression "is the complete opposite of what we’ve been doing for the past 25 years,’ said master distiller Lesley Gracie. 

"After experimenting with different elements from the Hendrick’s Gin Palace’s tropical greenhouse, I discovered this brilliant profile featuring a depth of flavour, hint of sweetness and lift of freshness that is completely distinctive.’

In Australia, the launch will be celebrated by a Hendrick's collab with artist Rone: Hendrick’s Gin Presents: Another TIME by Rone, billed as "an immersive exhibition where art and curious flavours collide, creating a layered, sensory experience like no other".

The free, two-day-only exhibition will be held on May 8-9 at Sydney gallery COMA.

“I’ve always been drawn to contrast - the push and pull between opposing elements and the emotion that sits in between - and Another Hendrick’s captures that same duality." says Rone in masterful marketing speak.

Guests who have tickets to the free, limited-run exhibition will also enjoy a complimentary Another Hendrick’s Spritz - a blend of Another Hendrick’s with peach liqueur, prosecco, and soda water, finished with signature cucumber slices and an orange twist.

Sign up to pre-registration for priority access to tickets before tickets go on sale to the public on April 23 here. Or visit www.hendricksgin.com.

New arts trail brings creativity to the streets

Fans of street art will probably enjoy a new art trail that launched recently in northern New South Wales.

The Clarence Valley has unveiled its Public Art Trail, inviting visitors to wander through murals, sculptures and installations across the region.

Designed to let art lovers slow down, explore and connect with each town's story, the trail turns streets, laneways and public spaces into an open-air gallery.

The trail covers coastal hamlets Yamba and Iluka, river towns Maclean and Grafton, and the village of Glenreagh.

The artworks celebrate local culture, history and creativity at every turn. The trail is part of the Clarence Valley's Art, History & Culture Hub, which also includes the Art Gallery Trail, Museum Trail, Heritage Trails, and the Lower Clarence Aboriginal Tourist Drive.

The trails aim to let visitors "explore the stories, creativity and culture that bring the Valley to life".

The Clarence Valley region includes the coastal plain and lower valleys of the Clarence and Nymboida rivers.

Hard Core: Mona unveils a new headliner

French-Swiss artist Julian Charrière has been chosen as the next headliner at the Museum of Old and New Art (Mona) in Hobart. 

Charrière will present his first solo exhibition in Australia in Tasmania from June 6, 2026, to March 29, 2027.

Opening in time for mid-winter festival Dark Mofo (June 11-22), his Hard Core will feature an assemblage of artworks from sculpture and installation to film and photography that bridge nature, science, history, industry and myth.

‘Ideas burst from Julian Charrière (below) like licks from an over-friendly dog," says Mona’s founder, David Walsh. 

"Sometimes it’s a lot - attending one of Julian’s exhibitions can be overwhelming. But Julian isn’t a meddler. His ideas are deep and incisive, the sort of ideas that expose the soft white underbelly of reality." 

Hard Core will transform Mona’s touring galleries and spill out into the Void and newly excavated additions to the museum. 

It will feature sculptures made of coal, lava, molten computers, onyx and obsidian.

Cored samples taken from glacial erratic boulders are repaired with steel, aluminium, brass and silver. A lump of stromatolite rock, hundreds of millions of years old, is slowly polished to a perfect sphere between lapidary rock grinders. 

There are plants preserved cryogenically, snails slurping the calcium carbonate from marble statues, and a vending machine full of fossilised ammonites.

So, all very Mona. 

In photographs and video installations, Charrière pits human action against ideas of nature’s grandeur and vulnerability. 

With Breathe, a permanent installation commissioned especially for Mona and built into the museum’s foundations, Charrière releases oxygen molecules that have been trapped inside banded iron ore formations since the Great Oxidation Event some 2.4 billion years ago. 

Visitors are invited to inhale this ancient air, which has been lodged in rock over the years, 

Mona’s director for curatorial affairs, Jarrod Rawlins, said: ‘We like beautiful adventures, physically, emotionally and philosophically, and Breathe delivers that from every angle.’

Berlin-based Charrière has exhibited widely, but this is his first solo exhibition in Oceania.

‘What’s special about this show is how it coalesces distinct works into a single geological body, compressing planetary timescales into a shared, stratigraphic architecture and encounter," the artist says. 

" Here, Mona acts as both figurative and literal bedrock - a boundary-pushing museum which, carved from sandstone, situates human civilization within a far older story; a story of stone and bone.

‘Tasmania, too, is integral to the temporal dissonance of Hard Core: a primeval, almost Gondwanan place, where exhibiting feels less like placing works in a museum and more like returning them to the planetary condition to which they already belong.’ 

A full-colour exhibition catalogue including installation photography will be published later this year.

* Charrière has exhibited at many of the world’s major art institutions, including solo shows at Museum Tinguely in Switzerland, Palais de Tokyo in France, and SFMoMA in the US. 

How Ljubljana marks the change of seasons in style

Regular readers will know that the delightful Slovenian capital of Ljubljana is a favourite with Gourmet on the Road. 

It is a city that is a pleasure to visit no matter the time of year, but the arrival of spring means Ljubljana Tourism, together with its partners, will present the fourth edition of LUV Fest from February 8 to March 12. 

The event combines art, culture, gastronomy and social experiences in the compact, easy-to-walk city. 

The diverse program features exhibitions, concerts, workshops and outdoor experiences with the central artistic highlight the light installation Brstenje (Budding) in the open-air art gallery, complemented by special guided tours and a wide range of events for all generations.

Brstenje, by artist Nika Erjavec, symbolises the awakening of the city and nature, and will be set up on Čufarjeva Street. 

Other well-established installations will also return, including Brbotanje by Matej Bizovičar and Cvetilke, featuring motifs created by primary school pupils, which will again illuminate Zvezda Park.

This year will also focus on the courtyard of artists’ studios at Gornji trg 24, where artists will open the doors of their studios to visitors and present their works in an outdoor setting.

LUV Fest will extend across Ljubljana’s thoroughfares, cultural institutions and hotel venues, with a growing number of hoteliers and restaurateurs joining the festival with special seasonal offers. 

The program will include concerts, theatre performances, dance events, themed guided tours, workshops and exhibitions.

Particular attention will be devoted to the Art Vital exhibition, exploring the love story of the artistic duo Ulay and Marina Abramović at Cukrarna, as well as a production of Wagner’s opera Tristan and Isolde at the Slovenian National Opera and Ballet Ljubljana. 

The festival will conclude on March 12, on St. Gregory’s Day (Gregorjevo), when the traditional Ljubljana custom of floating gregorčki along the Gradaščica stream will symbolically welcome the arrival of spring.

See https://www.visitljubljana.com/en/visitors/sights-and-activities/highlights/luv-fest/

Image: LUV-FEST, Marko Delbello Ocepek

Softly, softly. New Melbourne hotel quietly opens its doors

They call it the silly season because not much happens in the hospitality industry over the Christmas-New Year holidays.

The team at the long-awaited Hannah St Hotel in Melbourne turned that on its head with a quiet opening on the Southbank.

 
Designed by the Flack Studio, the $150 million hotel is promoted as "a celebration of art, architecture, and cultural connection", offering guests the type of immersive experience that could only belong in Melbourne.

“We’re incredibly proud to open our doors and share what’s been taking shape behind the scenes for the past three years,” says Hannah St Hotel GM Peter Minatsis.

“Hannah St Hotel was created to feel connected to its neighbourhood. A place where guests can experience the real Melbourne, not just visit it. From the design to the dining to the small, thoughtful touches in every room, everything has been considered to make people feel welcomed… and we’re doing just that.”



“It’s part grand hotel, part underground bar, part cultural clubhouse,” says designer David Flack, founder and principal of Flack Studio.

“We’ve created a space that feels lived-in, loved, and full of stories.”

Across 188 boutique rooms and suites, guests will find custom furniture, rich textures, curated minibars (as opposed to a randomly stocked minibar? Although these showcase local products); premium amenities and Marshall speakers.

Every room in the TFE Hotels-managed property - part of the Collection by TFE portfolio - offers skyline views.

At the heart of the guest experience is Level 9, a purpose-designed space "for connection, creativity, and wellbeing".

Highlights include a 20-metre indoor pool with city views, steam room and sauna, and a fitness studio. In addition, guests have access to co-working spaces with a dedicated podcast room.

Hannah St Hotel positions itself as a cultural hub, showcasing works by leading Australian artists including Justene Williams and Jazz Money, and offering curated experiences inspired by the city’s arts scene.

The Mulberry Group (the team behind Hazel, Dessous, Lilac Wine, Molli, and Heide Kitchen) has opened five F&B venues within the hotel.

Founder Nathan Toleman describes the project as a lifelong dream: “With Hannah St, we wanted to capture that same sense of wonder and excitement, but with a Melbourne heartbeat. A place that feels alive, authentic, and inclusive - not just for travellers, but for locals too.”



The Mulberry Group’s venues include Coupette Corner Bistro & Bar, an all-day European bistro; Hannah St Coffee, a hole-in-the-wall espresso bar, Bar Hannah and Carriage Lounge in the lobby,  and The Terrace Lounge, a rooftop bar and lounge.

The hotel is located within the landmark Queensbridge building and adjacent to the $1.7 billion Melbourne Arts Precinct.

Bookings are now open at hannahsthotel.com.

* To celebrate the opening, the Hannah St Hotel Urban Revel Package includes overnight accommodation, daily breakfast for two, two signature cocktails and a 12pm late check-out. It is priced from $395 per night, inclusive of taxes and fees.

Book by March 15 for stays until December 15, 2026.

Dr Seuss lands next to the d'Arenberg Cube

The whimsical artworks of Dr Seuss are back in Australia - at the d'Arenberg winery in McLaren Vale.

Harvey Galleries is presenting The Art of Dr Seuss in association with Art Evolution and d’Arenberg, Ultimate Winery Experiences reports.

From this weekend until April 26, 2026, a selection of art works from The Art of Dr Seuss Collection will be on display at the Modern Masters Marquee, adjacent to the d'Arenberg Cube.

Admission is free and visitors can explore and buy works from Dr Seuss’s best-known children’s books, as well as The Secret Art of Dr Seuss, a collection based on decades of artwork, which Seuss created at night for his own personal pleasure.

Perhaps the wackiest elements of the collection are Dr Seuss’s three-dimensional Unorthodox Taxidermy sculptures with names such as Carbonic Walrus, Powerless Pufferfish, and Flaming Herring or Seasick Walrus.



Theodor Seuss Geisel was an American children's author, illustrator, animator, and cartoonist. He is known for his work writing and illustrating over 60 books under the pen name Dr Seuss

For more info see https://www.darenberg.com.au/dr-seuss/

Visions of generations past exhibited in Melbourne

The European Union’s flagship cultural diplomacy exhibition Inside Pompeii: Origins of a European Way of Life featuring photographs by Luigi Spina has opened to the public at CO.AS.IT in Melbourne.

The Museo Italiano will be showing the images until December 23, offering a glimpse into one of Europe’s most iconic archaeological sites in the city considered the most European in Australia.

This free exhibition by the European Union Delegation to Australia is part of the EU’s foreign policy initiatives and aims to highlight the importance of cultural diplomacy between the EU with its like-minded partners.

The exhibition explores how history has shaped European identity and culture, and shows the everyday lives of Pompeii’s people, from intricate mosaics and personal graffiti to household objects and grand public spaces.

The commonalities with a modern way of life are striking and Melbourne - with its vibrant multicultural community and deep European heritage - provides the perfect setting for this dialogue between Europe’s past and a shared future, says the EU.

Renowned Italian photographer Spina captured the images during the Covid-19 lockdown, when Pompeii was closed to visitors.

His 38 large-format images take audiences inside the homes, streets, and everyday spaces of the ancient city, capturing a moment of stillness that connects today’s audiences with lives lived two millennia ago.

“As the EU-Australia partnership goes from strength to strength, we take time to celebrate culture, history, heritage and our shared humanity," said EU Ambassador to Australia, Gabriele Visentin.

"Melbourne is so often considered the most European city in Australia, and its vibrancy reflects these same values - freedoms that should be celebrated and preserved through greater dialogue and cooperation.”

Inside Pompeii: Origins of a European Way of Life - Photographs by Luigi Spina will be held at CO.AS.IT. Museo Italiano, 199 Faraday St, Carlton, until December 23. Admission is free. 

Toronto has museums and galleries for all tastes

Toronto, where I spent several enjoyable days in August, is one of the best cities in North America for lovers of museums and art galleries.

The biggest city in Canada and the capital of the Canadian province of Ontario, it has a wide range of museums and galleries including the [Ice] Hockey Hall of Fame, the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO), Bata Shoe Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art

The Art Gallery of Ontario has a large and distinguished art collection, while the Hockey Hall of Fame has the world's largest collection of hockey gear and historic artefacts including including NHL masks, hockey sticks, championship rings.

Located in the heart of downtown Toronto, AGO houses an expansive collection embracing classical masterpieces to contemporary works, while the Bata Shoe Museum showcases over 1,000 shoes and related artefacts from a collection of nearly 15,000 objects that span 4,500 years of history. 

It is housed in Raymond Moriyama’s award-winning building displaying everything from Chinese bound-foot shoes and ancient Egyptian sandals to chestnut-crushing clogs and glamorous platform shoes.

The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) hosts a rotation of exhibitions of artists of the 21st century. Central to the museum’s ethos is the impact of colonisation in modern Canadian life. 

Fort York Historical Park, meanwhile, is preserved as a 43-acre archaeological park on the site of the 1812 Battle of York battleground.

# The writer was a guest of Novotel Toronto Centre. See https://novoteltorontocentre.com/

He flew via Doha with Qatar Airways. www.qatarairways.com   

# Image: Winsor Dobbin  

Light festival transforms Chinese capital

Visitors to Beijing throughout October can enjoy "Together! We Shine!", the theme of the 2025 Beijing Chaoyang International Light Festival.

The festival blends modern technology, art, and culture to present a dazzling spectacle for both local residents and global visitors.

This year's festival again welcomes internationally renowned director Richard Taylor from New Zealnd and international light art teams, including a Singaporean team, to collaborate on creative design.

Partnering with the China Urban Sculpture Artists Association and China's top eight art academies, the event is showcasing nearly 60 large-scale light and sculpture installations during the festival.

The festival's main venue transforms the Liangma River, its banks, and the adjacent Chaoyang Park into "a luminous wonderland".

Visitors can discover interactive aquatic performances featuring technologically advanced installations like the Blue Whale and Pegasus - mechanical creatures that "swim" across the river.

Other highlights include the BBC Earth Live Symphony Concert, the UK animated family show Shaun the Sheep, and Yin Ge by the Hong Kong Cinema Classics Symphony Concert.

The renovated Shell Theater at Chaoyang Park, Beijing's first outdoor water-based performance space, will officially open to the public during the festival.

Nearby, the floating "Cube" stage on North Lake will create "a dreamlike fusion" with Beijing's iconic skyline.

Over 100 performances will also be presented in collaboration with the 2025 Liangma River Art Season, featuring domestic and international artists.

Tokyo celebrates art across urban landscapes

Tokyo is one of the most fascinating destinations on the planet and if you are visiting over the next few months you can enjoy an international art festival running from October 17 to December 14. 

The Tokyo Biennale 2025 runs through what is is often celebrated as the “Autumn of Art” or “Autumn of Excursions” and invites visitors to discover the sprawling city's culture, history, and communities through art. 

Now in its third edition, the festival will feature works by 38 artist groups from seven countries, presented across 14 venues under the theme “Wander for Wonder.” 

Unlike traditional art festivals confined to galleries, the Tokyo Biennale is connected to the neighbourhoods where it takes place - and some of the exhibits are very quirky. 

Artists collaborate with local communities, creating site-specific works that reveal new perspectives on Tokyo's urban landscape.

The festival spans six areas in central-northeast Tokyo, including Ueno, Nihonbashi, Yaesu/Kyobashi, and Marunouchi. Each district offers a different way to engage with the city's culture and history. 

Most exhibitions are free to enter, while two main venues, the Toeizan Kan'ei-ji Temple and the Etoile Kaito Living Building, require payment for admission.

Projects are designed to be experienced on foot, so visitors can stroll through Tokyo's neighbourhoods, encountering artworks while uncovering hidden corners of the city. 

The festival encourages participants to “wander” through the layers of history, architecture, and daily life that define one of the world's most walkable capitals. Bring comfortable shoes. 

Full details, including participating artists and program updates, are available on the official Tokyo Biennale website LINK

For visitors looking to continue their artistic journey beyond the Biennale, Tokyo offers countless opportunities to explore galleries, museums, and cultural sites throughout the city. More information can be found on the official Go Tokyo website www.gotokyo.org

RELICS explores the past and the future at the Australian Museum

The Australian Museum’s exhibition RELICS: A New World Rises will open to the public in Sydney on Saturday, August 16.

Created by former LEGO Masters champions Jackson Harvey and Alex Towler, the new exhibition brings intricate LEGO civilisations to life inside a series of upcycled vintage objects.

Set in the year 2130, RELICS imagines Earth in recovery after human abandonment, where nature is returning and LEGO societies have emerged from the remains of a consumerist past

The exhibition reimagines the traditional museum experience through a display of thousands of LEGO pieces that come together to tell multiple interconnected stories.

This exhibition will weave together themes of sustainability and futurism "with playful, imaginative narratives that challenge visitors to see familiar everyday objects in entirely new ways".

Australian Museum director and CEO Kim McKay said RELICS promises visitors of all ages an entirely original, shared experience where everyone has a chance to share their own perspective.

“RELICS invites visitors into a world where the closer you look, the more you see! Not only will it spark conversations about our wasteful world, and the future, but it’s also a fun way to discover the power of creative storytelling," she says.

"Jackson and Alex’s exhibition combines a heady mix of nostalgia, sustainability and future-facing creativity and it’s unlike anything we’ve exhibited before.”

The former LEGO Masters champions said RELICS is a passion project the two have worked on for years, and showcases all their insights and ideas when it comes to creative storytelling.

“It’s important to us that every Minifigure we place in the exhibition is telling its own story. We like to put ourselves into the minds of each character … What have they been up to? Are they having a good day? Who are they with? By thinking about their stories, it helps bring the Minifigures to life as they inhabit their RELICS world,” said Towler.

Co-creator Harvey added: “We hope visitors will being thinking about the life material possessions have after they are discarded and encourage people to be more thoughtful about what they throw away.

"It’s exciting for us to take an object that to most people would look like trash and give it a whole new life.”

RELICS is supported by Hotel Partner, Pullman Sydney Hyde Park.

Exhibition Tickets: Adult: $29.00, Concession: $25.00, Child 4-15: $19.00. Tickets are on sale now at australian.museum.

When wine and art combine

Hill-Smith Family Estates in the Barossa and Chapel Hill in McLaren Vale are among a growing number of wine brands linking with art and artists.

Winesmiths, the family-owned wine-on-tap (cask) brand produced by Hill-Smith Family Estates, this week announced its latest artist collaboration - this time partnering with South Australian artist Claire Ishino to launch a new collection of limited edition 2-litre packs, to be available across Australia and New Zealand from September through December.

Following last year’s New Zealand-inspired designs by Ross Murray, this year’s release brings the
spotlight back to South Australia, where Winesmiths and Ishino share connections to the flora and
fauna which call the state home.

Known for her artworks inspired by Australian native flora, Ishino has created a series of pack designs that reflect the biodiversity of Winesmiths’ sustainably farmed vineyards.

“When I’m walking through native bushland, I’m constantly noticing patterns, shapes and colours in the plants and how they interact with light," said Ishino. "That’s what I wanted to capture in this series.

"Collaborating with Winesmiths has been such a joy. It’s about celebrating the beauty of our environment and encouraging people to tread lightly.”

The collection includes designs for five Winesmiths varietals: shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, dry rosé, chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.

Winesmiths is also donating $25,000 to Greenfleet, a leading environmental not-for-profit that plants biodiverse forests to capture carbon emissions and restore critical ecosystems across Australia and New Zealand.

The Claire Ishino x Winesmiths Limited Edition 2-litre packs will be available in major liquor retailers and independent stores throughout Australia and New Zealand from September until December. RRP $16. See winesmiths.com.au



Chapel Hill, meanwhile, has unveiled the winning art and artist for its inaugural Horizons Art Prize.

The $5,000 acquisitive prize has been awarded to Stephanie Radok for her work It’s Morning! (above) which will now hang in the winery’s iconic 1865 tasting chapel as part of its permanent collection.

All finalist artwork will be exhibited at the Chapel Hill Tasting Room for the duration of the South Australian Living Arts Festival.

The judging panel included respected local arts figures Adele Sliuzas, visual arts curator at The Mill Adelaide, and Maria Zagala, curator of prints, drawings and photographs at the Art Gallery of South Australia.

They were joined by Chapel Hill’s chief winemaker, Michael Fragos, whose long-standing passion for visual arts helped guide the selection.

Together, the panel reviewed more than 120 submissions from 86 entrants spanning painting, drawing, photography, and multimedia.

“When we launched this inaugural award we had no idea that it would be embraced with such enthusiasm and provocative creativity,” says Fragos.

“The level of passion, flair and skill exhibited in the submissions has been truly humbling. We are so proud to be able to showcase these amazing artists and their intimate creations, we now look forward with excitement as to the direction this competition will lead us in the future.”

When hotel lobbies morph into art galleries

Hotel lobbies are spaces populated by people with time to kill. 

Waiting to check in; meeting someone, perhaps awaiting a taxi or Uber. 

It makes sense, then, that hotel spaces are increasingly being utilised as art galleries. 

That's the case at Rydges Melbourne, part of "a growing movement toward the integration of site-specific, bespoke art, not simply as decoration, but as a strategic tool to elevate guest experience and differentiate spaces".

The new example is Spectra, a vibrant new installation on display at Rydges Melbourne, created by acclaimed abstract expressionist Rowena Martinich and artist Geoffrey Carran. 

What is described as "their signature fusion of fine art and spatial design" aims to transforms the hotel’s walls, carpets and common areas into a "fully immersive, colour-saturated environment, a bold step in rethinking commercial interiors."

The exhibit tries to blur the lines between fine art and functional design, 

Lee Davey, general manager at Rydges Melbourne, says the partnership aligns with the hotel’s commitment to support local creatives.

"We’re excited to see our lobby come to life with Spectra, and we hope it sparks conversation and connection with our guests. 

"Collaborating with local talents like Rowena Martinich and Geoffrey Carran for Melbourne Design Week lets us support our community in a way that feels true to who we are. We’re proud to be part of what makes this city so special - its events, its festivals, and the creative spirit that brings people together.”

Featuring custom-designed carpets (in partnership with GH Commercial), a 12m wallpapered wall, limited-edition canvas prints, original large-scale paintings, and a vibrant window installation are all showcased.

"Spectra allows us to apply our artistic language to a functional setting in a way that's both immersive and emotionally resonant," says Martinich. 

"Seeing my gestural painting translated into carpet was a dream realised, where colour and movement become part of how people interact with a space."

Spectra is on view until July 20 at Rydges Melbourne. www.martinich.com.au

Gippsland resort puts guests in the picture

RACV Inverloch Resort has officially opened the exhibition Narelle Autio: Selected Watercolours which showcases the work of one of Australia's most celebrated photographers.

The exhibition is on display until June 8.

RACV Head of Visual Arts Mardi Nowak said that Autio's Watercolours series captures the essence of Australians' relationship with the water, presenting images that are both complex and beautiful.

"The collection of photographs provides visitors with an immersive experience into Autio's exploration of Australian coastal life and we are thrilled to host Narelle Autio's Selected Watercolours at RACV Inverloch Resort," Nowak said.

"Her ability to portray the beauty and drama of Australian coastal life aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing enriching cultural experiences for our members and guests."

Autio has been recognised with numerous awards, including the Leica Oskar Barnack Award, making her the first Australian recipient. Autio has also won two World Press awards and two Walkley awards

Her photographs are held in collections including such as the National Gallery of Australia and the National Gallery of Victoria.

In addition to Narelle Autio: Selected Watercolours, guests visiting or staying at the RACV Inverloch Resort will also be able to enjoy Digital Dreams, Analog Echoes - an Artificial Intelligence-inspired art exhibition.

Victorians and visitors can enjoy Inverloch Resort with the Gippsland Gourmet Getaway offer. From $399, a package includes a two-night stay in a resort room, a two-course dinner for two at the Radius Restaurant and daily breakfast for two.

The offer is valid for bookings until 31/05/2025, for stays to 31/07/2025.

RACV members receive an 11am late check out (not hat late to be honest), a welcome cocktail in Zenith Lounge for two, gourmet chocolates and biscuits, and a bottle of wine.

Inverloch is in Gippsland, 143 kilometres south east of Melbourne.

Visit RACV Travel and Experiences for more details.

Dark Mofo promises a car crash - and lots more

From car crashes to artworks, performances to food and wine, Tasmania's favourite winter festival Dark Mofo returns from June 5-15 and 21.

Organisers today announced an ambitious program designed to entertain locals and bring tourists to the island state during its coldest month.

The mid-winter festival will showcase large-scale public artworks in the Dark Park art hub and across Nipaluna/Hobart, along with annual rites such as the sprawling Night Mass parties, the Winter Feast gourmet festival, the traditional Ogoh-Ogoh burning, and the Nude Solstice Swim.

Dark Mofo Films also make a comeback under new artistic director Chris Twite.

"Once again we will bathe the city in red, filling it with art and taking over disused and hidden spaces all across Nipaluna/Hobart," Twite says.

"Night Mass - the late-night labyrinth of revelry - will carve new paths through the city and a host of Australian-exclusive artists from around the world will storm our stages."

The festival will utilise deconsecrated churches, rooftops, basements, bars, bank vaults and the shores of River Derwent. Dark Mofo will also stretch its tentacles to a theatre in Launceston and the planetarium in Ulverstone.

"It feels incredible to bring so many boundary pushing artists to Tasmania in 2025 for the full-scale return of Dark Mofo," says Twite.

The festival features new artwork commissions from Paula Garcia and Carlos Martiel, the Australian premiere of a massive light installation from Nonotak and performances from the likes of The Horrors, Tierra Whack, Beth Gibbons and Crime and the City Solution.

In Crash Body (above), two cars will engage in an exchange of near misses, building to a visceral head-on collision between Brazilian artist Paula Garcia and a stunt driver. This event will unfold at the Regatta Grounds over two hours and festival-goers will encounter the aftermath at Dark Park.

SORA by Nonotak will create a dancing, hypnotic firmament inside a cavernous warehouse. Lights on kinetic armatures will spin and pulse at the whim of an invisible wind at times and raging like the apotheosis of an electrical storm at others.

In a brand new Mona exhibition, in the end, the beginning, Italian sculptor Arcangelo Sassolino plays with fire.

The Winter Feast will take over Princes Wharf and Salamanca Lawns throughout the festival. This year the Feast welcomes guest chef Niyati Rao from Mumbai restaurant Ekaa.

She will be teaming up with Chef Craig Will and fellow co-owners of Launceston’s Stillwater, Bianca and James Welsh.

This year’s Ogoh-Ogoh ritual solicits fears to feed a giant Maugean skate - an endangered species found only in Tasmania’s Macquarie Harbour and threatened by polluting fish farms.

Tickets are now on sale. Subscribe for updates at www.darkmofo.net.au.

# Accor Pacific has once again be named an Official Accommodation Partner for Dark Mofo.

Accor has four hotels in Hobart and five hotels in Launceston, including brands such as Mövenpick, Peppers, The Sebel, Mantra, Mercure and ibis Styles.

Festival-goers can take advantage of the following rates during the event period, starting from $201 per night in Hobart and from $199 per night in Launceston.

To book visit all.accor.com/darkmofo

Shining a light on First Nations culture

Autumn is when Australia's Northern Territory comes alive with festivals, including Parrtjima - A Festival in Light - which celebrates light, colour, and artistry while celebrating the rich cultures, diversity, and inclusivity of people of Central Australia.

Parrtjima - A Festival in Light has unveiled the full program for its milestone 10th edition, which runs from April 4-13 in Alice Springs. 

The only Aboriginal light festival of its kind, Parrtjima will feature more than 20 First Nations artists across six installations, alongside more than 100 performers and special guests spanning music, comedy, art, workshops, and talks. 

The free, all-ages festival will debut four new installations by both emerging and established artists. 

Along with art, Parrtjima will feature nightly live performances, including Troy Cassar-Daley’s only free performance announced for the remainder of 2025, and a historic ticketed orchestral performance by the Darwin Symphony Orchestra. 

Additionally, Parrtjima will host its inaugural comedy night with stand-up performances by Andy Saunders and Sean Choolburra, plus interactive workshops and talks led by notable figures such as Bundjalung chef Mark Olive, language holder and ecologist Veronica Perrule Dobson, filmmaker Rachel Perkins, and ABC Radio National’s Rudi Bremer.

For details see https://parrtjimaaustralia.com.au/

A week of science - and silliness - in Hobart

Hobart will once again embrace science and fun when the Beaker Street Festival turns Tasmania's capital into a meeting place for bold thinkers and adventurous spirits from August 12-19.

Beaker Streets is promoted as being "where science collides with art, music, and adventure, where conversations flow over cocktails, and where unexpected encounters spark new ways of seeing the world".

The festival - now in its eighth year - "has cemented its place as Australia’s most dynamic festival of science and culture," organisers say.

The schedule includes big ideas, deep discussions, and mind-expanding experiences - all set against the raw beauty of Tasmania’s winter landscape.



“Beaker Street Festival is all about making connections with interesting people, taking part in immersive experiences, and gaining new perspectives,” says festival founder and creative director Dr Margo Adler.

“If you have an idea in your mind of what a science festival is, it's not that.”

You can sign up for program announcements and early ticket access at www.beakerstreet.com.au.

The full festival program will be announced May 22. Stay tuned.