Tis the season when the Melbourne gallery scene explodes into the various shapes and colours of the Melbourne Art Fair, taking up shop once again at the Royal Exhibition Building from 11 – 17 August. There’s a huge stack of alumni involved in various programs, and we’ve got the lowdown on whose doing what, where.
The main MAF Galleries presents established, modern and contemporary galleries from Australia, the broader Asia Pacific and beyond. This section includes paintings, works on paper, photography, sculptures, new media and installation work by emerging and established artists. Alumni include Abdul-Ramen Abdullah and Michaela Gleave
MAF Video presents a curated group exhibition of cutting-edge video art, curated by co-directors of Screen Space, Simone Hine and Kyle Weise. Alumni include Lauren Brincat, Nicole Breedon and Brown Council.
New in 2014, MAF Edge curates an exhibition of artists whose work pushes the boundaries of performance and participation. Alumni include Lara Thoms, Amy Spiers, Jess Olivieri and Catherine Ryan.
The MAF Project Rooms are MAF’s not-for-profit platform, showcasing innovative and experimental artwork from a new generation of emerging artists. Alumnus Phuong Ngo presents as part of The Sievers Project for Centre of Contemporary Photography.
To see the full program or find more info on the Melbourne Art Fair, check out the full website here.
The newest Art Fair kid on the block is Spring 1883, presenting 20 local and international contemporary galleries to exhibit at the Hotel Windsor from 14 – 17 August. Steering away from the traditional, booth-style set-up of larger art fairs participating galleries have taken over individual hotel suites, presenting a mix of traditional work and site-specific pieces like bedspreads, light fittings and doormats. The exhibition is an exciting new take on the Art Fair concept, creating more of a ’boutique’ art experience. Alumni include Jess Johnson and Esther Stewart.
For more info on the Spring 1883 program, check out their website here