May is the middle of Autumn in Melbourne, and while the leaves are changing colour and the weather is getting colder, the art is heating up. These are my top exhibition picks:
I.
Exhibition Title: Mother Holding Something Horrific
Artist: Claire Lambe
Venue: Australian Centre for Contemporary Art
Dates: April 8 – June 25, 2017
Mother Holding Something Horrific is a new commission from Melbourne-based English-born artist Claire Lambe. The exhibition encompasses sculpture, photography, theatrical stage sets and video, and forms a powerful reflection on the human condition, exploring ideas of hope, love and fear. The exhibition is accompanied by six weekly performances from contemporary dancer and choreographer Atlanta Eke, which continues an ongoing collaboration between herself and Lambe.
Claire Lambe, The waterfall, 2017, installation view (detail), Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Melbourne. Courtesy of the artist and Sarah Scout Presents, Melbourne. Photograph: Andrew Curtis.
II.
Artist Darren Sylvester
Venue: Neon Parc
Dates: April 21 – June 10, 2017
Darren Sylvester’s second project with Neon Parc explores various pop culture references, predominantly American, to investigate ideas of luxury and desirability, high and low culture, and mortality. Three custom-designed chaise lounges are upholstered in wool printed with the insignia of early 1990s McDonalds hamburger packaging. These are accompanied by four large-scale photographs referencing entertainment and consumer culture, and a large floor-based sculpture that curves around the space in the colours of the FedEx logo.
Darren Sylvester, installation view, Neon Parc, Melbourne.
III.
Exhibition Title: Bent Guesses
Artist Aaron C. Carter
Venue: The Honeymoon Suite
Dates: May 5 – May 27, 2017
Bent Guesses from Aaron C. Carter combines painting and sculpture in vibrant colour. His wall-based relief works use clay, pigment, and common building materials to achieve their sculptural quality. These are combined with found objects to create an installation that investigates the beauty of the everyday.
Aaron C. Carter, studio view, 2017. Photograph: Danny Cohen.
Header Image: Darren Sylvester, installation view, Neon Parc, Melbourne.