Epic anthology charts the rise of Adelaide art
Author and curator Margot Osborne has produced a sweeping cultural history of progressive art in Adelaide from the outbreak of World War II to the turn of the century.
The Adelaide Art Scene: Becoming Contemporary 1939-2000 is an anthology of new writing by specialists, archival writing from the likes of Max Harris, Robert Hughes and Peter Ward, and six overview chapters.
Over more than 700 pages, the cultural history – with Osborne as editor and principal author – covers vast territory: important exhibitions, arts criticism and activism, arts societies, the “rise and fall” of key Adelaide art galleries and the changing shape of the Art Gallery of South Australia.
The publishers say key themes include “the impact of émigré artists, confronting approaches to female sexuality by a succession of women artists, the emergence of activist art in the 1970s, and of postmodernism in the 1980s, culminating with the rise of Indigenous art at the century’s end”.
There are 15 chapters of commissioned new writing by Adelaide curators and art specialists : Tracey Lock, Richard Heathcote, Adam Dutkiewicz, Georgina Downey, Maria Zagala, Catherine Speck, Jude Adams, John Neylon, Christopher Reid, Sera Waters, Rebecca Freezer, Philip Jones, Michael Newall, Robert Reason, Doreen Mellor and Nici Cumpston.
The Adelaide Art Scene: Becoming Contemporary 1939-2000 is published by Wakefield Press in association with Guildhouse and Carrick Hill.
It will be launched next Friday, October 6, at the Art Gallery of South Australia. For more information about the book and the launch, go here.
The Dictionary of Lost Words sells out
Tilda Cobham-Hervey and Anthony Yangoyan in The Dictionary of Lost Words. Photo: Sam Roberts
The State Theatre Company’s production of The Dictionary of Lost Words has sold out the entire season, with a few extra seats made available.
The co-production with the Sydney Theatre Company sold out all 12,500 tickets before opening night, which the State Government is claiming as a first for State Theatre.
Some additional restricted view seats have been made available to the theatrical adaptation of Adelaide Hills author Pip Williams’ best-selling novel.
The Dictionary of Lost Words is playing at the Dunstan Playhouse until October 14, before beginning a season at the Sydney Opera House.
State Theatre artistic director Mitchell Butel says the sell-out is a huge achievement for the company.
“It shows that audiences crave local stories brought to theatrical life and the immense value of investment in this kind of work,” he says.
Read our review here.
First Good Music Month line-up announced
November’s inaugural Good Music Month from MusicSA – a month-long, state-wide, open-access music festival – has announced a number of acts, headlined by ARIA award-winning Birds of Tokyo at the Festival Theatre with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra.
Woodville Town Hall will host indie rock band Augie March and Adelaide’s own The Audreys, while Jive will hold LGBTQIA+ mini-fest Queer Club, including Adelaide talent Aleksiah, Jess Johns and Sour Sob.
Regionally, the Barossa’s Steins Taphouse will see local bands Newgate Crowd, Violet Harlot and Rafikee take the stage at Rock House, while Twilight Cruise will see a live music paddle-steam down the Murray River.
The Note will host the opening event for Good Music Month on Saturday November 4 at the University of Adelaide’s Clositers and UniBar, featuring Queensland’s Beddy Rays, SA’s punk/alt-rockers Molly Rocket and local alt-pysch Druid Fluids.
Registrations for participation in Good Music Month are open until October 31.
More information and tickets can be found here.
Feast Festival program released
Diva house icon Crystal Waters will headline the inaugural Marys in the Park music festival.
Set to run from November 1 to 19, Adelaide’s LGBTQIA+ arts and cultural festival in it’s 26th year will feature over 500 artists in 80 events across cabaret, drag, visual art, poetry, comedy, film, burlesque, music and dance and more.
Mary’s in the Park will be Adelaide’s first pop music festival, with a star-studded line-up including Ricki-Lee, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Samantha Jade, Crystal Waters and drag queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race USA and Down Under, hosted by Adelaide nightclub Mary’s Poppin in Kadlitpina Rundle Park on November 4.
Later in the month, Big Gay Bingo, hosted by award-winning comedian Lori Bell and drag stars Miss Kaitlyn and Crème De Peche, will run for adults only at Mylk Bar, while internet sensation Christian Hull will host a brand new live comedy show Only Fans: A Journey of Self Discovery for one night only at Arkaba Hotel.
Rainbow Families Disco at My Lover Cindi allows young families to groove before noon and the Burra Country Pride Picnic offers all-ages market stalls, karaoke, games and a communal Feast table.
The full program is available here and volunteers are welcome here.
Kids On Stage these school holidays
Adelaide Festival Centre’s school holiday performing arts program “On Stage” returns this October with three workshops on sale now.
A three-day contemporary dance masterclass in association with Australian Dance Theatre will be held from October 9 to 11 at Odeon Theatre for ages 10 to 17.
A two-day improvisation workshop will be led by SA leading theatre makers on October 10-11 at Adelaide Festival Centre for ages eight to 11, followed by a one-day workshop focused on acting, improvisation and character development on October 13 for ages 12 to 17.
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“On Stage is a program open to all young people, no matter your skill or ability,” says Adelaide Festival Centre programming executive Kellie Nicol.
“The workshops are about giving young people an opportunity to participate in arts learning from some of the best South Australian arts educators, while having fun and making new friends.”
Registrations close on October 6 unless sold out prior.
Green Room is a regular column for InReview, providing quick news for people interested, or involved, in South Australian arts and culture.
Get in touch by emailing us at editorial@solsticemedia.com.au
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