Art in Melbourne This September

If you enjoy feasting your eyes on a good piece of art,  look no further than Melbourne this September. The city offers a wide range of galleries and exhibitions offering up everything from modern, to sculptural, to surrealist. There’s pretty much every type of art imaginable available, which bodes well for a cultured day out in the city! If you want to get to know Australia better, art is an imaginative and unique way to get involved. We’ve picked out all the best exhibitions coming up in Melbourne this month.

Sculptural Matter

Sculptural Matter explores a sculptural way of thinking and creating from both historical and contemporary perspectives. The art involved comes in a variety of forms, such as video, photography, installations and assemblages. The exhibition includes iconic works such as Richard Serra’s Hand Catching Lead, but also new works by contemporary artists. Through its many different forms, Sculptural Matter is bound to provide food for thought.
Present – September 23
Australian Centre for Contemporary Art
111 Sturt Street, Melbourne VIC 3006
(03)9697 9999
www.accaonline.org.au

Where I Belong:

Long Day Care Centres celebrates the importance of art to children via this stunning exhibition. The centres believe that art allows children to use their whole bodies and minds as a means for self-expression and communication. In the past, art has helped many children connect with the wider world and helped them to develop positive self-identities by opening doors for them. This project allows a rare visionary insight into children’s perceptions, environmental practices and creativity. Things we long to remember as an adult, but often can’t. Where I Belong relates particularly to where children belong within the Kingston community.
September 7 – September 18
G1: Kingston Arts and Cultural Centres
979 Nepean Highway Moorabbin VIC 3189, Australia
(03) 9556 4440
www.kingstonarts.com.au

Samuel Tupou: Pan-O-Mania

This exhibition presents a pastiche of historical events, trends and shifts in culture. The new works on display take their inspiration from the post-war era of the 50s through to the early 70s, with particular focus on the Tiki phenomenon – a blind appropriation of Pacific culture for westerners. Tupou is fascinated with this phenomenon, as he has his own cultural roots in Polynesia. With this exhibition, Tupou plays with the irony of how the western take on Pacific culture has influenced his art.
September 5 – September 30
Melbourne Art Rooms
418 Bay Street, Port Melbourne VIC 3207
(03)9681 8425
www.marsgallery.com.au

Albert Tucker: Traveller’s Tales

In 1947 Albert Tucker left for Australia, intending to spend 12 months abroad. During this time he hoped to engage with contemporary international art and culture. However, Tucker became a little too engaged and that one year in OZ turned into 13. The time abroad amounted to a dedicated period of artistic experimentation and development. This exhibition portrays the major paintings from Tucker’s travels through England, Europe and America and is complemented by a selection of photographs from each visited location.
September 15 – February 13
Heide Museum of Modern Art
5-7 Templestowe Road Bulleen VIC 3105
(03) 9850 1500
www.heide.com.au

Linda Jackson: Bush Couture

Linda Jackson has played a role in the development of a distinctly Australia approach to fashion design for more than 40 years. Taking a step back from conventional fashion practice, she developed unique forms of clothing that go beyond seasonal trends. Defying the often Westernised practice of fashion, she draws on an eclectic mix of influences from places such as India, Africa and Asia. This exhibition features work from Jackson created between the 1970s and 1990s, including some rare early pieces. Key elements of Jackson’s pieces are showcased, such as patchwork, hand painting and cut work. This is the first exhibition of Jackson’s work in a public gallery.
Present – September 9
National Gallery of Victoria
180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne Victoria 3000
(03) 8620 2222
www.ngv.vic.gov.au