AusLeisure

Victoria values art and design, whether in a gallery, a café, or in a massive blimp floating high above its intended audience.

Design comes in many shapes, forms and sizes. The artist's desired effect often transcends the moment or space in which it is appreciated.

In the lead up to the opening of Patricia Piccinini and Joy Hester: Through love …exhibition at TarraWarra Museum of Art, Melbourne-based artist Piccinini’s iconic, infrequently-seen 34 metre -long hot air balloon (seven storeys high) Skywhale (pictured above) will grace the Yarra Valley sky. 

From 24th November 2018 to 11th March 2019, visitors will have the opportunity to view more than 50 works, including a major new sculpture by Piccinini and rarely-seen works by Hester, that show the incredible spectrum of human and non-human relationships, from romantic love and maternal devotion through to the connections formed between humans and animals, and animate and inanimate objects.

Designing Women is currently on show until 24th March 2019 at the National Gallery of Victoria. Drawn from the NGV Collection, Designing Women explores lighting, furniture, object and fashion design, together with architecture, textiles and contemporary jewellery. More than sixty diverse works will be showcased alongside new acquisitions, all united by their female authorship. The exhibition includes works by fifty designers, from Australian icons such as Elliat Rich and Helen Kontouris to international trailblazers including Zaha Hadid and Neri Oxman.

Heide Museum of Modern Art pays homage to Mirka Mora, a beloved and central figure in the cultural life of Australia in the Mirka Mora: Pas de Deux - Drawings and Dolls which runs until 24th March 2019. Visitors will see on display items that commemorates the artist’s most personal work: drawings and soft-sculpture dolls from her home and studio where she kept them close for many decades. 

For two weekends only, plant and garden lovers can rejoice as the Garden DesignFest 2018 returns this year. Launched in 2004, and run every other year, the event showcases over 30 spectacular gardens in Ballarat, Bendigo and Macedon Ranges (10th and 11th November) followed by Melbourne and Mornington Peninsula (17th and 18th November) featuring the work of some of Victoria's most acclaimed garden designers. 

This charity event not only raises funds for a worthy cause but also encourages creative, bold, innovative, versatile, practical and responsible gardening in Australian gardens. 

Dining out is more than just filling the stomach - diners seeking experiences beyond the palate take aesthetics and ambiance into serious consideration. Recently at the global Restaurant and Bar Design Awards in London, Victorian restaurants and bars took the top prizes home for:

• International winner for Best Ceiling -  Doot Doot Doot in the Mornington Peninsula

• Australia & Pacific Bar - Chandon in the Yarra Valley

• Australia & Pacific Restaurant Ishizuka in Melbourne

Others Melbourne venues shortlisted for the awards include:  city bar and restaurant Longsong, Abbotsford café Au79, nightclub Baroq House and Guy Grossi’s Pezzo.

In Hong Kong, the largest-ever international presentation of Victorian design will be showcased at Asia’s premier design event, Hong Kong Business of Design Week (BODW) in December 2018. Victoria’s design credentials will be showcased at various programs including DesignInspire Melbourne Pavilion, Melbourne Fashion Showcase and BoDW speaking program.

Related Articles

7th October 2018 - Victoria benefits from cultural tourism boom

28th July 2018 - MoMA at NGV exhibition attracts more than 100,000 visitors in first month

3rd June 2018 - Australia’s largest contemporary art gallery to open as part of expanded NGV

24th June 2016 - Melbourne’s White Night event to expand to Ballarat

2nd June 2016 - Masterpieces from New York’s MoMA coming to NGV Melbourne

6th May 2016 - 399,127 visitors attend Andy Warhol and Ai Weiwei exhibition at NGV

11th February 2016 - NGV acquires highly-prized fashion collection

14th December 2014 - New minister aims for a more creative Victoria

18th March 2013 - Celebrating 40 years of Arts Victoria

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