Latest news with #AmandaParer
Sydney Morning Herald
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
The giants set to watch over Melbourne for this year's Firelight Festival
This weekend, Docklands will be overtaken by giants. A 12-cubic-metre cross-legged man will tower above Victoria Harbour, while an array of massive humanoids will watch over passing Melburnians. These giants are the work of internationally renowned Tasmanian artist Amanda Parer, who has brought her illuminated inflatable structures to Melbourne's Firelight Festival for the first time. 'People will see [the structures] from afar, and hopefully think, 'wow, this really changes what's usually here'. It's exciting, a bit of fantasy,' she says. As big as they are in size, they're also big in ideas. Since visiting the Galapagos Islands in 1995 as part of a documentary crew, Parer's work has explored our relationship with the natural world, encouraging viewers to consider their impact on the surrounding environment. Man, the enormous cross-legged entity, was inspired by Auguste Rodin's The Thinker. Parer has updated the iconic piece, positioning him with his hand over his eyes as he contemplates what went wrong. Loading 'When Rodin made his sculpture, he was celebrating man's form and man as a pursuer of enlightenment. I've essentially made him or her ponder what went wrong after we've overindulged a bit too much.' It will be the first time this mammoth installation – which plays with scale, light and contrast – has been shown in Melbourne, having previously been erected in Dubai, Finland, Detroit and Tasmania's Mona Foma festival.
The Age
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
The giants set to watch over Melbourne for this year's Firelight Festival
This weekend, Docklands will be overtaken by giants. A 12-cubic-metre cross-legged man will tower above Victoria Harbour, while an array of massive humanoids will watch over passing Melburnians. These giants are the work of internationally renowned Tasmanian artist Amanda Parer, who has brought her illuminated inflatable structures to Melbourne's Firelight Festival for the first time. 'People will see [the structures] from afar, and hopefully think, 'wow, this really changes what's usually here'. It's exciting, a bit of fantasy,' she says. As big as they are in size, they're also big in ideas. Since visiting the Galapagos Islands in 1995 as part of a documentary crew, Parer's work has explored our relationship with the natural world, encouraging viewers to consider their impact on the surrounding environment. Man, the enormous cross-legged entity, was inspired by Auguste Rodin's The Thinker. Parer has updated the iconic piece, positioning him with his hand over his eyes as he contemplates what went wrong. Loading 'When Rodin made his sculpture, he was celebrating man's form and man as a pursuer of enlightenment. I've essentially made him or her ponder what went wrong after we've overindulged a bit too much.' It will be the first time this mammoth installation – which plays with scale, light and contrast – has been shown in Melbourne, having previously been erected in Dubai, Finland, Detroit and Tasmania's Mona Foma festival.
Time Out
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Things to do in Melbourne in July
Looking for things to do now that the cool weather has set in? Rug up and head to the City of Casey, located just a 40-minute drive from the CBD, for its Winter Arts Festival from June 20 to July 20. This celebration of creativity, community and colour is back for another year, with a jam-packed program of performances, installations, film screenings and workshops spotlighting local talent. Taking over multiple venues including Narre Warren's creative hub Bunjil Place, the historic Old Cheese Factory and the expansive Wilson Botanic Garden, the program features a mix of free and ticketed events. Highlights include a crowd-pleasing production of the Broadway hit Mamma Mia!, performed by Windmill Theatre Company; an electric drag cabaret showcase from Queers of Concert; and live music covering everything from soul to pop by the talented South East Music students. Film buffs can catch a special screening of the heartwarming flick Memoir of a Snail, followed by an exclusive Q&A with the Oscar-winning filmmaker Adam Elliot – who just so happens to be a nearby Berwick local. There's also Lost in Bunjil Place Plaza, a free art installation by Amanda Parer featuring giant, illuminated sculptures of endangered botanical species. Families are well catered for, with a line-up of kid-friendly events and interactive theatre shows. These include The Owl's Apprentice, a magical mix of shadow puppetry and physical theatre, and Imagine Live, a live-action musical adaptation of a beloved...
