Bendigo Art Gallery has announced that the renowned art installation House of Mirrors – the hit of Hobart’s 2016 Dark Mofo, will be installed in Rosalind Park from 7 – 30 April 2017 and will be open during Bendigo’s popular Easter Festival.
Created by Melbourne artists Christian Wagstaff and Keith Courtney, House of Mirrors is a labyrinthine walk-through maze of mirrors, offering a dark twist on the classic 19th century side-show attraction. A series of full-length mirrors form seemingly endless glass corridors, tricking the perception of those in front of them. The addition of voids, kaleidoscopic chambers, doorways and darkened breaks add a level of uncertainty, thrill and sometimes, fear.
House of Mirrors was produced in collaboration with the award winning creative studio CPS, and commissioned by world-renowned Museum of Old and New Art (MONA) for Hobart’s 2016 Dark Mofo festival, where it was heralded as ‘joyously fun’ (Sydney Morning Herald), and a ‘dark park highlight’ (ABC News). It has since been to Brisbane, Sydney and will be launched at the Adelaide Festival before heading to Bendigo.
The artwork is made up of forty tonnes of steel and fifteen tonnes of mirrored glass, arranged in combination and in varying angles to create specific effects. Visitors can see others in the maze, but not themselves, and at other times the illusion works in reverse. There are no added gimmicks, no special effects or lighting, only the primary ingredient of carefully arranged mirrors, geometry and pure optical illusion.
“I’m thrilled to bring this incredibly exciting, immersive project to Bendigo,” said Karen Quinlan, Director of Bendigo Art Gallery. “House of Mirrors brings elements of art, science, culture and history together to offer the perfect example of the transformative nature of contemporary art.”
“We’re also delighted to have another major artwork on display in the gardens – and an excellent antidote to Seward Johnson’s iconic Marilyn Monroe statue which was on display there last year,” added Quinlan.
House of Mirrors
Parc Palais – Adelaide Riverbank, Elder Park, Adelaide
Season: 2 – 26 March 2017
Information and Bookings: www.adelaidefestival.com.au
Rosalind Park, Gaol Road, Bendigo
Season: 7 – 30 April 2017
Information and Bookings: www.bendigoartgallery.com.au
Image: House of Mirrors (supplied)