Over 10 days from 1 September, the third edition of the Channels Festival presents some of the best new contemporary moving image from over 90 Australian and international artists in 14 events – including four new commissioned artworks by Australian women artists.
The Channels Festival is the only festival in Australia dedicated to presenting video art and culture in a dynamic and inclusive festival of free exhibitions, screenings, workshops and international and online programs. In 2017, the festival looks to the future in response to recent world events.
This year’s theme ‘futures of’ invites video artists and collaborators to explore future selves, ideas, movements, perceptions, politics and technologies through their works using experimental and innovative mediums. Highlights include: the Australian Premiere of FutureClown by LA-based artist Rachel Mason – an alternative viewing of the inauguration of the 45th president of the United States, Donald Trump.
Sydney-based artist Caroline Garcia presents Flygirl – a solo dance installation that re-imagines herself with forgotten hip-hop routines from the 1990s; and the Australian premiere of A Mountain Close Up is Only Rock forms a passage through the digital footprint of architect Jørn Utzon by UK artists, Kihlberg & Henry.
New commissions include: Umma’s Tongue-molten at 6000an intense exploration of the dystopia of modern society by Wakka Wakka and Yargel artist Hannah Brontë; Melbourne-based South Sudanese artist Atong Atem, continuing her ongoing interest into migrant narratives, postcolonial practices and the exploration of self and identity.
A new Augmented Reality commission by artist Kate Geck will lead audiences around the Newport’s retail precinct with a series of therapeutic mindfulness mantras triggered by interactive totems. Apparatus and Technique for Location-based Real-time Tracking and Analysis is a new work by Antoinette J. Citizen which explores her interest using data to access and predict patterns of behaviour.
The 2017 Channels Festival runs 1 – 10 September at various venues throughout Melbourne. For more information, visit: www.channelsfestival.net.au for details.