White Night Melbourne captured the imagination of more than 600,000 people over the weekend, delivering on its promise to experience the city as never seen before.
This year’s White Night was a celebration of Melbourne’s true 24/7 culture, with 12 continuous hours of art installations, exhibitions, films, lighting, projection, music and performances and a number of food and drink retailers open throughout the night.
In its sixth year the event showcased over 100 projections and installations including Verandah Virtuoso – the first vertical view of performances on balconies and rooftops, The Serpent Mother – a giant kinetic sculpture on the Museum forecourt and Liquid Sky – a floating sculpture over Federation Square which will continue to mesmerise crowds for the next two weeks.
Audiences were once again mesmerised at the State Library Victoria as The Secret Life of Books were projected onto the walls of the La Trobe Reading Room; Guerrilla Opera took to the Portico of Melbourne Town Hall presenting a performance of opera favourites as well as a few lesser known gems; and guests got their groove on at the Silent Disco in a full-scale model of Melbourne’s next-generation train at Birrarung Marr.
“Melbournians have come out in force tonight and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Visit Victoria CEO Peter Bingeman. “People have felt safe and enjoyed all that our city has to offer, further cementing Victoria’s position as a world leader in major events.”
“White Night has been a synonymous fixture of Melbourne’s vibrant cultural calendar, providing an ongoing adventure from dusk to dawn for Melbournians and visitors alike, transforming the city’s iconic architecture, inner-city parklands and world renowned cultural venues.”
The excitement is anticipated to build even further as White Night heads to Ballarat in four weeks time to enchant regional audiences. “White Night Ballarat will offer the chance for Melbournians to get out of town to experience regional Victoria’s very special brand of White Night in the first of its three events,” said White Night Artistic Director and Executive Producer David Atkins.
White Night Ballarat takes place from 7.00pm on Saturday 17 March 2018. For more information, visit: www.whitenight.com.au for details.
Image: Alexandra Gardens hosted the installation, La Terra Al Centro Dell’ Universo – photo by Rohan Shearn