brisbane Festival 2024: City to Explode with Colourful Art and Performances
Table of Contents
- brisbane Festival 2024: City to Explode with Colourful Art and Performances
- Craig & Karl to Transform Brisbane’s Bridges
- Baleen Moondjan: A First nations Story on the Brisbane River
- Queensland Stories Take Center Stage
- Reviving Brisbane’s Theatre Scene
- International Performances and a Look Towards 2032
- Key Events at a Glance
- Brisbane’s Cultural Landscape: A Brief History
- Frequently Asked Questions About Brisbane Festival 2024
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Brisbane is set to become a massive outdoor art gallery this September, as the Brisbane Festival 2024 takes over the city with brightly coloured inflatables, sculptures, and a diverse program of performances. The festival, directed by Louise Bezzina, promises an “explosion of unusual colour” and a focus on “grand public spectacles and engagement and joy.”
Craig & Karl to Transform Brisbane’s Bridges
Internationally acclaimed australian artists and designers Craig Redman and Karl Maier, known as Craig & Karl, will create colourful, inflatable installations on three of Brisbane’s central walking bridges. They will also present a public art trail featuring sculptures, inflatable installations, projections, and animations throughout the city. This Brisbane takeover marks their most aspiring project to date, following prosperous installations in cities like London, hong Kong, and Seoul.
Griffith University Art Museum, where Redman and Maier studied graphic design, will host an exhibition of their diverse work, including art projects, magazine covers, and commercial collaborations with brands like Chanel, Adidas, and Apple. The exhibition is described as a “gorgeous homecoming” for the duo.
Did You Know? Craig & Karl collaborate remotely, with Craig based in London and Karl in New York, showcasing the power of global artistic partnerships.
Baleen Moondjan: A First nations Story on the Brisbane River
A highlight of the festival is the large-scale remounting of Stephen Page’s outdoor performance, Baleen Moondjan. The performance, which premiered at the Adelaide Festival in 2024, will “return home” to Queensland, the home state of Page and designer jacob Nash. Inspired by a story from Page’s grandmother, a member of the Ngugi/Nunukul/moondjan people of Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island), Baleen Moondjan celebrates First Nations connections between baleen whales and community totemic systems.
In Brisbane, the show will be staged on a barge in Maiwar/the Brisbane River, with the audience seated in a purpose-built outdoor theater at Queens Wharf. Nash’s dramatic set design, featuring giant whale bones, will be visible from the Neville Bonner Bridge.
“Celebrating local First Nations stories is vital to our community and as we share who we are with the world.Baleen dose this magnificently,” said Bezzina.
Queensland Stories Take Center Stage
The festival will also feature Queensland stories, including Back to Bilo, a play co-presented by Queensland Theatre. This play tells the story of the Nadesalingam family, Tamil Sri Lankan asylum seekers who were forcibly removed from Biloela in 2018. The play draws on hundreds of hours of interviews to present the family’s story and the community’s fight to bring them back home. According to the australian Human Rights Commission, asylum seekers experience significant mental health challenges due to prolonged detention and uncertainty Australian Human Rights Commission.
A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen, inspired by the story of the family behind the Brisbane restaurant of the same name, will feature singer-songwriter Josh Hinton cooking his grandmother’s chicken curry while sharing stories of family, community, culture, and food.
Reviving Brisbane’s Theatre Scene
The neglected Brisbane theatre,Twelfth Night,in Bowen Hills,will be transformed into a cabaret club for the festival’s offering,Gatsby at the Green Light,inspired by F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby. The theatre, known for its “old-world charm,” aims to reintroduce Brisbane audiences to the space in a new way.
Pro Tip: Check the Brisbane Festival website for showtimes and ticket availability, as popular events tend to sell out quickly.
International Performances and a Look Towards 2032
International highlights include the Australian premiere of LA Dance Project‘s Gems, choreographed by Benjamin Millepied, and the world premiere of Bad Nature, a collaboration between the Brisbane-based Australasian Dance Collective and Dutch company Club Guy & Roni.
Bezzina stated that this year’s festival is “very much about looking toward Brisbane 2032, the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the journey that we have from now till then and then.” The festival aims to showcase the capacity and ambition of Brisbane’s artists and use the city as a stage to bring arts and culture to the forefront.
Key Events at a Glance
| Event | Description | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Craig & Karl Installations | Colourful inflatable art on bridges and a city-wide art trail. | Various locations throughout Brisbane |
| Baleen Moondjan | Outdoor performance celebrating first Nations stories. | Maiwar/Brisbane river, Queens Wharf |
| Back to Bilo | Play about the Nadesalingam family. | Queensland Theatre |
| gatsby at the Green Light | Cabaret club inspired by The Great gatsby. | Twelfth Night Theatre, Bowen Hills |
| LA Dance Project’s Gems | Australian premiere of Benjamin Millepied’s choreography. | TBA |
Brisbane’s Cultural Landscape: A Brief History
Brisbane has a rich history of arts and culture, with the Brisbane Festival playing a significant role in shaping the city’s identity. The festival, held annually, showcases a diverse range of performances, exhibitions, and installations, attracting both local and international audiences. Over the years, the festival has evolved to reflect the changing cultural landscape of Brisbane, embracing First Nations stories, contemporary art forms, and international collaborations. According to a 2023 report by the Australia Council for the Arts, cultural events like the Brisbane Festival contribute significantly to the local economy and enhance the city’s vibrancy Australia Council for the Arts.
Frequently Asked Questions About Brisbane Festival 2024
- What are the key highlights of the Brisbane Festival 2024?
- The festival features colourful inflatable installations by Craig & karl, the First Nations performance Baleen Moondjan, the play Back to Bilo, and international dance performances.
- Where will the Craig & Karl art installations be located during the Brisbane festival?
- The installations will be on three central walking bridges and throughout the city as part of a public art trail.
- What is Baleen Moondjan about, and where will it be performed during the Brisbane Festival?
- Baleen Moondjan celebrates First Nations connections to baleen whales and will be performed on a barge in the Brisbane River at Queens Wharf.
- How does the play Back to Bilo contribute to the Brisbane Festival’s themes?
- Back to Bilo tells the story of the Nadesalingam family, highlighting community and resilience, and is a Queensland story.
- Where can I experience Gatsby at the Green Light during the Brisbane Festival?
- Gatsby at the green Light will transform the Twelfth Night Theatre in Bowen Hills into a cabaret club.
- Who is Benjamin Millepied, and what is his connection to the Brisbane Festival?
- Benjamin Millepied is a former principal with the New York City Ballet and choreographer of Black Swan; his work gems will premiere at the festival.
- What is the overall vision for the Brisbane Festival as it looks towards the 2032 olympics?
- The festival aims to showcase Brisbane’s artistic capacity and use the city as a stage for arts and culture, preparing for the 2032 Olympics.
What are you most excited to see at the Brisbane Festival 2024? will you be attending any of the performances or art installations?
Share your thoughts in the comments below and don’t forget to share this article with your friends!
