White Night Melbourne 2017

Last night through this morning was the fifth year of White Night Melbourne, which runs from 7pm to 7am around the CBD and surrounds. This year featured some interesting pieces and light projections spread across the various precincts in the city. I began my evening/early morning at the NGV where they had the special projections Viktor&Rolf - Inside Out by the Electric Canvas on the facade in honor of the current Viktor&Rolf: Fashion Artists exhibition.

My next stop was the Alexandra Gardens, which had some fantastic installations, including Love This Way by Carla O'Brien, and the whimsical garden wonderland with giant white inflatable rabbits called Intrude by Amanda Parer, along with the plants Peony and Herbum Follus by Tilt.

Also located in the Alexandra Gardens and other locations around the CBD was a fantastic series called The Secret Life Of Statues by Mitch Gow and Eloise Kent, where Melbourne's famous statues such as the Pathfinder, Matthew Flinders, the Three Businessmen and Francis Ormond revealed different sides of their personalities.

This year saw the welcome return of the light projections along Flinders Street. More Than 1 Nation, a collaboration between The Electric Canvas and Pitcha Makin Fellas, had projections on Flinders Street Train Station about the many nations of Indigenous Australia and the impact of colonisation.

The buildings along Flinders Street across from Federation Square were lit up by projections by The Electric Canvas which told various Fractured Fairytales in a comic strip style.

Up at the State Library they once again had projections outside and inside the building. On the exterior was The Night Garden by Lisa Greenaway, Nick Azidis and Rose Staff, with projections inspired by the medieval poem "The Romance Of The Rose" by Guillaume de Loris.

Inside the dome of the La Trobe Reading Room was Seadragon's Lair by Sheree Marris, Lisa Greenway and John Power, which showcased what lives underwater in Port Phillip Bay.

The Carlton Gardens site was expanded this year and had quite a few interesting pieces. Pixel Fruit by Tim Newman had LED lanterns hanging from the branches of a large tree. The Sonic Light Bubble by Eness was an interactive piece that responded to touch. The mesmerising Nebulous by Alex Sanson was a kinetic sculpture that slowly expanded and contracted.

The large expanse of the Royal Exhibition Building was once again utilised to great effect with the projection Rhythms Of The Night by Artists in Motion, which explored the four stages of sleep.

The final piece I checked out was the 5:30 am performance of The Pyrophone Juggernaut by Hubbub Music in association with Strut and Fret. The ship-shaped structure is the largest hand-operated, multi-octive fire organ in the world and it was amazing to watch the group of musicians play the pipes by lighting the gas flowing through the pipes with blow torches. It was an unique way to end my White Night experience for 2017.