Fire and Ice: celebrating winter at the National Portrait Gallery
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There’s a certain beauty in a Canberra winter. Yes, the sub-zero mornings may be ‘challenging’, but the bright blue skies and short crisp days really are something to celebrate.
The National Portrait Gallery (NPG) agrees, and has created a free event dedicated to winter. From 11am to 4:30pm this Sunday 3 August, the NPG will be transformed into Winter Festival: Fire and Ice.
The Festival is the brainchild of Karen Vickery, the NPG’s Manager, Access and Learning, who wanted to create an event connecting portraiture and winter, drawing people into the warmth of the Gallery during the colder months. It’s set to be a packed program that truly celebrates the two elements of ice and fire, with artists and designers creating works that respond to the theme, entertainment, literature and more!
But perhaps the highlight of the Festival is a fashion parade that will showcase the work of local designers, including MAAK, Perpetually Five and Corr Blimey.
Louisa de Smet, one half of the Corr Blimey design duo, says the designers have been challenged to create their interpretation of a ice queen or fire queen. But if you’re thinking Elsa from Frozen, you’re on the wrong track…Louisa says her ice queen is far more Tilda Swinton’s Ice Queen than Disney princess.
“I’ve been drawing inspiration from what’s around me, and looking at lots of pictures of snowscapes and nature…but there seems to be a lot of the ‘same old’, and I really want to move away from the cliche,” she says.
“I want it to be textural and sharp and frosty.”
Louisa says she plans to use Tyvek – a super sturdy, synthetic recyclable material with crunchy, iridescent properties that can be worked into nice sculptural forms.
It’s a real departure from Corr Blimey’s streetwear, and Louisa says she enjoys the challenge of doing something so big and bold in a public arena.
“The idea is that we work on the garment in the gallery and it has to be wearable. People will be able to ask questions about the process as we work, which is an unusual way to work.”
With many designers used to working alone, Louise says the concept of designers working in a space where interaction is encouraged is exciting and unpredictable.
“It can be disruptive, but you can prepare for it by having a plan and an idea of timing. I have a design already prepared, but with this sort of brief, I may start off with an idea but it may change as the day wears on – plus working on a mannequin is very different to working on a body!”
What else is happening?
Ice sculptor, Glenn Smith will carve a bust of Sir Douglas Mawson (fitted out in his warmest beanie) throughout the day, with event patrons able to see the portrait emerge as the day wears on.
There’ll be a Winter Wonderland activity space where visitors can create snowflakes and snowmen, among other winter inspired creations. ‘Artists’ can add to the space through the day or take their creations home.
To contrast the winter chill, Acting Program Coordinator Katrina Osborne says that the organisers wanted and “build in the idea of rugging up”, so there’ll short instalments of fire twirling, and Fireside Tales, a literary event where selected contributors will be invited to share aloud or perform their response to the portrait, Winter Time.
Victoria Lees will be yarn-bombing, and visitors will be invited to have a say in how her giant sculptural installation evolves over the course of the day; and The Etcetera duo, featuring Russell Garbutt and Julia Cotton, will perform their eclectic mix of comedy, mime, magic and illusion in two sessions.
PLAN YOUR VISIT
The Big Chill: Fireside Tales
Join us for a literary event where selected contributors will be invited to share aloud or perform their response to the portrait, Winter Time. There will be prizes awarded by honorary judge, Associate Professor Paul Hetherington from the University of Canberra.
3.00 – 4.30pm, Terrace Room 1
Activity Space: Winter Wonderland
Create snowflakes and snowmen among other winter inspired creations
11.00 – 4.00pm, Terrace Room 2
Ice Sculpting: Glenn Smith from Ice Designs
Glenn Smith, ice sculptor extraordinaire will carve a busy of Sir Douglas Mawson – get along to witness the portrait emerge.
11.00 – 1.30pm, Western Courtyard
Performance: The Etcetera Duo
11.00 – 11.30pm and 2.15 – 2.45pm, Gordon Darling Hall
Fashion designers
Local designers, including Rockstars and Royalty and Louisa de Smet from Corr Blimey, will be creating winter inspired garments using unconventional materials over the course of the day. This will culminate in a fashion parade that you won’t want to miss at 2.45pm.
Creation: 11.00 – 2.45pm, Galleries 1 and 2; Fashion parade 2.45 – 3.00pm, Gordon Darling Hall
Artist led participatory installation: Victoria Lees
Journey with artist Victoria Lees and have your say in how her giant sculptural installation evolves over the course of the day.
11.00 – 4.00pm, Gordon Darling Hall
Fire twirling
Catch a brief fire twirling performance to contrast the winter chill.
12.00 – 12.15pm and 1.45 – 2.00pm, Forecourt
the essentials
What: Winter Festival: Fire and Ice
When: 11am to 4:30pm, Sunday 3 August
Where: National Portrait Gallery, King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Web: www.portrait.gov.au
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