UPDATE - THIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT
For one night only we open up our Switch gallery for an intimate dinner amongst the artworks.
Join us for a special evening of food, art and performance in our Switch Gallery.
The evening will commence with a complimentary glass of red, white or sparkling wine on arrival to get you started and onto the first unique performance of the night. Get ready to explore and be enthralled by the essence of the VOGUE ballroom community by Western Sydney performer, Kilia.
Then take a seat amongst the art and music, in the Switch Gallery as it transforms into a dining experience to enjoy a delicious two-course meal specially curated by the chefs from our in-house restaurant, Bellbird Dining & Bar. The menu will draw inspiration from the art, the stories and performances, where all your senses will be tantalised; sight, hearing and taste Throughout the evening and in-between courses, you will have the opportunity to meet artists My Le Thi and Azo Bell, who are exhibiting as part of the Jamming with Strangers exhibition at Casula Powerhouse. What makes the evening extra special is the collection of professional musicians who have been invited to perform on My Le Thi and Azo Bell’s newly commissioned artwork titled ‘Gukoongboom,’ which is both a sculptural installation and an interactive instrument. The centrepiece of the installation is a tuned percussion structure built from painted PVC pipes. Join hosts Craig Donarski (CPAC Director) and Luke Létourneau (CPAC Curator) as they take you on an unforgettable evening of art, stories, performance, food and music.
** vegetarian menu available
The installation is inspired by My Le’s memories of village life in the Vietnamese Central Highlands, where music was an essential part of the community.
Traditional musical instruments were made from natural materials such as rocks, wood, gourds, animal horns, animal skins, vines and bamboo. People made music on their way to work in the fields at dawn until returning at sunset. The villagers removed the hull from the rice grains by crushing them in waist-high wooden mortars with long wooden pestles. The grinding sound created a joyful afternoon rhythm - guk goong boom, guk goong boom ... When night fell, they would make an open fire on the ground, share food and stories and continue to play music, mainly on bamboo, gourd instruments and gongs. The sounds were variable but came together as a whole, blending in the air with the wind, the sounds of the fire, wildlife and the river running nearby.
Culture is habitat for music and the arts. Loss of traditional community leaves the music homeless and vulnerable to extinction. This loss of connection between music and the community is being felt all over the world. Fortunately, the Gong Culture of the Vietnamese Central Highlands is now recognised as world heritage by UNESCO.
In this project we aim to create a communal feeling through music. The centrepiece of the installation is a tuned percussion structure built from painted PVC pipes. The played ends will be arranged in 7 groups of 3 so that to play all the pipes will require 7 players standing 2 metres apart. The 3 notes at each of these 7 playing stations will be at 10th intervals, with each playing station having one bass, one midrange and one treble note allowing harmonic and melodic interest from across the sonic spectrum to be produced by one player. This arrangement will mandate musical collaboration and physical distancing when more players join in.