Splendour in The Grass

Monday July 26, 2006
SPLENDOUR IN THE ARTS!

Splendour organisers are proud to present SPLENDOUR IN THE ARTS, an exciting myriad of arts based performances, sideshows, installations and mayhem designed for mass crowd entertainment. From the sublime to the ridiculous, SPLENDOUR IN THE ARTS has something for everyone.

Do not pass go! First stop should be THE TENT OF MIRACLES (Super Top oval) where Andy Forbes and his crew will present THE CHURCH OF TWO HANDS AND A CHICKEN. Making their Splendour return, this carnival of militant religious freaks will be performing a host of rituals including same-sex weddings, divorces, exorcisms, faith healings, whippings and of course the refining of high grade uranium. Confused? Scared? You should be! THE TENT OF MIRACLES is a must stop destination at SPLENDOUR IN THE GRASS.

PERFORMANCE TIMES – THE CHURCH OF TWO HANDS & A CHICKEN
Saturday 22nd – 2pm, 5pm, 8pm, 12pm & Sunday 23rd – 2pm, 5pm, 8pm

The Channel [V] Confession Van will also be on site, near the Tent Of Miracles. Go and confess your sins, redeem your soul and get your 5 minutes of fame on TV!

Also on the Super Top oval will be CHUNG LEE SOO'S DOUBLE DRAGON SPIRIT SHOW. This massive sideshow attraction takes festival Art a step further, into a grand theater of spectacle and illusion. Amidst the smoke from a giant cauldron shaped stage, two towering red dragons majestically rise up to clasp a spinning crystal, from their open jaws the dragons breathe smoke and light beams high into the night sky. A surrealist troupe of beautifully made up dancers and circus acrobats inhabit this ghostly realm, where they float, disappear and reappear under the phantasmagoric powers of Chung Lee Soo a traveling Victorian magician. Clint Hurrell, who has a long history of public sculpture, alternative theatre and extreme performance, conceived this sideshow. Clint has created adventurous entertainment for many festivals and public events. Be sure to check out the stunning Super Top Chandelier, the Obelisk Light Towers and the strobe ring of Tetrahedron Stars – also by Clint Hurrell.

PERFORMANCE TIMES – DOUBLE DRAGON SPIRIT SHOW
Saturday July 22nd at 8pm, 10pm, 12pm & Sunday July 23rd at 7pm, 9pm & 11pm

If you thought garden gnomes were strictly the domain of lifestyle programs & uni pranks, think again. Artist Remo Vallance, (who is the recipient of the 2006 Splendour In the Grass emerging artist grant) is proud to present ROCK N GNOMES. Gnomes represent an accepted suburban identity – the freedom of self-expression in domestic idealised bliss. But not these gnomes. These two giant, mumbling gnomes are distressed about their current situation. Illuminated for all to see, these gnomes at Splendour will be larger than life to welcome all to the large garden that is Splendour in the Grass.

Over in the new Global Village, MR CHOWS CINEMA will make its debut with a three-screen program of shorts, animation and feature films. SCREEN 1 will feature the 2006 Academy Award nominated film The Mysterious Geographic Explorations of Jasper Morello as well as Anthony Lucas’ animations spin gothic horror adventures alongside outback dramas, in silhouette and clay. Screen 1 presents a collection from this Australia’s auteur animator, accompanied by local gems as curated by the Byron Film Club. SCREEN 2 features Trips through Animated Space: a dynamic selection of international animations that explore the moving camera. This includes Michel Gondry’s Star Guitar and Adrian Lokman’s Barcode: a road-movie through an abstract virtual world. And SCREEN 3 will feature movies by cinema’s reigning romantic, Wong Kar Wai, the most respected and imitated writer-director in Hong Kong. His second feature Days of Being Wild, a dreamy vision of the 1960s revolves around six characters, all desperately seeking or shying away from love. In the Mood For Love, surely the most beautiful almost-affair in cinema, introduced Wong to a wider audience, achieving box-office success on a par with Amélie or Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. And 2046, the third part of this loose trilogy is a sumptuous, breathtakingly sublime romance marrying cutting-edge cinematic style with exquisite old-fashioned romanticism. All 3 features are stunningly shot by Australian cinematographer Chris Doyle.

SCREENING TIMES:
Saturday July 22nd from 6pm – 2am & Sunday July 23rd from 6pm – midnight

At the main entrance to Splendour you’ll be able to catch SERA TONIN’S PANEL-VAN SHOW by artist Simone O’Brien. At the Adelaide Fringe Festival 2004, Simone transformed her 1990 XF Ford Falcon panel-van into Australia’s most intimate venue. In a unique moment of motoring and theatre history, she invited audiences to “rock up and rock in” to the van. For 20 minutes, audiences got to lie back and remember the special ambience and intimacy unique to panel-vans. They now get to join with in with their host, Sera Tonin, as she rocks along to her fave ‘Chisel tunes whilst she performs her peculiar blend of panel-van acrobatics. Astounding. You gotta get inside to experience the fully decked out interior of Australia’s smallest venue, Sera Tonin’s 1990 XF Ford Falcon Panel-van. Gasp at unbelievable feats of contortion and panel-van acrobatics. Sing along to all 9 verses of Khe Sahn or else get the van rockin’ to some other great Chisel faves.

PERFORMANCE TIMES:
Friday July 21st evening, Saturday July 22nd daytime & Sunday July 23rd daytime