Aphids 20th Birthday

Posted by Natalie Thomas on November 19, 2014 in Australian Art, Melbourne Art | 1 Comment

“On the very cutting edge of irrelevance to mainstream Australia”, said Aphids Artistic Director Willoh S Weiland, at a function to conclude a screen residency at Federation Square last week. Aphids also celebrated their 20^th birthday. Aphids is an artist led cultural organization, making epic contemporary art projects, across art forms and borders. There’s video, endurance performance, collaboration with community groups aplenty and art popping up in unusual places like Deep Space or the Dromana Drive-In. And a big online footprint. There’s also a penchant for big questions and big revelations:

‘What represents humanity in the face of infinity?’

‘What do we feel, what do we do in those last few seconds before The End?’

http://aphids.net

There’s multiple possibilities for Armageddon. It’s like if Carrie Bradshaw became a science geek and began wondering about the universe instead of obsessing over Mr. Big. Reading Stephen Hawkings instead of Cosmo (no sexy sealed section, just Big Bang).

A project might be ‘Built from a palette of online collaborative performances developed over time.’ I don’t know what exactly this means, but I wish I’d thought of it. Aphids collects partners like Carrie collects Manolos. Public, private, corporate, community, the partnership deals range the full spectrum of fiscal possibilities. Aphids screen residency at Federation Square, the conclusion of Somewhere over the Rainbow, had my ten-year-old daughter (who clearly is a creative genius) wondering aloud: “What is art? Can this packet of popcorn be art Mum?” Good question Maxie.