Nightshifts

Curated by Hannah Presley and Annika Aitken, nightshifts looked to the ‘after hours’ as a metaphor to explore the potentially generative qualities of rest, privacy and temporary seclusion from peers and the public. Spanning a range of themes, histories and media, the exhibition offered a meditative counterpoint to the recurring emphasis on light and collaboration in art making and contemporary curatorial practice.

Presented at Buxton Contemporary from 26 May to 29 October 2023, the exhibition offered a conceptual exploration of the work and deep thinking that happened away from the public eye: unseen moments alone in the studio, during the quiet of the night, and subconsciously while asleep. Rather than focusing on notions of loneliness or despair, the works demonstrated the fertile aspects of solo practice and the meditative, flow-like work states and the periods of quiet and downtime that naturally followed the completion of projects. Meditation through arts practice was explored through works where breathing and mark-making were inextricably linked, and an investigation of Deep Listening demonstrated the power of singular focus to sharpen attention and reveal things ‘unseen’. The physical journey through the exhibition moved through subtle transitions in light, colour and sound, evoking the shift from dusk to dawn.

nightshifts provided new points of access to works in the University of Melbourne collections, including celebrated artists Shaun Gladwell, Tracey Moffatt, Callum Morton, Mike Parr, Mikala Dwyer, Teelah George, Marco Fusinato, Mabel Juli, Louise Weaver and Peter Booth. In addition, a number of commissions and loans were selected to extend the exhibition themes.

“Annika and I were keen to consider the Buxton and wider Melbourne University collections through a different lens. We began by examining the work of artists who had created their most enigmatic work through solo studio practice and extended this investigation to encompass artists exploring the creatively abundant qualities of time spent alone. It was important to us to embrace the potential for solitude to be a positive and productive mechanism of artistic practice,” said Hannah Presley, Senior Curator, Museums and Collections.

Also in the exhibition were some selected new works, including:

●  Canberra-based artist Lisa Sammut’s new large-scale sculptural and moving image installation that connected cosmic and human timescales through the orbit of Halley’s Comet coinciding with an average human lifespan.

●  Gunditjmara and Keerray Woorroong artist Dr Vicki Couzens’ collaboration with Rob Bundle to present First Sound, First Light, an immersive soundscape that drew on the Indigenous concept of Deep Listening, utilising vocalisations, sounds and imagery from Country.

“We worked with Lisa Sammut, Dr Vicki Couzens and Rob Bundle to present two exciting new commissions for nightshifts. These works created space for pause and contemplation within the exhibition and were supported by a responsive design that moved through subtle transitions in light, colour and sound — evoking the shift from dusk to dawn,” said Annika Aitken, Curator, Museums and Collections.

Total visitation to nightshifts was 12,618 and nearly 1,000 students through academic engagement. This is the highest total visitation to an exhibition since the opening of Buxton Contemporary and the second highest daily visitation since Bauhaus Now!