Art, Not Apart

On Saturday, I and thousands of other Canberrans enjoyed an afternoon of sun, art and entertainment at this years Art, Not Apart festival. With around 200 artists spread around New Acton down to the new Westside district by Lake Burley Griffin, the place was buzzing with people and excitement. With displays ranging from performances, interactive works, workshops, and even a beach party, there was something for everyone.

With the festival aimed at bringing people together, many of the artists incorporated this into their work. Eddie Botha, who had travelled up from Melbourne just to take part, drew people as they walked past for his piece Australia: Past, Present and Future so they were directly involved in the show.

This was the same at the interactive exhibit Perception ≠ Reality, by Dax Liniere, in which participants put on a pair of goggles with mirrors attached, limiting their vision to what’s behind and beside them, and follow a path guided by rope. Putting the goggles on and feeling completely disorientated as I walked the 55 metre path, it was definitely a unique and fun concept for an art festival.

Further down near the lake were the Terrorariums and their home grown terrariums, which are glass jars with plants grown inside to create a mini ecosystem. As well as having their own creations on display, the guys were running workshops throughout the day for people to create their own, which were all booked out.

All of the artists I spoke to said they couldn’t be happier with the turnout and reaction of visitors, and the organisation of the event. The Terrorariums had a casual approach, saying they were not so much artists as just guys who make stuff, and were excited at the amount of interest on the day.

Art, Not Apart, through its relaxed approach to bringing people together through art saw New Acton and Lake Burley Griffin swarming with people. Food stalls and cafes alongside the displays made it an event that families and singles could enjoy as they took part in one of the biggest art shows in Canberra.

By Jamie Davies