Earth, sustainability and place making will be the focus of the February program during the ongoing 2019/2020 season of MPavilion.

An initiative of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, MPavilion features a five-month-long program of free events with the latest edition taking inspiration from its architect, Glenn Murcutt. Guided by Murcutt’s philosophy to ‘touch the earth lightly’, MPavilion’s February program revolves around the topical theme of ‘Earth: A Place of Reconciliation, A Reconciliation of Place’, and includes more than 40 talks, workshops and experiences centred on sustainability, designing for the future, food resources, and place making. 

The February 2020 program features Hans Ulrich Obrist, the internationally renowned Swiss curator and artistic director of London’s Serpentine Galleries, in conversation with Tarrawarra Museum’s Victoria Lynn.

Highlights also include a six-day symposium with London’s Royal College of Art; MPavilion Book Club with The Conversation; An action-packed AsiaTOPA residency; Eco-centric events specially curated by Green Magazine; Performances by Chunky Move, Music in Exile and Iceclaw; Talks and workshops by HIP V. HYPE, CERES, Grimshaw practice leader Dr Paul Toyne, educator-artist Kate Ellis, Paralympic gold medallist Sam Bramham, fashion industry elder Janice Breen Burns, and BLAKitecture consultants Sarah Lynn Rees and Jack Mitchell; and MRelay - Climate Crisis, a talk-marathon for our times, powered by local thinkers from a broad range of generations, backgrounds and life experiences. 

MPavilion’s February program

MMeets:

CERES Presents ‘Kitchen Garden Workshop’ Sat 8 Feb, 1.30–2.15pm and 2.30–3.15pm. From organic waste recycling to growing a kitchen garden, CERES shares simple and effective ways to integrate sustainable practices into daily life.

Royal College of Art (London) X MPavilion Presents ‘What is Home?’ Tue 11 to Sun 16 Feb, 9.00am–5.00pm each day. A special collaboration between RCA and MPavilion, this six-day symposium explores the concept of ‘the home’ and ideas for future housing. Steered by Dr Tarsha Finney and presented by RACV, these workshops comprise talks from local experts, visits to sites of significance, and presentations from City Futures MA students. 

Friday Sunset Series – Chunky Move X MPavilion Fri 14 Feb, 6.00–9.00pm. Move your body and your spirit with contemporary dance company Chunky Move.

Dog Walking Adventures in the City with Tom + Captain Sun 16 Feb, 10.00–11.00am. A chance for humans and dogs to meander with new friends through Melbourne’s laneways, arcades and streets.

AsiaTOPA Takeover Wed 19 Feb to Sun 15 Mar, 12.30–1.30pm. Showcasing an astounding array of artists from across the Asia-Pacific region, the Asia-Pacific Triennial of Performing Arts program includes a month-long residency of lunchtime performances, onsite at MPavilion.

Grimshaw Presents ‘Design solutions: Three Decades of Sustainability, Regeneration and the Challenge to do more’ Mon 17 Feb, 7.30–9.00pm. Join Dr Paul Toyne, sustainability practice leader at Grimshaw, as he explores architecture’s role in sustainable future living.

Know Life Meditation Club with A-Space Wed 19 Feb, 7.00–7.45am. Join A-Space for a guided meditation to start your day feeling refreshed and focused.

CERES Presents ‘Indigenous Plants and Bush Tucker’ Sat 22 Feb, 10.00–10.45am & 11.00–11.45am. Get to know indigenous plants and their ability to enhance biodiversity, while learning about local seasons, and ways that plants can be used for food, drink, medicine and building materials.

MVA Public Forum on the Moon ‘Mini’ Wed 26 Feb, 6.15–8.15pm. With Annie Handmer at the helm, a diverse group of space-experts discuss the deeper ethical issues associated with being in space. Speakers include Alice Gorman, Ceridwen Dovey, Donna Lawler and Gabrielle Harris.

Living Melbourne: A Practitioner’s Toolkit to Improve Urban Biodiversity Thu 27 Feb, 6.15–7.15pm. How can we build resilience through nature? Resilient Melbourne shares the lessons learnt while developing Living Melbourne - a strategy and report to enhance urban greening. In partnership with The Nature Conservancy.

Kecak Dance: The Vocal Chanting of Bali Sat 29 Feb, 2.30–3.00pm. Integrating vocals, dance and drama, the traditional Balinese Kecak dance or, ‘Monkey Dance’ will be performed at MPavilion by theatre students from the Victorian College of Arts, under the direction of esteemed Balinese Kecak master I Wayan Dibia.

MTalks:

Hans Ulrich Obrist in conversation with Victoria Lynn Sun 2 Feb, 3.30–4.30pm. Culturally iconic, Swiss curator Obrist has energised generations of artists, designers, architects and thinkers. Join Lynn in an Australian exclusive as they investigate earth, creativity, actualisation and accessibility.

We’ve Declared a Climate Emergency, Now What the F**k do we do? Wed 5 Feb, 6.15–7.15pm. Led by sustainability experts HIP V. HYPE, this climate talk is all about climate action. 

Only as Healthy as Your Postcode Fri 7 Feb 12.30–1.30pm. Does your suburb affect your health and wellbeing? Hear from a panel of planners, designers and academics as they unpack the question, and propose new ways forward.

The Caretaker Sun 9 Feb, 2.00–3.30pm. Learn how Victoria’s First Peoples connect, care and read cultural heritage, with a particular focus on growing, harvesting and cooking Bush tucker. A special M_Curators event.

Global Gardens of Peace Presents ‘Collision/Collusion: Reading the Landscape’ Mon 10 Feb, 5.30–6.45pm. How can landscape design bring about cultural and social transformation? This specially crafted workshop invites participants to share, explore and develop ideas around the potential of public space to empower communities. 

Transitioning for Survival Mon 10 Feb, 7.30–8.30pm. Join educator-artist Kate Ellis, yoga teacher Lucienne Shanti, Paralympic gold medallist Sam Bramham, and Chunky Move dancer and choreographer Sarah Aiken as they discuss the pains and gains of flux.

BLAKitecture: Speculative Reciprocity Tue 18 Feb, 6.15–7.15pm. Co-curated by consultants Sarah Lynn Rees and Jack Mitchell, this BLAKitecture forum talk aims to stimulate community empowerment by proposing alternative models of reciprocity.

‘Wednesday Assembly’ with Lauren Taylor & Simon Winkler 19 Feb, 6.15–7.15pm. Part of an ongoing series throughout the season with 3RRR’s Breaking & Entering. Special guests will respond to the February program theme, ‘Earth: A Place of Reconciliation, A Reconciliation of Place’. 

Fashionably moral; the new luxury. Dress ethically, sustainably in exquisite couture and artisan brands Sat 22 Feb 3.00–4.00pm. How can craft, couture and heritage values address sustainability and ethical supply problems in the fashion industry today? Join fashion industry elder Janice Breen Burns and Melbourne-based independent designers Estelle Michaelides, Julie Goodwin, Kara Baker and Nevada Duffy as they unpick questions around design and production in modern fashion.

MRelay:

Presented by RACV, MRelay – Climate Crisis is on Sat 8 Feb, 10.00am–12.00pm. Curated by our M_Curators, the annual MRelay series will bring together movers and shakers to tackle one of the most pressing topics of our time – climate change. 

Kiosk and Sunset Series:

MPavilion’s onsite licensed kiosk is open every day from 9am to 4pm, throughout the MPavilion season. Sunset Series, happening every Friday night, is a showcase of Melbourne’s favourite DJs and musicians. The kiosk stocks Victorian food and beverages exclusively, including beer by SAMPLE Brewing, wine by ShadowFax, spirits by Four Pillars Gin, sodas by CAPI and coffee by Three Thousand Thieves. This year, MPavilion’s kiosk recruitment has also involved collaboration with social enterprises Merchant Road and Scarf.

This 2019/2020 season marks the sixth realisation of MPavilion, which is initiated and commissioned by the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, with support from the City of Melbourne, Victorian State Government through Creative Victoria and Development Victoria, ANZ and RACV. 

MPavilion is free to the public in the Queen Victoria Gardens until Sunday 22 March 2020. Please visit www.mpavilion.org.