Party time: Teenagers dancing and celebrating at a recent  Teens Art Party at the National Gallery of Victoria. Photo: Eugene Hyland

ART NEWS: Teenagers will get up close and personal with artworks by Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keeffe, Camille Henrot, and Vincent van Gogh during the MoMA at NGV Teens Art Party.

BY KAZAD  

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA- The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) Teens Art Party is an annual festival. It brings together teenagers aged 13 – 17 from across Australia to enjoy art in the museum. In its sixth year, this year’s event has been slated for September 22, 2018.

As with other years, many activities have been lined up to make the NGV Teens Art Party memorable.  A major part of this year’s Teens Art Party is putting teenagers in direct contact with artworks by famous artists.  They will get up close and personal with artworks by Frida Kahlo, Georgia O’Keeffe, Camille Henrot, and Vincent van Gogh during the MoMA at NGV Teens Art Party. The action-packed teen-only event offers teenagers exclusive after-hours access to MoMA at NGV: 130 Years of Modern. Australian Paralympic gold medallist Dylan Alcott OAM and featuring Melbourne’s DJ Small FRY will host the event.

In addition to experiencing art, teens will also get the opportunity to create their own art.  In what has been termed Art Battle, teens will compete on stage to create their own masterpieces. Taking inspiration from artworks in MoMA at NGV, including the Portrait of Joseph Roulin by Vincent van Gogh and Self-portrait with cropped hair by Frida Kahlo, they will race against the clock to show their artistic skills. Winners will receive prize packs from the NGV design store.

Entrepreneurship and Social Life

Although art is the central focus of the Teens Art Party celebration, however, is not just about art.  It is also about imparting knowledge about business and entrepreneurship. In addition to all the celebrations, there will also be talks about how teenagers can start and grow their own business. For this section of the party, 17-year old entrepreneur Morgan Hipworth, owner of Windsor donut store Bistro Morgan will talk about his New York City-inspired doughnuts. Additionally, he will discuss personal experiences of his meteoric rise to success.

The Teens Art Party will also include important discussions about what is happening in society.  The perception of disability in society will be the focus of Alcott OAM’s live talk at the event. He will also discuss how teenagers can be part of its normalization in everyday life.

 Teen Excitement Party

For more than six years, the Teen Art Party has been a major source of excitement for teenagers across Victoria.  It has attracted more than 6,000 guests and continues to be a success. Charlotte, the 16-year-old 2018 Teen Council member explains that the event is always so much fun:

The Art Party is such a fun and relaxing space for teenagers to be in. You get to see the major exhibition on display, have great food and listen to good music all while meeting new people and building new relationships. It’s an incredible celebration of art, culture and diversity, and we’re so lucky to have this event right here in Melbourne,’ notes Charlotte, the 16-year-old 2018 Teen Council member.

Since its inception, NGV has continued to be vital.  It is a necessary civic space for young people to foster their creativity and self-expression while connecting with like-minded peers.’ Above all, enjoy art.  Tony Ellwood AM, Director, NGV succinctly describes the impact of the annual event on teenagers across Melbourne. He notes:

The Teen Art Party is a key event on the social calendar of many teens throughout the state and this invaluable experience offers them the unique opportunity to view some of the most renowned artworks from New York’s Museum of Modern Art right here in Melbourne.

A group of 11 teenagers who volunteer their time to learn about the inner workings of the gallery and support teen initiatives such as the Teen Art Party contributed to the NGV event.  The focus is not just on art and fun. The event is also an opportunity to learn and share knowledge about teen experiences.

Teens Art Party at MoMA at NGV: 130 Years of Modern

Roy Lichtenstein (American 1923–97), Drowning Girl 1963. Oil and synthetic polymer paint on canvas 171.6 x 169.5 cm. The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Philip Johnson Fund (by exchange) and the gift of Mr. and Mrs. Bagley Wright, 1971 © Estate of Roy Lichtenstein/Licensed by Copyright Agency, 2018

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