## ART

Enveloping your senses at *The Wilds* is a new world on the boundaries of art and science—an evolving ecosystem of sculpture, soundscapes and digital movement-responsive art. Plants, humans, architecture and technology take on otherworldly forms in a multicellular meadow.

Exploring the dimension between nature and technology, the New York City-based Australian artists and creative technologists __Tin & Ed__ have nurtured a glowing biosphere driven by their deep curiosity for the natural world. Playful, technicolour bursts of newly imagined life forms inhabit a new world built from inflatable 3D sculptures and gaming technology.

Meanwhile, mythic architectural organisms will populate *The Wilds* care of the Filipino contemporary fine artist __Leeroy New__. Using the recycled bamboo bones of *The Wilds 2021*, New has constructed sprawling structures across the verdant amphitheatre. It’s a tangled, abundant landscape blurring the lines between the organic and constructed.


A voluminous inflatable, octopus-like creature with a giant eye in its centre sits in front of a blue lit Sidney Myer Music Bowl. The Melbourne skyline can be seen in the background. 

4x5 Monster by Tin & Ed. Image by Eugene Hyland RISING 2022. 

Against a dusky sky, nested among fluorescently lit skyscrapers, bioluminescent inflatable sea creatures and fungi glow.

4x5 Space—Psychopomp's Reef by Leeroy New. RISING 2022. Photo: Courtesy of the artist

ART AT THE WILDS

## FOOD

Life needs sustenance, a little fertiliser to keep cells multiplying and limbs limber. *The Wilds* has the nutrients you need to keep your beans sprouting—cult snacks, charcoal spits, plant-based morsels and layer upon layer of good times pasta.

Melbourne’s rock and roll vege boss, __Shannon Martinez__, brings her celebrated, plant-based, Fitzroy diner __Smith & Daughters__ to the Bowl. Find new twists on Smith & Daughters’ greatest hits and beloved B-Sides—faux-meat and three veg this is not.

Barrelling in from Thornbury is __1800 Lasagne__'s __Joey Kellock__—the big-hearted host with the most, responsible for the best slab of lasagne in town. The jazz-obsessed Kellock will bring his irrepressible party spirit, rich ragu and migliori melanzane.

Rolling down the grass from their glowing bistro at [*The Lighthouse*](/festival-program/the-lighthouse), are acclaimed chefs __David Moyle__ (The Saturday Paper Food Editor; formerly Franklin, Longsong), __Jo Barrett__ and __Matt Stone__ (futurefoodsystem, formerly Oakridge Wines).

Then there’s the elemental forces of fire and ice. Smoke and spice waft from __Hoy Pinoy__’s charcoal-fired skewers—Filipino barbeque handed down through generations, to Culinary Curator and Chef power couple __Regina and James Meehan__, .

Also keeping the fires roaring is Melbourne’s reigning masters of Argentinian barbeque, __The San Telmo Group__. Their team have exceptional cuts of meat and in-season vegetables flying off their woodfired grill. 

And to cool you down when things heat up, __Piccolina Gelateria__’s scoop saviour __Sandra Foti__ has three dessert collaborations with Smith & Daughters, 1800 Lasagne and The Nighthouse.


A cheesy, oozy slice of 1800 Lasagne deliciousness (aka lasagne)

1800 Lasagne

People gathered in the foreground on winter's night, in front of a RISING bar at The Wilds. A green neon sign hung above reads "drink". Filling out the background is the Melbourne skyline.

Drink at The Wilds

An earthenware bowl filled with grilled corn in the foreground, and an enamelware dish filled with lightly fried croquettes in the background. 

Smith & Daughters

Three hands jut from the left, middle and right towards the centre of the frame, each holding up a Piccolina branded cup with different scoops of gelato. 

Piccolina

Eat at the Wilds

## PERFORMANCE

Life is anything but static. Chaos reigns in *The Wilds*’ performance petri dish. 

Observe performance group __Discordia__ busy themselves throughout *The Wilds*' terrain. Gleaning, preening and convening amongst makeshift habitats, these meandering mascots will keep things weird, as they artfully engage in acts of mindful mindlessness.

Beached on the shores of our primordial swamp are Melbourne’s least professional water ballerinas, __The Clams__. Lured from the shallows of suburban pools, they’ve emerged from their shells as __The Siphonophores__—a deeper, darker and drier evolutionary state. A shapeshifting bioluminescent collective drifting through the Bowl.


Three people, wearing vintage knitted swimming caps and red lipstick, and veiled in gauzy fabric float together in inky black waters.

4x5 The Siphonophores

Up a carpeted wall, five arms with glittering, sequined sleeves reach up, each hand's fingers cross over themselves like prawn legs

4x5 Prawn Hands by Discordia.

Performance at The Wilds

## MUSIC

__*DECON MASS*__ is a cleansing sonic shower, preparing you for entry to *The Wilds*. Sound artists __Mark Mitchell__ and __Pascal Babare__ utilise multiple speaker arrays and physics-based algorithms over four sites of condensed natural energy. The pair deploy synthesised and processed sounds to create an atmosphere that's both organic and otherworldly. Nature concentrated and digitally digested into waves and surges of cascading sound, all radiating from a grand old tree.

Soundtracking your snacking is a crew of __1800 Lasagne DJs__, coming in hot from the Thornbury pasta palace. Music is an essential element of 1800 Lasagne, an extra layer on top of the bechamel. Every weekend, the city's best DJs decamp from nightclubs to spin vinyl from behind the bar. They'll bring their extensive record colleections and even bigger vibes to *The Wilds* each night. Jazz licks, wordlwide funk obscurities and house music party starters are on the menu.

Rising above it all like bats in flight is the screeching RISING __*Night Chorus*__—our nocturnal choir, belting out reconstructed ‘80s and ‘90s hits over the ice of [*Rinky Dink*](/festival-program/rinky-dink). Big voices and even bigger hearts, rising into the night when the moment takes them.

Sound artist Mark Mitchell sits against a plain background. A hand extends into the frame from the top left corner casting a "rabbit ears" shadow above Mark's head.

Mark Mitchell 4x5 headshot

A simple black and white photograph of sound artist Pascale Babare. Pascale stares straight down the lens and his face fills the frame. He has black facial hair.

Pascal Babare 4x5 headshot

Music at The Wilds

Monster at The Wilds

Art at The Wilds

The Wilds is our moonlit forest of stimulation—a fluoro fantasy of art, sound, taste and ice. At a transformed Sidney Myer Music Bowl, you’ll encounter voluminous inflatable sculptures, towering projections and mind-expanding soundscapes in previously inaccessible areas of the iconic venue.
Sprawling structures and eccentric performances blur the lines between the earthly and otherworldly. Cult snacks and multi-course feasts provide fuel for new leaves to bud at pop-up kitchens and the glowing glasshouse bistro, <a href="/festival-program/the-lighthouse">The Lighthouse</a>.
Finally, ascend the Bowl’s stage to zip around an <a href="/festival-program/rinky-dink">ice-skating rink</a>, while our choir belts out reconstructed ‘80s and ‘90s hits over the ice. The Wilds is our trippy trip for young saplings, curious shrooms and old growth trees alike.

RISING 2022 MERCH SHOP

How to do RISING

Navigating The Wilds

Commissioned by RISING.  

This program was supported by the Restart Investment to Sustain and Expand (RISE) Fund – an Australian Government initiative.

Art Centre Melbourne 

Rise Fund

Tickets to both The Wilds and Rinky Dink can be purchased below.
Entry to The Wilds does not include skating. Rinky Dink tickets include entry to The Wilds.
Rinky Dink Booking Tips Rinky Dink session times indicate the time you must arrive at the rink to get your skates on. Aim to arrive at The Wilds 15 minutes prior as latecomers may not be permitted to skate.
All children 12 years and under must be accompanied on the ice by a responsible skating adult.
Not everyone wants to skate - how should we book? You can book a mixture of skating and non-skating tickes. We recommend aligning your session times e.g. If you&#39;re booking the 5.45PM skating session, we recommend non-skaters book a 5.30PM entry to The Wilds.
Please note that all transactions will incur fees of up to $4.

The Wilds

A bespoke pathway has been created that meanders through the Bowl grounds. Due to existing slopes within the venue and the length of this one-way path (1.8-2km), this event requires assisted access for wheelchair users and those with restricted mobility.

If you have accessibility requirements you are encouraged to book a free companion ticket, so that a friend or carer may assist you along the pathway. There will be numerous rest points available along the journey and event staff available to assist if required. Please call 03 9662 4242 or email [ticketing@rising.melbourne](mailto:ticketing@rising.melbourne) to book.

Animals (except registered assistance animals) are not permitted inside the venue.

ACCESSIBLE PARKING

There are four 4-hr wheelchair accessible parking spaces available on Linlithgow Avenue at the bottom of Gate 1. Alternatively the Arts Centre Melbourne Car Park is approximately 10 minutes from the entrance to the Bowl and has wheelchair accessible parking available on the bottom level.

ACCESSIBLE DROP OFF

There is no formal drop off area onsite, however there is a small break in parking with curb cut access on Linlithgow Avenue at the bottom of Gate 1, which can be used for a quick drop off if needed.

ACCESSIBLE ENTRANCE

Gates 1 and 1A.

ACCESSIBLE BATHROOMS

Accessible toilets are located behind the Tier E stalls seating and near Gate 1, behind the lawn deck area.

DISTANCE COVERED BY PARTICIPANT

1800—2000m.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Nearest accessible train stop: Flinders Street Station is a short tram ride of 10-15 minute walk from the venue. Outside Flinders Street Station, trams travel south on St Kilda Road to the venue.

Nearest accessible tram stop: Tram stops along St Kilda Road are wheelchair accessible, however not all trams servicing those stops are low floor. Tram tracker has information as to which tram will be a low floor tram.


The Wilds

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