Australias first-ever ‘Artcade’ opens its doors:

West Side Place, located at 250 Spencer Street is a brand-new retail precinct in Melbourne’s CBD has been transformed with works from some of Australia’s leading contemporary artists, creating a public art collection that looks to celebrate the vibrancy of art and the city.

Mayonaize & John Aslanidis

We are extremely excited to launch such a significant and exciting project right in the hub of Melbourne which is bursting at the seams as it beings to reopen.

George Rose

As part of their ongoing effort to bring art and culture to the new precinct, developer Far East Consortium Australia have partnered with us, Juddy Roller, and some of your favourite local legends to facilitate the transformation of West Side Place arcade in the CBD – creating an immersive public art gallery that is set to bring a new wave of visitors back to the city centre in a COVID safe, socially distanced way.

The series of installations are currently inhabiting spaces destined for future shops, cafes and restaurants which could not come at a better time as both retail and the arts have both had major setbacks this year as a consequence of the pandemic. Juddy Rollers Director Shaun Hossack, says “By filling these retail spaces with the best of Australian art we hope to breathe new life into Melbourne’s CBD and give people a reason to come back to our vibrant city.”

Dubbed Australia’s first-ever ‘artcade’ West Side Place welcomes intallations by some of the country’s top contemporary artists, with Reko Rennie, Rone, Adnate, Lisa King, George Rose, John Aslanidis, Caleb Walmlsey (aka Mayonaize), and Meggs all contributing to the project with their own signature style, it was all systems go with a 30 day installation deadline.

Rone

West Side Place is a truly unique exhibition showcasing a diverse range of artists and creative practices, the ‘Artcade’ sees Melbourne-based artist Rone creating a room lost in time in an ode to his hit 2019 project Empire.

Reko Rennie

While world-renowned artist Reko Rennie acknowledges the Kamilaroi people with a work sprawling across an immense 225 sqm hoarding wall.

Elsewhere, Indigenous cultures from around the world are rendered in Adnate’s signature portrait style, working with Tibetian Artist, Lobsang Dhoyuo on a special installation of a sand-Mandala.

Lobsang Dhoyou

Nestled between the impressive installations is concept café Merriment, which offers speciality coffee from the team behind Common Place. Designed by artist Lisa King and constructed and built to life by the Juddy Roller team, a renaissance inspired ode to female artists takes pride of place above the café, alongside a huge ‘Art is Life’ neon installation – voicing a message that resounds through all of the artcade’s works.

Lisa King’s ‘Merriment Cafe’

One of the largest mixed-use developments in Melbourne, West Side Place will also encompass luxury hotel, Ritz-Carlton. With a long history of supporting the arts in Melbourne’s CBD, Far East Consortium is a champion of cultural placemaking, and this site heralds the birth of a significant new contemporary art precinct in the city.

Adnate WIP

“The project was initiated pre-covid with the aim of giving new residents a sense of community, and by far the most rewarding part of bringing it to life has been seeing the precinct start to hum with happy residents,” said Far East Consortium. “It couldn’t have come at a better time – Melbournians need something to look forward to and the introduction of the West Side Place precinct will bring to Melbourne a reminder of all the wonderful reasons to visit the CBD.”

West Side Places’ Public Gallery is open from Friday the 13th of November, 2020. Located at 250 Spencer Street, Melbourne (Opposite Southern Cross Station) See ya there!

All photography by Nicole Reed

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