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By: Damien Worst
Date: 29th Mar 06
Medium: Mixed
Drink: Anything, as long as you look good holding it
What: Way back when we were tiny tots, few things matched the thrill of a theme park.
The oscillating roller coaster cries, cyclic carousel melody, and booming carnie-calls pulsed paralytic excitement and a tinge of fear through our bodies. The very thought of dodgems and mad mice knocked our little socks off.
New06 at ACCA is an evocative carnival for bigger kids, showcasing commissioned projects by young Australian artists.
Both skin crawling and enthralling, installed light, sound, photography, video and paint, challenge the senses of all who dare to enter.
Evoking childhood memories, superbly curated works guide us through a painted forest, past hypnotic neon lights, inside eerily mirrored houses and into the depths of a claustrophobic cardboard submarine.
It’s rare to find an exhibition that physically pumps your heart, tracking that fine line between terror and elation. But if you were ever brave enough to enter the haunted house, be sure to strap into New06.
IMAGE CREDIT: Darren Sylvester. You Should Let Go of a Dying Relationship, 2006. Video still (detail).Courtesy the artist, William Mora Gallery, Melbourne and Sullivan+Strumpf Fine Art, Sydney.