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Architects turned Artists

Bespoke creations by Australia’s top Architects go under the hammer for Dance For Life

Architects turned Artists


BY

February 24th, 2020


Since 2012, architects have been ditching their drawing pads for dancing shoes thanks to Dance for Life – the annual event that brings the A&D community together to raise money and awareness for teen depression and suicide.

This year, Dance for Life is back and better than ever, with Haworth and ReachOut promising a night to remember. Welcoming back teams from the likes of Gensler, Hassell, GroupGSA and Siren Design (plus many more), this year’s Dance for Life program will be a little bit wild, with teams set to embrace the theme of Jungle.

In the lead up to the big night, Dance for Life (and all participating teams) will be engaging in a variety of activities to raise money for Reach Out. First off the bat is a one-of-a-kind auction, with teams submitting artworks that will go under the hammer.

Produced in-house or through collaborations with notable artists, each piece is as unique as the studio donating it. Bidding is now live and will run until 3pm on Monday the 2nd of March With all proceeds going to a worthy cause, there’s never been a better time to dig deep. Happy bidding!

IA Group

(3 x A3 size frames)

dance for life auction IA group

This triptych is of a day in the Amazon jungle from early morning to late at night, exploring the many colours and moods of the jungle in different lights. The artworks have been created by our in-house graphic designer, Alex Knight.

They are to go in a specific order, with the yellow/ orange one first, then the lighter blue, then the darkest one on the left as it goes from morning till night.

Bid for the artwork here.

FJMT

(1 x A3 size print)

Dance for Life auction FJMT

Demas Rusli is a Sydney-based photographer/designer (working for architectural firm FJMT Studio) who pushes the boundaries of photography through unique perspectives and creative editing techniques. He specialises in urban, landscape, architecture, and aerial photography and has worked on international campaigns with brands such as Samsung, Adobe, DJI, Nike, and Etihad Airways. By actively sharing his passions and expertise online over the past couple of years, Demas has accumulated an engaged audience of over 300k followers on social media.

Bid for the artwork here.

Greenbox

(1 x 35.5 x 51.5cm print)

Dance for Life Auction Greenbox

Concrete Jungle

“There is repetition, pattern and beautiful imperfection in nature.

We strive for order in our surrounds, but if we listen we can still find the rhythm of our concrete jungle.”

by Danial Nash

Bid for the artwork here.

BLP

(1 x 400 x 500 mm mixed media collage)

Dance for Life Auction BLP

Off the Grid

Artist Statement
‘Off the Grid’ explores the relationship between gender politics and new class identities. With influences as diverse as Rousseau and Buckminster Fuller, new synergies are integrated from both mundane and transcendent meanings. What starts out as yearning soon becomes debased into a carnival of power, leaving only a sense of decadence and the unlikelihood of a new beginning.  The universality of myth and multimedia experiences signal the dawn of a new order rife with emerging sexualities and vegetarian ethics.
 

Artist: Children of the Forest Collective

Bid for the artwork here.

Siren Design

(1 x 12inch x 16inch painting)

Dance for Life Auction Siren Design

Nathalia Suizu, aka NATSUI, is Melbourne based artist with a background in Interior Design (formerly Creative Director at Siren Design). Her paintings bring to life a vibrant, pop art world that is colourful, bold and likely to make you smile.

Predominantly working in acrylic and gouache mediums, she favours richly saturated, flat, glossy colours that match her wardrobe and optimistic outlook. Often depicting a narrative of symbols and recurring motifs, Nathalia’s work toes the line of surrealism and her paintings are easily recognised through their distinctly painted frames and festive personalities. Her transformative encounters with Latin American traditions inform a strong use of pattern and colour, whilst her background in Design is expressed through clean lines, balanced compositions and a digital sketching process. She draws inspiration from many varied sources, notably her experiences with psychedelic plant medicines, the 80’s aesthetic, traditional tattoo design, vintage fashion and any manner of art/craft that falls under the banner of ‘folk art’.

Nathalia delights in the wellbeing, appreciation and mystical connection that manifests through her creative process and seeks to share the beauty she experiences in the world. Her vibrant creations are a celebration of life.

Bid for the artwork here.

Gensler

(4 x 910mm x 610mm photographs including 1 x buyers choice)

Dance for Life Auction Gensler

The zebra crossings of Japan, the melting hot pot of Hong Kong’s night life, the sandy chaos of the Californian coastline – each is a place oozing with bewildering, situational complexity –  They are but three examples of the urban jungle that is our modern world.

Print 1 : ‘Buyers Choice’ (white frame) (Bid for the artwork here)

Print 2: Hong Kong Hot Pot (black frame) (Bid for the artwork here)

Print 3: Californian Coast (timber frame) (Bid for the artwork here)

Print 4: Jungle of Japan (white frame) (Bid for the artwork here)

Smart Design

(2 x photographs)

Dance for Life Auction Smart Design

Artwork 1 – Lion

Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania 2018

Quiet before the storm – female lion resting up until the next big hunting time arrives. Lions can stay up to 5 days without a meal, even the smallest amount of energy must be efficiently used.

Bid for the artwork here.

Artwork 2 – Monkeys

Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania 2019

You are not the smart one – Monkeys often get close to humans in picnic areas in search of food. People are easily tricked and get their lunch stolen by them… and we think we are the smart evolution of the species.

Bid for the artwork here.

The Bold Collective

(2 x artworks @ A2 & A3, 1 x cushion)

A3 Artwork – Framed Loincloth

The jungle is a raw place, there is a sense of freedom in nature. In contrast modern society often represses human freedom and expression.

This artwork juxtaposes these two elements and comments on the notion of contained rawness.

We have taken a loincloth; a symbol of sexual freedom and placed it within a frame or enclosed box.

The viewer is challenged to smash the glass front and take out the loincloth, adorn it and embrace their wild side. The experience is guaranteed to be liberating and the highest bidder of this artwork will be able to do this at their own discretion. This process would ideally be filmed and shared on social media.

Bid for the artwork here.

A3 Artwork – Jungle Shadow Box

This artwork was inspired by the density of the jungle. We have created a layering of foliage in three dimensions.

We have created custom paper designs using contemporary colours and patterns which draw upon the patterning found in animal fur and nature.

Bid for the artwork here.

Cushion

We created a custom fabric for this cushion using contemporary graphics, colours and patterns which draw upon the patterning found in animal fur and nature.

We have overlayed a large wild bird graphic to add drama and impact to the design. We then added a playful pom-pom edging to the cushion because why wouldn’t we?!

This artwork would look great in a residential environment in either a lounge or bedroom with an otherwise neutral aesthetic though would equally work in a highly coloured and patterned interior.

Bid for the artwork here.

Group GSA

Dance for Life Auction Group GSA 1

Dance for Life Auction Group GSA 2

Dance for Life Auction Group GSA 3

Curious Dwellers

The aura of the jungle echoes a million wild souls, each with their own unique beat.

The caw of the toucans as they welcome the new day, the first rays of sunlight filtering through the swaying canopy above. Their vibrant beaks brilliant in the dappled light.

Curling vines wind down tree trunks to earthy tones below. A perfect camouflage for a mysterious creature quietly hiding in its midst, each with their own unique branding. For all its serenity, there is danger lurking in the tangled forest floor. An alluring leopard prowls, awaiting it’s prey amongst the fallen leaves.

Toucan – Curious Dwellers #1 (Bid for the artwork here)

Leopard – Curious Dwellers #2 (Bid for the artwork here)

Chameleon – Curious Dwellers #3 (Bid for the artwork here)

Chameleon – Curious Dwellers #4 (Bid for the artwork here)

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