The feature of the ten-day program is a world exclusive and brand new work by Melbourne based art studio ENESS; their Lost Dogs Disco installation is a giant bright collection of inflatables made up of sixteen interactive dog characters.
From the brilliant creative team behind the Airship Orchestra installation at the Brisbane Festival 2021, these characters, some up to 4.6 meters tall, will come to life with a burst of colour during a multi-sensory experience and installation set up on the forecourt of HOTA’s Outdoor Stage.
Free to the public Wonder at Hota, encourages families to come down and immerse themselves in the experience, walk between the dogs, all of which have been individually named and see them light up as you approach and listen to the built-in audio.
HOTA CEO Creina Gehrke said the event is the perfect opportunity for some socially distanced fun outdoors and a celebration of our furry friends.
“This year, Wonder at HOTA is back, and it’s bigger and bolder than before, with larger-than-life art in the outdoors and an explosion of colour and sound, with a program fully dedicated to a dog’s life,” she said.
The work will play backdrop to Neon Remix on November 6, supported by City of Gold Coast and Southern Cross University. The ticketed music concert rounding out the event will throwback to a when where disco died, and post-k of pop collided with new wave sounds to deliver a soundtrack to the 80s.
Fusing art and music, the concert will deliver a lineup of the Gold Coast’s brightest neon-infused musos in a supergroup of contemporary New Wave Synth Classics under the creative mastermind of Blair Condon (Miss Lucy). Featuring artists Mackenzie Brown (Miss Lucy), Matt McGuffie (Ivey), Ondre Davis (The Yams) and special guests, Millie Perks (Ivey), Tanisha Cook and Gemma Owens (The Oogars) and DENNIS.
Audiences can lounge out on the lawn with a picnic from one of the food and drink bars, relax, dance, and experience the luminescent artwork glowing against the Surfers Paradise skyline.
The WONDER program also includes Let’s Be Friends Furever on October 29 to 30. Described as one part dog show, two parts TED talk, and three parts family photo album – this show melds documentary with video in a theatre-turned-dog-park performance with real dogs taking the stage.
Fridays on the Lawn: Doggy Edition just got better, with all furry friends welcome on October 29 and November 5. Pick a patch of grass for this weekly wind down staple and enjoy live local music and beverages from HOTA’s Lawn Bar.