Espace by S!X, Launch

Sarah Scout Presents Studio

Review by Marisa Jayne

Nestled between the walls of inner city apartments and offices, the Sarah Scout Presents Studio showcases Espace, an exhibition combining the mystic worlds of both art and fashion. As you travel up the small elevator and depart the bustling city below, you are transported into a world like no other.

With a title so ambiguous, it is easy to ask what exactly is Espace? To put it simply, it is an exhibition curated by the talented duo from S!X and aims to add a Parisienne touch to the city of Melbourne that we all know and love. The influence of the baroque era is clear, with glimmers of opulence being apparent throughout.

This night in particular was the launch for the exhibition, and began with guests taking a slow and calm wander through the space.  Each room contained completely different works of art constructed from contrasting mediums, yet they all replaced focal points of the work with by using tattered mirrors, thus placing the observer in the foreground of the image and combining them into the art.

As more people stepped  inside the gallery to  admire the art, one by one, an army of metallic clad strad models softly marched through and moulded within the space.  Their clothes reflected the modern artwork and the clean, crisp space allowed the volume of their outfits to echo loudly. They complimented the mirrored artwork, with each outfit having a touch of metallic, all the way from the elegant chandelier earrings, to the bold reflective clutches, and back to the matte silver makeup.

Each garment was uniquely structured, however, interacted in unison within the collection through similar materials and motifs. To further instate the cohesiveness of the event, the staff also wore a hint of the collection being shown, with most opting for the thigh high sequined boots that became a clear favourite, with attendees oohing and ahhing over their grungy shimmer.

It was clear a lot of thought came into the concept of this exhibition, although this at times was confusing as there was no real explanation of what was going on. This could be seen as both a negative and a positive; while it was potentially frustrating, it allowed all bystanders to take in everything and make their own mind up for the evening. It forced reflection within a bustling city that never stops and it is safe to say that it would achieve the goal of becoming a talking point for the next few days.

The event is not for the light hearted, or for someone looking for a relaxing stroll to admire some uniform art. It is confronting, in a good way, and should instead be enjoyed for its light nudge out of your comfort zone.