The February program for MPavilion, Melbourne’s celebrated culture, design and architecture laboratory, presents a series of events, all curated under the theme ‘1+1: Who are we together?’.

The Naomi Milgrom Foundation revealed the program, which begins on Monday 1 February 2021, with the theme exploring the meaning and potential of all kinds of relationships.

Naomi Milgrom AC, founder of the Naomi Milgrom Foundation, said: “As we reconvene with each other in physical spaces after long months of isolation, new questions are rising to the surface. Questions exploring who we are on our own, how we can process solitude, and what it actually means to be ‘together’.

“February at MPavilion is an exploration of relationships – between people, structures, cities, and beyond,” she added.

The February program begins with the Indigenous built environment event, ‘BLAKitecture: Co-Design? Collaboration? Consultation?’ at the MPavilion Parkade. A series of events in the MTalks, MMeets, MMusic, MRelay and MKids formats will cover broad areas of interest and audiences. Events include a roller-disco with Malt Shop Rollers, film screenings with Rooftop Cinema and Transitions Film Festival, yoga sessions with Happy Melon, workshops with Sustainable Living Festival, a hands-on workshop about reimagining and repurposing waste, and dance sessions with Deep Soulful Sweats.

The program also features UPTOWN, an art exhibition that examines the role artists can play in reanimating Melbourne in the time of the pandemic, discussions about connection with Lauren & Simon from Triple R’s Breaking and Entering, a class on the art of dating yourself, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, and community and self-care with Sense of Self bathhouse. MMusic events include a Valentine's Day performance by Banoffee, a kids guitar ensemble, and moon rituals with Melbourne Music Week – Extended.

On Reviving the City, the popular MRelay returns this year in collaboration with the City of Melbourne’s UPTOWN outdoor 24/7 gallery. Working with MPavilion’s MRelay, Fiona Scanlan and Robert Buckingham have joined forces with Turning Circle Collective to present an actioned-relay of speakers primed to discuss the role of artists and designers in Melbourne’s future.

Ongoing MProjects commissioned by MPavilion include upcycled staff uniforms by Chelsea Hickman, Stool Dolly chairs designed by Holly Board & Peter Grove of BoardGrove Architects, MERGE music initiative in collaboration with Melbourne Music Week – Extended, MPavilion Education Guides and free educational programming for schools, and MPavilion’s M_Curators program, which is proudly supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

Over 500 collaborators will be presenting 400 free public events including talks, performances, kid-friendly activities, and installations this season as part of an expanded program to support local designers and artists. By adapting and re-using the Parkade car park, and reanimating the MPavilions of previous years – including Amanda Levete’s MPavilion at Docklands, Bijoy Jain’s MPavilion at Melbourne Zoo, and Rem Koolhaas & David Gianotten’s MPavilion at Monash University, MPavilion is responding to the challenges of the pandemic with creativity, community, and a revival of Melbourne’s outdoor and public spaces.

MPavilion takes place until Monday 5 April 2021. For further information, including program times, please visit www.mpavilion.org.

Architecture News & Editorial Desk

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