Beautiful Freak in the Machine: Powerhouse Late x Vivid Ideas

See the Powerhouse transformed into a 3D magazine, telling stories of fashion, freedom and self-expression. In a night for style fans and pop culture geeks, the curators assemble videos, design talks, music and live performance.

Fashion Editor for The Australian Glynis Traill-Nash and queer photographic artist Gerwyn Davies will give live keynotes alongside virtual contributions by New Zealand fashion designer Karen Walker, independent Melbourne designers Perks and Mini, Sydney fashion house Romance Was Born, Bat for Lashes, New York creative director Paul Bui, fashion powerhouse and Yorta Yorta man Rhys Ripper and model, designer and activist Nathan McGuire, with work by photographic artist Byron Spencer.

Curated by stylist and creative director David Bonney.

Enjoy music soundtracked by DJs Annabelle Gaspar and Lorna Clarkson. Grab a drink at the Powerhouse Late bar and join curator-led tours of Robert Rosen’s Glitterati.

FREE event as part of Vivid Ideas X Powerhouse Late. No bookings required.

POWERHOUSE LATE

Over three nights, we celebrate what makes Sydney unique: the artists who push boundaries, the creative leaders who build community, and our city’s distinct diversity and queer history.

Visuals

• 5–9pm - Sydney fashion house Romance Was Born speak with performer Bat for Lashes, weaving threads of friendship, music and inspiration through their collaborations

• 5–9pm - Rave-inspired New York based creative director Paul Bui takes a deep dive into his fashion, community and music projects elevating the voices of queer people of colour

• 5–9pm - New Zealand fashion designer Karen Walker talks us through her top 10 misfits in fashion from an Egyptian philosopher to a civil right activist, a classical pianist and a jazz star

• 5–9pm - Psychedelic Melbourne designers Perks & Mini interview one another on their fluid and feeling-fueled creative process

• 5–9pm - Stylist and Creative Director Rhys Ripper discusses Indigenous design and visibility with model and activist Nathan McGuire

• 5–9pm - Byron Spencer saturates the senses with a hyper digital installation, collaging his practice as a photographer, musician and artist

Talk

• 7:00pm - Glynis Traill-Nash, fashion editor of The Australian, gives a live keynote talk, From Ratbags to Royalty, on the evolution of Sydney style

• 8.00pm - Queer photographic artist and costume designer Gerwyn Davies talks with Creative Director David Bonney about the work and influence of 80s club kid turned fashion legend Leigh Bowery

• 6.30–7.30pm - Stages live podcast recording. Peter Eyres interviews Carmen Pavlovic, producer of fantastical theatre shows such as Moulin Rouge. Pre-registrations required here.

DJs

• 5–9pm - DJs Annabelle Gaspar and Lorna Clarkson soundtrack the evening

• 5–9pm - Music curated by FBi Radio

Performance

• 5–9pm - Dancers Ally Clarke and Billy Keohavong roam the museum wearing the hottest young Australian designers