Radical Utopia: An Archaeology of a Creative City

RMIT Culture is thrilled to be presenting "Radical Utopia: An Archaeology of a Creative City" showing at the RMIT Gallery until 27 May.

The exhibition showcases Melbourne's ground-breaking cultural and design ideas that emerged during the 1980s.

The 80s were a period of progression and colour, and Melbourne was at the forefront of this movement, with bold and avant-garde designs in all aspects of design. For the first time, Melburnians were empowered to experiment with art and style, moving away from European trends and creating a new generation of innovation.

Radical Utopia explores the ways design and activism shaped the innovative cultural city we know today, focusing on the studios, places, and spectacles of Melbourne where design was fiercely debated and produced. The exhibition surveys nightclubs, fashion parades, architecture media, gaming labs, graphic design collectives, and everything in-between, providing a map of the cultural infrastructure of the city and inner suburbs.

Curated by Harriet Edquist and Helen Stuckey, Radical Utopia is a must-see for anyone interested in Melbourne's beginnings as the cultural hub we know and love today.

For more information visit the RMIT Gallery web page.

Image Credit: Marietta in Clarence Chai jumpsuit, Rennie Ellis © Rennie Ellis SLV

22 March 2023

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22 March 2023

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Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Sentient' by Hollie Johnson, Gunaikurnai and Monero Ngarigo.

More information

Radical Utopia: An Archaeology of a Creative City