Macon Reed: Eulogy for the Dyke Bar
PROGRAM
Macon Reed: Eulogy for the Dyke Bar
17 February – 4 March 2023
NAS Cafe
Monday to Saturday
Installation open: 9am–5pm Monday – Friday
Bar open: 5–10pm Tuesday – Friday
Free admission
Image: UNSW Galleries/the artist.
The National Art School, UNSW Galleries and Sydney WorldPride present Eulogy for the Dyke Bar, an installation by American artist Macon Reed with accompanying programs and events.
The installation is a sculptural environment in the style of bygone lesbian bars, a functioning bar and a community space for performances, conversations, and socialising. It is created using ephemeral materials and features archival material of now-defunct lesbian nights, parties and bars in Sydney and America. It reclaims the term ‘dyke’ in its most expansive sense and recognises that gender and identities are complex and fluid. The ‘bar’ is open to anyone who has identified with the term or an experience of feminine-spectrum queerness in the past or present (or perhaps future) and/or feels an affiliation or ally-ship with dyke culture.
Macon Reed’s Eulogy for the Dyke Bar is presented by the National Art School with UNSW Galleries in association with Sydney WorldPride.
“Eulogy for the Dyke Bar was made to honour these places and draw attention to the fact that many are now gone. It also makes us think more about what kinds of alternative community spaces might be available and what makes them vibrant. It’s about thinking of our community beyond the dance floor and the progressive work we want to do beyond our intimate relationships. Creating spaces for collective coming together, organising politically, sharing experiences, jumping into histories, and meeting our elders seems like the necessary work that’s going to get us somewhere else, somewhere better.” Macon Reed, 2021
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PROGRAM
Eulogy for the Dyke Bar: Program Launch
5–10pm Friday 17 February 2023
Club Chrome Takeover
6–9pm Monday 20 February 2023
BlaQ Takeover
6–9pm Tuesday 21 February 2023
CAMP Women’s Night
6–8pm Wednesday 22 February 2023
Cruising at the Dyke Bar
5–10pm Thursday 23 February 2023
Queerly Divine Cosmos: Astrology & Tarot Readings
6–7.30pm Friday 24 February 2023
Dykes On Mics Karaoke
7.30–10pm Friday 24 February 2023
Panel: DIY Dykes & Queer Futures
6–8pm Wednesday 1 March 2023
Radiant: Poetry & Open Mic Night
6–8pm Thursday 2 March 2023
Dyke Decadence: Finissage Party
5–10pm Friday 3 March 2023
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Watch Isabel Farrington’s short documentary on the work’s presentation in New York City.
In June, we celebrate World Pride Month. Like many other culturally significant times, it’s a month that’s meaningful to our community and the Oxford precinct we are part of.
In 2015, NAS alum Todd Fuller (@fuller_todd) sent members of the public black and white drawings depicting two men engaged in a passionate kiss. The participants were encouraged to respond to the image by colouring in the figures, with the resulting images compiled by Fuller into a mixed media video animation.
Fuller gifted this work to the National Art School Collection, a collection that performs a major role within the National Art School as both a teaching resource and a historical record. Visit our website to find out more about the works in our collection.
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Todd Fuller, ‘The Unite Project - 3rd generation ‘, 2015, mixed media animation, colour and sound, 13.35 mins loop; image courtesy the artist and National Art School © Todd Fuller. From the National Art School Collection - Gift of Todd Fuller.
Jun 1
Last Thursday, we celebrated Maryanne Coutts, Lynda Draper and Amanda Woollard (in absentia) as this year`s recipients of the Award for Distinguished Service.
We share a heartfelt thank you to Maryanne, Lynda, and Amanda for their contribution to our School and students.
May 30
We`re excited to share that NAS Photomedia sessional Dr Jack Ball (@jack__ball_) is the winner of the $100,000 Ramsay Art Prize 2025, the nation’s most generous prize for Australian artists under forty.
Jack`s award winning work `Heavy Grit` is on display in the Ramsay Art Prize 2025 exhibition which opens tomorrow, Saturday 31 May
Jack Ball with `Heavy Grit` in Ramsay Art Prize 2025, Art Gallery of South Australia, (@agsa.adelaide) Adelaide; photo: Saul Steed
May 30
Thank you to outgoing Chair Susan Rothwell AM & welcome to incoming Chair Jeff Weeden. The National Art School would like to express its deepest gratitude to Susan Rothwell AM, whose term as Chair of the NAS Board concludes on 31 May 2025.
At the same time, we are pleased to announce and warmly welcome Jeff Weeden as the incoming Chair of the NAS Board, effective 1 June 2025.
Jeff has served as a Director on the NAS Board since 2019 and currently chairs the Finance and Audit Committee, a position he has held since 2023. For the full announcement, click the link in the bio.
May 29
National Reconciliation Week (NRW) starts today! As part of our NAS NRW program, we invite you to a special screening of the documentary `Kindred` (2023) in our Cell Block Theatre. The directors Gillian Moody and Adrian Russell Wills will be joining us for the screening.
`There`s the black world, and then there`s the white world. I felt walking in each of them was complicated enough. To bring those together would just make it even harder.` (Kindred: Trailer)
`Kindred` is a deeply personal feature-length documentary that delves into the emotional landscape of family, love, and loss through the eyes of two close friends.`
Limited capacity - click the link in bio to reserve your seats.
May 27
Congratulations to NAS alumni/staff Daniel McClellan, Jasmine Mowbray, Erin Murphy, Gemma Smith, Nicola Smith and Michael Snape, finalists of the Sulman Prize 2025.
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Daniel McClellan, ‘Jupiter’, 2025, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 169.9 x 110.4 cm; Jasmine Mowbray, ‘Under an ancient tortoiseshell sky’, 2025, oil and synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 150.2 x 120 cm; Gemma Smith, ‘Windward’, 2025, synthetic polymer paint, linen and canvas on linen, 230.2 x 199.5 cm; Nicola Smith, ‘The beginning of spring’, 2025, oil on linen, 85.4 x 80.2 cm; Michael Snape, ‘Painting with fluid subject’, 2025, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 91.7 x 92 cm; Image courtesy the artists and Art Gallery NSW (@artgalleryofnsw) and © the artists
May 26
