Photography challenge: C is for Colossal

It’s an unexpected sight. Giant statues of babies with wings and tails are not something you would expect to find scattered around the lower end of Melbourne’s CBD. It begged the question, what were they and why were they here?

The gleaming jet-black, six metre tall statues make up the Angels-Demons. Parade. As part of the Melbourne Festival, the outdoor exhibition is the brainchild of the Russian art collective AES+F. The group is made up of artists Tatiana Arzamasova, Lev Evzovich, Evgeny Svyatsky, in collaboration with (+) photographer Vladimir Fridkes.

The Angels-Demons. Parade. is AES+F’s version of the Apocalypse. “We present an apocalyptic parade, which does not constitute the end of the old world. It's the beginning of a new one”, they describe on their website.

The statues are modelled on new born babies. They have wings and tails, which aim to blur the lines between angels and demons. “The clear difference between angels and demons, which is common to all cultures, does not exist here. Evil may look like good and vice versa”, AES+F explain further.

The Angels-Demons. Parade. was premiered at the Lille Festival in Lille, France in 2009. Its inclusion in the Melbourne Festival is the second time the art work has been shown. 

It also marks the first time the Melbourne Festival has brought one of its exhibitions to the streets.

The Melbourne International Arts Festival, or the Melbourne Festival as it’s now known, has been running for the last 15 years. It showcases unique Australian and international dance, theatre, music, visual arts and multimedia in free and outdoor events over 17 days in October.

The Melbourne Festival runs from 6-22 October, visit the website for more details.