Celebrating Buxton Contemporary’s award-winning exhibition and collaboration with the Contemplative Studies Centre
The Contemplative Studies Centre extends heartfelt congratulations to Buxton Contemporary, and curators Hannah Presley and Annika Aitken, for winning the prestigious 2024 Victorian Museums and Galleries Award for Medium Project of the Year (Galleries) for their exceptional 2023 exhibition, nightshifts 🌙✨.
In October 2023, the Contemplative Studies Centre was honoured to partner with Buxton Contemporary. Centre Insight Fellows, Dr Cullan Joyce and Associate Professor Ana Eclair, supported by Amy Bugeja, collaborated with the Buxton curators on several offerings to support the exhibition.
The Centre supported Contemplation After Hours, a special event held within the immersive atmosphere of nightshifts. The event featured a live meditation session led by Insight meditation teacher Jess Huon, designed to deepen the audience’s connection to the exhibition’s themes. The gallery's space, filled with artworks that evoke quiet reflection, became the perfect setting for this unique contemplative experience.
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Nightshifts explored "alone together," blending solitude and communal spaces to invite attendees to engage deeply with the art and one another. The guided meditation provided a moment for participants to ground themselves, let go of distractions and embrace the present moment—an experience that echoed the exhibition’s exploration of stillness, perception, and connection.
A highlight of the evening was the opportunity for guests to meet curators Hannah Presley and Annika Aitken over tea, creating a rich dialogue around the intersection of mindfulness and contemporary art. Their insights added depth to the experience, allowing participants to reflect on how the exhibition's themes resonated with contemplative practices.
To ensure that these experiences could extend beyond the event itself, the Contemplative Studies Centre supported the recording of these meditative practices, offering visitors a chance to continue engaging with the exhibition through guided contemplative "dives." These recordings invited art lovers to slow down, relax, and observe the artworks from a renewed perspective.
We’re thrilled to have collaborated with Buxton Contemporary on such an inspiring project and look forward to future opportunities to merge the worlds of mindfulness and contemporary art. Congratulations once again to Buxton Contemporary for this well-deserved recognition!
