In a dark dark street there is a dark dark (Arts) house and in that dark dark (Arts) house there is a dark dark room and in that dark dark room there is…a secret brewing.

For this year’s Next Wave Festival, Melbourne-based performance collective, The Black Lung Whaling Firm, will lurk behind closed doors for their two-week residency at the Arts House, Meat Market, in North Melbourne. During this period they will be developing a fresh new work, which will unfold behind closed doors in enigmatic style. But every few days, just as you’re steaming with curiosity, those big studio doors will open to the public so we can get a glimpse of the work in progress, offering a rare insight into the artistic process of one of Melbourne’s most notorious performance groups.

These public viewings could include anything and everything- performances, installations, artist talks, screenings or even some haunting musical interludes. It’s entirely up to the artists what goes down at these viewings and The Black Lung Whaling Firm don’t shy away from…anything.

The name says it all; there is nothing picturesque about this artist collective. They embrace the disgusting, grotesque, frightening and sacrilegious in every way. So while the nature of this exciting project is all a mystery, one thing is for sure- it will be raw, impulsive and unique. I hope you’re ready for it.

Open-studio events: Friday 14 May; Monday 17 May; Thursday 20 May; Sunday 23 May; Saturday 29 May and Sunday 30 May, 8–8:30pm.