About this Event
Welcome to QVMAG's FREE Art + Performance series - where musicians, artists, dancers, and actors respond to and give new life to our exhibitions through performance.
Join artist and creative arts therapist Melissa ‘Moo’ Lubke and violinist Suzanne Turner as they create an improvised performance in response to Sam Jinks || Mortal Reflections at the Art Gallery at Royal Park.
Through sound and movement, this event invites you to encounter the artwork, Eternal Return — a large-scale orb‑weaving spider, inspired by QVMAG’s Natural Science collection and the newest acquisition of the QVMAG collection.
You are invited to witness — or gently participate in — Suzanne and Moo's interactions with Eternal Return. Suzanne performs improvised and arranged music for violin, using looping and effects to build a contemplative soundscape shaped by pattern and repetition. Moo responds through movement and drawing — shifting from delicate, web-like marks to expansive drawing strokes as the music guides her gestures.
How you can take part:
- Drop in anytime — stay for a few minutes or immerse yourself for the full duration
- Join through drawing — write a small worry or sketch a spiderling on a note as you sit inspired by the performance
- Listen deeply — absorb the interplay of sound and sculpture as the gallery transforms
- Follow the music beyond the walls — let it carry you into your own landscapes
No bookings are requird for this free drop-in event. Whether you participate actively or simply listen, you’ll be part of a collective performance that blurs the line between audience and artist.
About the musician
Suzanne Turner is a multi-instrumentalist, performer, collaborator, and improviser. With expertise in violin, clarinet, and Greenwood leather instruments, she brings decades of experience in music education and performance.
Suzanne has played with a wide range of Launceston ensembles, including the UTAS Wind Orchestra, Camerata Obscura chamber ensemble, Launceston Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Tasmanian Leather Orchestra. Her work spans festivals, special events, and collaborative projects, showcasing her commitment to musical exploration and innovation.
A passionate advocate for community arts, Suzanne is a founding member of Launceston Improvised Music Association, and she currently is on the board of Sawtooth ARI. suzyturnermusic.com
About the artist
Melissa “Moo” Lubke (MA Therapeutic Arts Practice, AThR) is a Tasmanian multi‑disciplinary artist and Registered Art Therapist. Beginning her creative journey in rural NSW within her family’s printing business, she built a career in graphic design and multimedia in Sydney before returning to her passion for fine art, recognised early with the North Sydney Art Prize.
Since relocating to Tasmania in 2006, Moo has expanded her practice through contemporary art, warm glass, and community work, culminating in a Masters in Therapeutic Arts Practice through MIECAT’s experiential model.
Her trauma‑informed approach draws on lived and professional experience supporting communities navigating grief, neurodiversity, and psychosocial challenges. Moo designs participatory workshops that encourage playful exploration and invite moments of collective healing. melissalubke.com
About the Art + Performance series
Experience QVMAG like never before with our FREE monthly Art + Performance sessions –where musicians, artists, dancers, and performance artists respond to the museum’s rich blend of art, history, and science.
Each session transforms QVMAG's spaces into a living, breathing space of creativity, including:
- Sound baths and ambient soundscapes
- Live music from diverse instruments and traditions
- Durational dance-theatre works with live accompaniment
Held each month on a Saturday afternoon, these are FREE drop-in events, with no registration required. With no set lists or schedules, you can stay for ten minutes or two hours.
About the exhibition
Step into the imagined world of Sam Jinks, one of Australia's most prominent contemporary sculptural artists.
Renowned for his painstakingly crafted figures, Jinks’ practice reflects upon deeply felt moments of our lived experience.
Imbued with unguarded emotion and raw vulnerability, this unique presentation is one artist’s invitation to reflect on the mysteries of: life || death, and all in-between.
Sam Jinks || Mortal Reflections
Art Gallery at Royal Park | 2 Wellington St, Launceston
14 June 2025 – 31 May 2026
Free entry | Open 10am-4pm daily
Image: QVMAG
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Queen Victoria Art Gallery at Royal Park, 2 Wellington Street, Launceston, Australia
AUD 0.00
