Last night saw the launch of The Smirnoff Black Room at The Australian Technology Park. The unique space was designed to take guests beyond the everyday sensory overload of modern life by inviting them to re-engage with each of their five senses. Attended by guests Donny Gallela, Tali Jatali, April Rose Pengilly, Konstantina Mittas, Julian Tobias, Sally Singleton and Kristy Coulcher, The Smirnoff Black Room took guests on a creative voyage of sight, touch, sound and smell, culminating in perhaps the most satisfying of all senses, taste.

Represented as a sensory journey, each space contained work from a group of select local artists who were commissioned to create their personal interpretation of the ‘Essence of Black’.  Concluding the journey, The Smirnoff Black bar invited guests to engage with the all-important sense of taste. Guests were served extraordinary cocktails created by leading mixologists, to bring to life the rich and distinctive taste of Smirnoff Black vodka.

From the 13th to the 19th of March, The Smirnoff Black Room will be transported to the blank_space Gallery in Surry Hills, where the public will have free access to all the Smirnoff Black works.

Here visitors can set their sights upon the works by AFI-winning animation team PRA, renowned fashion photographer Cameron Grayson and dynamic painter and installation artist, James McGrath. Bespoke Smirnoff Black vodka boxes designed to engage the sense of touch will also be on display by paper engineer Benja Harney, jewellery designer Matt Weston, shoe designer Andrew McDonald and glass sculptor Morgan Shimeld. Visitors will hear the sounds of film score composer Tom Schutzinger and delight in the distinctive aroma of perfume created by internationally renowned Spanish perfumer Agusti Vidal.

Smirnoff Black Room Artists

Sight
Cameron Grayson – Fashion photographer
People’s Republic of Animation – Animation team
James McGrath – Painter, installation and video artist

Touch
Benja Harney – Paper engineer
Matt Weston – Jewellery designer
Andrew McDonald – Bespoke shoemaker and leather technician
Morgan Shimeld – Glass sculptor

Sound
Tom Schutzinger – Composer, former member of Decoder Ring

Smell
Agusti Vidal – Renowned international perfumer