Heckler Brings Vivid Sydney to the Famous Hollywood Hotel with Global Icons

Tucked away in the labyrinth streets of Surry Hills, the famous Hollywood Hotel’s art deco stylings and the soft curved edges of its facade provide the perfect canvas for Heckler’s show which will feature everything from Queen Elizabeth II and Kate Moss to iconically Australian Mambo designs.

Heckler, as the key curators of the project, have worked alongside Radio Velvet and Astral Projekts, to licence existing artworks and re-imagine them with animation which will be projected onto the facade of the Hollywood Hotel.

Says Will Alexander, co-founder and executive producer, Heckler: “The Hollywood is synonymous as a venue that champions the arts and important social issues. We’ve had a strong connection to the Hollywood for many years and are delighted to support our local arts and creative community and reflect its status in the wider Sydney audience, using state of the art projections that celebrate iconic women, art and cultural icons.”

50 Iconic Women – 24 to 30 May

‘50 Iconic Women’ kicks off the first week of Vivid at the Hollywood showcasing 50 images of influential women by renowned British photographer Terry O’Neill. The exhibition arrives in Sydney after opening on International Women’s Day in Melbourne. The candid pictures of Kate Moss, Brigitte Bardot, Amy Winehouse and Queen Elizabeth II, amongst others, are creatively displayed as a montage of distinctive artworks by local female artists George Rose, Lauren Carney, Samantha Darling and Justine McAllister.

Heckler, which is using an all female team to animate the 50 icons, is also inducting a 51st woman to the list with a bespoke projection of Hollywood Hotel’s 89 year old owner Doris Goddard.

For much of her career Goddard acted, including playing a Russian spy in the 1956 film ‘The Iron Petticoat’ alongside Katharine Hepburn and Bob Hope and appeared in cabaret around the world. Returning to Australia she bought the Hollywood in 1977 becoming the first female publican in New South Wales. Since then the hotel on Foster St, Surry Hills has embraced the local arts and entertainment community and was one of the first public venues to support the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras.

Alexander, who has been friends with Goddard for many years, added: “Doris has been the beating heart of the Hollywood for the past four decades. Her support of arts and the LGBTIQ+ community have made her something of a cultural icon around Surry Hills and it’s only right that she’s recognised alongside 50 of the most iconic women around the world. Heckler is proud to be able to recognise Doris’ contribution to the city during Vivid.”

Iconically Australian – 31 May to 6 June

The work of Reg Mombassa, known for his famous Mambo designs, features in the second week at the Hollywood called ‘Iconically Australian’. Showcasing three existing artworks as well as work from his upcoming June exhibition on the rise of artificial intelligence and its likelihood of inseminating humans, the founding member of Mental As Anything will also perform at the Hollywood with his band Dog Trumpet on 31 May to open his show.

Cultural Icons – 7 to 15 June
The final week, ‘Cultural Icons’, features designs from Heckler’s executive creative director Luca Ionescu, who’s renowned for his logo and bespoke typography. Boasting one of the most impressive lists of achievements in the Australian design and arts scene over the past twenty years, Luca is known for creating the branding for Baz Luhrmann hit film ‘The Great Gatsby’. This series of works will focus on re-imagined cultural icons such as the Star Wars Storm Trooper.

In addition over the three weeks there will be a ‘Homage to Hollywood’ with performances by some of Sydney’s best and iconic female impersonators every Saturday night, culminating in a special finale featuring the iconic legend Carlotta.

‘Homage to Hollywood’ and ‘Iconicity’ will run from 24 May to 15 June at The Hollywood Hotel, 2 Foster St, Surry Hills.

To buy tickets to one of the four Saturday ‘Homage to Hollywood’ performances, click here.