It was a sight to behold as one of the world's oldest Grand hotels illuminated its historic façade, vintage cars lined the entrance and opera singers welcomed more than 300 guests and artists to celebrate The Windsor's 130th anniversary and to announce the winner of the inaugural Windsor Art Award by Bill Henson.

It was an historic moment for The Windsor as it was in 1934 that Spring Street's Grand Dame was last lit for Melbourne's Centenary Celebrations. The Windsor illumination that will take place every evening from 6pm until 8th September is being staged in conjunction with the hotel's collaborative exhibition "Luminescence" with the Victorian College of the Arts. It is the first time a Grand hotel of the Victorian era has lent itself as a canvas to artists and provided an extensive scholarship and award.

The Windsor Art Award and $10,000 scholarship provided by The Windsor was presented by Bill Henson at a gala party in the Grand Ballroom of the hotel on August 15th to VCA PhD artist Celeste Chandler. The artwork "Lovesick" located in the hotel's classic dining room 111 Spring Street was a reflection of the 'masks' we wear when in a public space such as a hotel.

"What strikes me about grand hotels is that they appear to be all about the public spectacle - correct appearance, social status, dress, and behavior - and yet the entire point of a hotel is to contain privacy. By installing these works in the public dining room I wanted to draw attention to the intimate and internal realm within the public spectacle of the hotel and the duality of revealing and concealing. I think of these paintings as luminous psychological spaces, places to explore the relationship between painting and empathy", said Celeste Chandler.

The community exhibition titled Luminescence is open until 8 September from 7am - 10.30pm, 7 days a week*. It features 38 conceptual and material interpretations in many of the hotel's quirky spaces including lifts, guest corridors, lights, windows and the hotel's historic staircase. Complementing the exhibition and illumination is an historical video tribute on the window of Bourke and Spring Street that celebrates the rich heritage of the hotel.

- Domino Lounge, a liminal space as a tribute to cab drivers who played dominoes in a hut outside the hotel in the late 1800's;

- A hydraulic sculpture as a reference to the heritage lifts that were operated by hydraulics from The Yarra (located in Wallis & Ed);

- Painting of a stolen coffee pot by the artist's father from the hotel in the 80's and a 'confessional' letter;

- Cascading animated waterfall down the hotel's heritage staircase;

- Digitised Ernest Buckmaster paintings;

- A nude photographic tribute to Rudolf Nureyev and Sir Robert Helpmann (Helpmann was once seen naked farewelling guests at the top of the hotel stairs);

- Oral histories of former guests and staff on multiple screens;

- Coloured and illuminated window installations of light in the hotel's famous dining room

- Crystal laser chandelier (located Wallis & Ed)

- Video projection of a woman climbing the heritage elevator shaft

Luminescence has significant relevance for both The Windsor and the VCA with its connotations of enlightenment, the luminosity of both the hotel and emerging artists and the luminaries who have been an integral part of both institutions for a combined history of almost 280 years.

"Art and heritage are intrinsically connected to The Windsor and the community of Melbourne. We are delighted to provide an artistic canvas and award to some of Australia's greatest emerging talent and we look forward to continuing this tradition and showing our support for the Arts in the years ahead.  Luminescence is a stimulating platform to visually and orally communicate to the community and visitors to Melbourne the integral components of service, guests, employees and history that have formed the hotel's rich tapestry and soul," said Mr Adipoetra Halim, Hotel Director of the Halim Group, owner of The Windsor.

The exhibition signals a new partnership in 2013 between two of Melbourne's most cherished institutions.  2013 marks the 130th anniversary of The Hotel Windsor as one of the world's most cherished grand hotels, which pre-dates The Savoy in London, Raffles in Singapore, the Ritz in Paris and The Plaza in New York.  Past and present notable guests include Vivien Leigh, Sir Laurence Olivier, Sir Robert Helpmann, Katharine Hepburn, Gina Lollobrigida, Lauren Bacall, Rudolf Nureyev, Dame Margot Fonteyn, Gregory Peck, 

Meryl Streep, Barry Humphries, Royalty and a long list of Australian Prime Ministers.

*90% of the artwork can be accessed at opening times indicated; visitors to check with hotel concierge for installations located in hotel function areas.

For media queries contact:

Chantal Hooper (The Hotel Windsor)                    chooper@thw.com.au                     0404 340 585

Sally Abbott (Tango PR)                                         sally_abbott@tangopr.com.au       0418 315 818