The people were typically Yen-like; skinny jeans, asymmetrical bob haircuts and op-shop bags. The venue was typically Yen-like; an obscure gallery in a Melbourne laneway, hidden amongst the boutique shops. Skyy Vodka and Singha Beer added the last bit of stereotyping to the night. It was the Curvy 5 exhibition launch at the Don’t Come Gallery and these fashion-conscious dudes and dudettes were ready for a big night.

Curvy 5 is an annual all-girl art book created by the team behind popular magazine, Yen. It features 100 female graphic designers and illustrators from over 35 countries around the world. The book costs $35 and an exhibition has been touring around Australia showcasing some of the best artists in the book.

Thursday was Curvy’s big night in Melbourne and the atmosphere was just right for an ‘arty’ time. Guests were escorted up about 6 flights of stairs (which may have proved difficult to descend after some guests over-indulged on the free drinks), where they then entered a very small space which actually had the feel of somewhere a lot bigger. It was a wide open space with only paintings on the wall, a counter for buying the book and counter for getting your free drinks! It is a very small exhibition but the paintings have enough detail and symbolism to keep someone there contemplating for hours.

One of my favorite pieces on show was a sketch by Rebecca Orszag. A few of her paintings were on display and all had the recurring theme of a woman scarred. In this particular piece there are two families standing besides a tree, one older family and the other younger. Both families have the father distant from the mother and daughter, symbolic of the man abandoning the family. Plenty can be read into her works. My slightly disturbed escort for the night was quite transfixed by a piece from Mine Jenker of South Africa. In a 1920s advertisement style, Jenker painted a very ugly transvestite with long acrylic nails, bright green eyeshadow, making a crude gesture. He found it beautifully transfixing proving there really is something for everyone in Curvy.

New craze, Sketchel Bags, were also on display. These one-of-a-kind customized shoulder bags are produced by different artists around the world and can be brought online. A percentage of each sale goes to the artist.

The exhibition is open to the public until Sunday May 3.

For more information on Curvy or to purchase the book click here.