BALSA X HAKE

Solstice State, a group exhibition by HAKE in Balsa at Harbord Hotel, is reimagining the dining experience. Delicious vintage furniture. Heavenly warm flavors. Delectable textures. An appetite for the stomach and eyes. It's contemporary art and design with food, paving the way for future cross-cultural collaborations.

The Harbord Hotel is a local food destination located on Sydney's northern beaches. Its design is grounded in an earthy, natural palette with a beautifully polished interior filled with soft creamy hues and raw materials. The timber ceiling and contrasts of striking darker tiles entertain all seasons, and guests with front-row seats have views of the ocean through the arched windows. There are walnut timber floors and a staircase paired with a mural painted by Ash, a deeply creative experiment that marks the long-lasting relationship between the two spaces. 

Ash and Jake approached the collaboration as an opportunity to curate a show that responds to the humble and subtle interior and exterior surroundings. It suggests a timeless and seamless atmosphere that creates a public friendship and cultural exchange between HAKE and the Harbord Hotel. A selection of 15 works compose of various styles, techniques, and subject matter that create a sense of comfort and familiarity with Sydney's northern beaches. 

Solstice State bleeds effortlessly and intuitively between HAKE and Balsa, welcoming guests with a new cultural sphere. 

Written by Amalia Mitsopoulos

Harbord Hotel respectfully acknowledges the traditional owners, the Gayamaygal people, and their Country on the land which Harbord Hotel resides on. We recognise their living culture and unique role in the life of the region where we live, learn and work. We pay respect to Elders past, present and emerging, and acknowledge the spirits and ancestors of the Clan that lived in this area. We extend that respect to all Aboriginal people, for they hold the memories, the tradition and culture.

Images by Cory Roberts