By Samantha Cheong
A full venue takeover by South Asian arts collective Kerfew is set to transform The Substation next month, bringing together classical traditions, contemporary sounds and experimental electronic music in a celebration of the South Asian artist community.
“Testing is a chance for us to platform the inspiring artists within our community who are breaking moulds in the experimental arts and music scene,” says Kerfew co-founder and co-curator, Kamna Muddagouni.
“When people think of South Asian music and culture, they may have a singular view of what that looks like — but from bringing together underground artistry within our community for the last four years, we’re keen to show just how multi-faceted artistic representation within our scene really is.”
Kerfew: Testing, will see the collective’s most ambitious program to date occupy all levels of The Substation. The event features live music, DJ sets, performance art, food by MyNameChef and sonic installations, showcasing artists who move between classical, contemporary and experimental practices.
Founded in 2022, Kerfew has quickly established itself as one of Melbourne’s most distinctive cultural collectives. Bringing together South Asian artists, musicians and DJs, the group creates gatherings that challenge conventional ideas of culture, genre and identity while fostering a strong sense of hospitality and belonging.
At the heart of Kerfew’s work is a commitment to creating spaces where artists and audiences can explore cultural traditions on their own terms. Rather than treating South Asian culture as something fixed or nostalgic, the collective embraces experimentation, hybridity and collaboration, reflecting the experiences of contemporary diaspora communities.
“The thing people always remember about coming to a Kerfew event, is that it always feels equal parts inclusive, comfortable and defiant. We’ve been so lucky to have audiences respond to our varied curation with openness because they know we’re putting in the care to make sure the music is good, the vibe is warm and that people feel they’ve experienced something new. It’s been amazing to build Kerfew over the last four years to the point that we’re working with some of the country’s best artists and growing our community,” says Muddagouni.
For Testing, Kerfew’s curators and producers Kamna Muddagouni and Saieesh Shanmugarajah have assembled a lineup that spans generations and musical traditions.
“A Kerfew audience always has been intercultural, intergenerational and interconnected: People attending for the first time feel as equally at home expressing their culture — whatever that looks like to them — as they do learning about a culture they may not have known about before, and we want our curation to reflect that,” says Muddagouni.
Highlights include a live set from Aarti Jadu, whose work blends cinematic composition, bass music and layered vocal arrangements; a Naarm debut from Eora-based Bengali DJ Arsonist; and a collaborative performance by violinist Bhairavi Raman and mridangam player Nanthesh Sivarajah, combining Carnatic classical music with drone-based experimentation.
Audiences will also experience the debut collaboration between bansuri (traditional flute) players Hantu and Vinod Prasanna, sound artist R Rebeiro’s exploration of percussion and texture, a live art performance by Rakini Devi (Urban Kali), and theremin-controlled modular synthesisers by Vijay Thillaimuthu. Thillaimuthu took his Asia TOPA performance of Oblation at The Substation to India last year as part of the Serendipity Arts Festival in Goa as well as the G5A Warehouse in Mumbai.
Kerfew: Testing reflects The Substation’s commitment to ambitious, boundary-pushing work and the diverse communities of Melbourne’s west. As the region continues to emerge as a cultural hub, the event highlights the vital role of independent arts organisations and community-led collectives in fostering representation, experimentation and connection, while bringing South Asian artists and audiences and the broader community together through contemporary art.
Kerfew: Testing takes place at The Substation, Newport, on Saturday 11 July from 7pm to 1am.
Tickets are available via The Substation website:
thesubstation.org.au/program/kerfew-testing
