Created by Donvale students for the new Performing Arts Centre, Performance of the Night explored the relationship between music, performance, architecture and the natural environment.

Drawing inspiration from nocturnal wildlife, the artwork reflected the hidden performances of creatures that emerge after dark. Silk masks, combined with found natural materials, represented these elusive night-time performers as they moved across their environmental stage.

Musical elements were woven throughout the design. Larger masks symbolised minims (longer musical notes), while clusters of masks represented chords, connected by a flowing melodic line running through the centre of the work. Faces within the composition represented audience members observing the spectacle, much like theatre-goers watching a performance on stage.

The artwork also responded to the architecture of the new Performing Arts Centre. Its flowing forms contrasted with the strong linear structure of the building, while the colours and textures reflected the surrounding natural environment and echoed the brick and zinc elements of the Centre's design.

Created collaboratively by students, the work celebrated the interconnected themes of performance, music, architecture and nature that were central to life at Donvale.