Central Canberra needs a dedicated open space for large special events at any time of the year.
All posts by Paul Costigan
Big Coal
The Australian governments have consistently hidden behind the argument that Australia cannot cut back on its emissions because it would be of no effect given the amount of carbon emissions being pumped out by China.
Canberra Beijing Garden – Lennox Gardens
In researching the establishment of these Chinese Gardens I came across some of the consultation documents when the public was asked to comment on the gardens being built within Lennox Gardens.
climate change
George Monbiot has made a good call on the pope’s letter to the world on climate change – click here.
We all now sit back and watch the catholic prime minister of Australia, who is an ardent climate denier and environmental wrecker, deal with this message from his spiritual leader.
Canberra Planning
There is one thing that planning officers excel at: creating jobs for themselves. They do this by constantly reinventing planning and development processes that are so complicated that it takes a planning officer to be able to make sense of them.
photography
The current exhibition at ANCA in Dickson presents two photographic artists whose works have direct links back to the 1970s American colour photography represented by a host of artists including William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, Helen Levitt and Joel Meyerowitz.
wind power
The dumbness of our political leaders just gets worse.
Public Art
for a bit of fun – click on the image
The lack of equity in film
click on image for the story from Crikey
NGA Contemporary Printmaking
A Review of the NGA Exhibition: Streetwise: contemporary print culture
Gungahlin Shopping Centre
The state of Canberra’s shopping centres is a hot topic of conversation at present.
photography
Excellent review of Head On portrait prize
click on image for link to article by Richard Johnstone
Going off the Grid
With reports about the coming of much improved batteries by which households will be able to store their solar power, the concept of whole suburbs going off the grid is starting to be discussed.
Canberra’s Westside wonder
Last July the ACT Government announced plans to develop a shipping container village by the lake on the west side of Commonwealth Avenue.
Food Carts
Canberra does not have a history of food carts. The nearest would be a double decker bus that opens at night time at the top of Braddon. Another would have been the now closed Brodburgers that was a very popular red caravan packed on the side of the lake. That was its problem – it was parked on land overseen by the fairly useless National Capital Authority (NCA).
AGNSW Sydney Modern Project
an update on Sydney Modern Project – click on image
Civic an urban planning problem
Several decades ago, the centre of Canberra provided a very different shopping experience. Civic was a series of pedestrian plazas with a small complex named The Monaro Mall. In 1989 this mall was enlarged to become the first Canberra Centre.
Marriage Equality
It has been interesting to watch the political responses to the decision by the Irish to back marriage equality. Sometimes a writer’s opening lines hit the nail on the head.
Garden City no more
or the disappearing gardens
Canberra was built with gardens being integrated into each household and throughout the neighbourhoods.
Sir John Soane
I have been to London many times. Somehow I had not managed to find my way to the Sir John Soane Museum London until my most recent trip.
Bees
More signs that things are slowly getting worse. Now is the bee colonies that are suffering. But who is listening?
click on the image.
Dickson supermarket development refused
The ACT Planning and Land Authority today announced that the controversial Dickson Coles-DOMA development has been officially refused.
Rorting Women
All the boys in the Australian Government continue to prove to the world their attitude to women. Through the recent budget processes, we had the astonishing revelation that so many women at home with children who had been using the paid leave system available to them have now been identified by this government, those wonderful band of big boys, as being rorters and fraudsters.
photography
a photo essay from early May – a foggy morning followed by a brilliant blue sky.
Arts Minister
It doesn’t get any worse than this!
I have written about Arts Ministers previously – click here. This country desperately needs a new model of national Culture Minster. Instead we have been landed with one of the most unsuitable politician to be the Arts Minister.
Dickson Shops
Voter action needed following Dickson shops debacle
There have been recent reports that the controversial Dickson supermarket proposal continues to be debated behind closed doors within the government planning bureaucracy.
Equity and Corporate Boards
One would think that by now people would make sure there is equity with the appointment of people to corporate boards, panels, committees etc.
Arts Singapore
National Gallery Singapore: A story about doubts about whether an artwork is a fake. Click on the image for more.
Walking
While Australian governments spend a lot of time on transport matters, it usually means cars, maybe public transport and occasionally bicycles. In Canberra the pedestrian is not often on the agenda. Walking is far more fun. I visited Vienna recently and was impressed about many things to do with its urban structure. And now I read that they have a new emphasis on walking and urban planning is allowing for this!
photography
A few travel photographs from not quite the usual tourist destination. This time we were in Maidstone in Kent. The image above is from within the local museum.
Negative Gearing
One of the faults with Australian democracy remains that many decisions by the elected politicians remain flawed because of the obvious but ignored conflicts of interests.
Venice Biennale Pavilion
There was much ado amongst the Australian arts heavies with their announcement of a new pavilion for the Venice Biennale.
Cars for Canberra
It was during a radio program on the future of Civic, the centre of Canberra, that an architectural academic came forward with his Big Idea on how this city centre could be refurbished. To my surprise the academic suggested that Civic’s pedestrian areas should be opened up for cars. I have to say that ‘architectural experts’ often speak on urban matters as if they are living on another planet.
Climate Change
We have a government that lies and denies when it comes to climate change. Click on the image for this story.
photography
an overview of photography events
Paris Photo LA Preivew (click on the image)
North Canberra Greenway
A little while ago, I wrote a few pieces about Braddon. In amongst the many different aspects of the suburb, I brought up the concept of significant changes to Haig Park.
Public Art in Canberra
Public sculpture commissioned in the memory of our dignitaries has been known to cause a stir amongst art lovers as well as those who take a position on public art.
Urban Suburban
Exhibition Review
Canberra Museum and Gallery: Urban Suburban. Until June 21.
The Canberra Museum and Gallery’s current major visual arts exhibition has the focus on artists’ views of life for the people living in this city.
Review Commonwealth Place
Review of landscape design: Commonwealth Place, Canberra
One of the local manifestations for Centenary of Federation in the year 2001 was the building of Commonwealth Place down on the side of the lake in the axis between Parliament and Mount Ainslie.
National Portrait Gallery Anzac
There’s a special exhibition at National Portrait Gallery in Canberra. This is this institution’s contribution to the Anzac centenary.
Lucky Country
It is good to be reminded that the term The Lucky Country as used by Donald Horne was not complimentary of our leadership. Sadly the term and its meaning as used back then still applies today.
The Photograph and Australia
There’s a new online review on the Art Gallery of NSW photography exhibition: The Photograph and Australia.
Photography
A Week in photography (care of Artdaily)
Kate Breakey at the Michener Art Museum
Click on images for more
Canberra Brickworks
A new Future for the Canberra Brickworks
Originally published on RiotACT.
A couple of decades ago, the Yarralumla Brickworks site was home to community markets and a colony of artists. This was the last time I visited the site.
MCA Distractions
Comment on exhibition behaviour
I enjoy the exhibitions at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). However ever since they completed their renovations and now attract more people, something has happened in how some visitors behave.
Climate Change
Reality check on Australia
While the many in the world address climate change, the present federal government in Australia continues to prop up Big Coal and anyone else who supports them. So what’s to be done about this? Continue reading Climate Change
NGA Colour My World
Exhibition Review
Colour My World, National Gallery of Australia till 30 August 2015
Here’s a recommended exhibition for those with an interest in Australian hand coloured photography from the last couple of decades.
Dickson Shops
An update on development in Canberra
Looking to the next elections for resident friendly solutions
The Dickson residents continue to be disappointed with the ACT Government for allowing so many inappropriate development proposals to be taken seriously. The latest let-down is that local politicians look as if they are allowing a supermarket and residential proposal to progress even though the evidence indicates how wrong it is for this inner suburb.
Visiting AGNSW
Visitor comment
on visiting the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
A visit to the Art Gallery of New South Wales is always worth the trouble no matter what exhibitions are on. I have often said, that this would be one of the easier jobs in the country as the audience comes no matter what the exhibition. But
Northbourne Ave
Fears for the redevelopment of Northbourne
It was well before self-government that a bureaucracy of experts delivered our inner Canberra urban landscapes. While there are many aspects of Canberra’s landscapes to be celebrated, there are questionable decisions by former planners and bureaucrats that we now have to deal with and correct.
Madness: The Photograph and Australia
a review of a very strange review
The Photograph and Australia, AGNSW till 8 June 2015
It is a good thing to read critical reviews of the visual arts. A variety of views is refreshing.
The Photograph and Australia
Review: Photography
The Photograph and Australia, AGNSW till 8 June 2015
For anyone with an interest in photography, this exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) has to be seen, and then seen again.
Architecture: UTS Gehry
The Gehry Building at UTS, Sydney
Review: Dr Chau Chak Wing Building | University of Technology
Many universities in Australia have campuses with lush landscape settings. Then there are the universities that are very contained inner city urban environments. In Sydney, the University of Technology (UTS) is one of the latter.
Public Transport
photo-essay: Chicago L
The ACT Government is to implement the city’s first light rail system. Particular lobby groups have been hounding the government about this decision.
Canberra Planning
The Good and loads of the Bad and Ugly
The Property Council has issued another one of their occasional gems about planning and development here in Canberra. This one is titled: Transforming Canberra’s CBD. Sometimes you are not sure whether to laugh or cry when you read these documents.
NGA Exhibition
Colour my world: handcoloured Australian photography
National Gallery of Australia (Canberra) Exhibition open till 30 August 2015
Canberra Heritage
Braddon’s historic car yards in danger
There are reports circulating that the future of an important aspect of Braddon’s heritage is in danger of being lost.
A real Chief Minister
Foolish Urban Dreams and Aspirations
It was earlier today while sitting back on my verandah reading a book on the concept of architecture and enjoyment that this Dickson resident had the pleasant autumnal experience of drifting away into a city of complete amazements. The city’s government had just appointed a Chief Minister of extraordinary vision for urban development.
Betty Churcher
11 January 1931 – 31 March 2015
Magna Carta Place Canberra
Review: Public Art/ Monument
A review of Canberra’s Magna Carta Place public art
This is a re-posting of a review I posted to RiotACT last week.
William Barak remembered?
A strange twist to a story
Architecture owns the story. That’s not necessarily a good thing!
Loud! Photography at AGNSW
Exhibition Notice
LOUD! photographs of women by women
at the Art Gallery of NSW, 25 April – 2 July 2015 – click on the image for more
The Fourth Plinth
A city that embraces public art must a place to visit. In Canberra when Jon Stanhope was Chief Minister the city had a very active public art program.
The Photograph and Australia
Exhibition Notice
The Photograph and Australia,
at the Art Gallery of NSW, Sydney, till 8 June 2015
This is a must see exhibition.
drought
Yarralumla Development
Development to alter the Yarralumla ambience
The following is a slightly longer version of a post I uploaded to RiotACT. This post concentrated on the new development sites which will replace much of the greenery around the southern edge of this part of Yarralumla. I have left comments about the redevelopment of the former brickwork’s sit for another time.
Germany: Memories of a Nation
Book & Exhibition Review
Germany: Memories of a Nation, 2014
I was somewhat aware of the complicated history of the German peoples. Over many years I had dipped into history books about various aspects of German histories. But despite this I had still not quite got my head around just how the German state as we know it today came into being.
This book by Neil MacGregor is recommended not only because it deals very well with the layers of history, but because he does this in a very accessible and enjoyable method. I cannot say the same for the exhibition.
Bendigo Art Gallery
Review – Gallery and exhibitions
A visit to the Bendigo Art Gallery
The Bendigo Art Gallery is one of the stars of Australian public art galleries. The gallery has built a great reputation through ongoing successful exhibition programs. We visited in March and were very impressed.
Taiwanese Photography
Between – Picturing 1950-1960s Taiwan
ANU Australian Centre on China in the World till 3 April 2015 
This is a highly recommended photography exhibition. It closes 3 April 2015.
Braddon – The Suburb
Comment on the urban changes within Braddon
Following a recent post on the developments happening in the Braddon commercial precinct (click here), I also posted on RiotACT on the surrounding suburb.
Jon Stanhope & ALP asylum policy
An ethical person speaks out
I met Jon Stanhope a couple of times when he was Chief Minister for the ACT. Canberra benefited from his leadership. He continues to be a person known for his strong ethical stance on important issues.
He also liked public art – but that program was killed off because of the Liberal Party trolls who used the media to hammer the program.
Planning Idiots Reign Supreme
The lack of vision in planning
Sub Titled: let’s blame everyone but those who cause the problem!
Over the last year or so a local architect has been writing in the Canberra Times on issues around planning, development and design. Unfortunately his tone has changed somewhat. Or maybe it was always so, and we have only now witnessed the true nature of his advocacy.
AGNSW: Photography and Australia
Exhibition Notice
Photography and Australia – a major survey exhibition
Art Gallery of NSW – 21 March – 2 June 2015. click on image for more
A Photograph
Michael Leunig’s Violet Town signs
The fun things you see as you drive through middle Victoria. A town sign designed by Michael Leunig. (click on image to enlarge)
photography
Through a Lens Darkly
There’s a new documentary on black photography in the USA.
Braddon Precinct
Braddon Development on the Cusp
Here are some thoughts on the redevelopment underway within the Braddon Precinct, being mainly two streets, Mort and Lonsdale Streets.
Equity and Corporate Boards
and how we still do not get it!
to quote from a Guardian article: There are more men named Peter in the chief executive and chair positions of companies in the ASX200 – Australia’s 200 largest listed companies – than there are women. click here for the article. and..
A Campaign to Put a Woman on the Twenty-Dollar Bill
click on the image for this great story – we wish them all the best!
Steve McCurry – Sharbat Gula
A sad story indeed about the woman in the famous Steve McCurry/National Geographic photograph. The original photograph was a 1984 cover for National Geographic.
Sharbat Gula, the subject of the original photograph, is in trouble because she remains a refugee from Afghanistan, but was carrying a Pakistan identify card.
Please click on the image to the right for the link to the story.
Canberra Planning
The destruction of Canberra through planning
Canberra as a planned city is a myth.
Planning sign requirement
Public Art
Canberra political public art
Canberra has a very mixed record when it comes to graffiti art in public places.
National Gallery of Victoria
Review of website NGV
I was reminded of the benefits of online information when it was mentioned on a UK program that the UK has listed all painting in public galleries on the one website. Now that is impressive. So I thought it was time to look again at how the galleries in Australia communicate through their websites.
40 Years Photography
1974… 40 YEARS / 40 PHOTOGRAPHS
A Celebration by Galerie Kicken Berlin – 40 years of exhibitions and support of photography through an exhibition of 40 photographs.
Click here to go to Gael Newton’s blog posting.
Photography
UK Bans Export of Album
The UK government has taken action to ban the export of seventy photographs by Swedish photography pioneer Oscar Gustave Rejlander.
A New Future for Canberra Planning
A posting I have uploaded to RiotACT – click here – puts the position that Canberra needs an urgent change a new approach to planning and development.
without fear or favour
This country is being so badly governed. Politicians in this government openly bully those who do not share their view. This is how Abbott’s Team Australia deals with anyone deemed not to be on side with the government’s views. Democracy itself is being trashed by senior politicians almost daily. Graeme Innes’ article says it all – please click on the image
Architectural Eyesore
Is this an eyesore for Canberra?
I was staring at the image above from the Canberra Times story about a concept that has been accepted for the new Canberra Convention Centre. I was wondering, is this something radical or is it an eyesore? Continue reading Architectural Eyesore
A photograph
The stupidity of the Rabbott Prime Minister
Be Warned – be Afraid – be Very Afraid
Crace
A first visit to the suburb of Crace
Crace is a new suburb in Canberra. Click on the image for a short photo-essay.
Dickson shops a major disappointment
Residents are having to deal with a stupid development proposal that is backed by the ACT Government for a new supermarket in Dickson.
Italian Gardens DVD
Review: Monty Don’s Italian Gardens
available on DVD
I did not get to see this program on TV so it was great to catch up with the DVD release. If you at all interested in gardens and their history, then this one is a definite for you
Of course the gardens are those made by the rich and famous/infamous – with at least one exception being an urban market garden that has so far not been consumed by urban developments around Naples.
It’s Time – Again
Change needs to happen!
Right now the leadership of this country is a total mess and remains out of touch with reality. The politicians are continuing to carry on as if nothing needs to change. Something needs to happen. The country was in a similar state of going nowhere once before.
Dickson photograph
A sign of activity by the revolutionary arm of the Dickson Residents Group
Big Money
The destruction of a nation by Big Money
click on image for the story by George Monbiot
NGA photography
Visiting the NGA collections
The National Gallery of Australia (NGA) is always worth the visit to see the collection exhibitions. Right now with a major exhibition on, the other galleries are reasonably quiet which is perfect for sitting and contemplating. If you can find a seat.
Dickson Shops
Canberra Planning is so wrong!
The thought of how the proposal for the new Dickson supermarket/apartment building was taken seriously by any professional in the ACT Government ‘s Planning Authority is totally unbelievable!
National Gallery: The Film
Notice of Film Release
National Gallery: The Film (2014) by Frederick Wisemen
This film has been released and I have read numerous positive reviews and much commentary about its making. I have noted the release as I consider going to The National Gallery in London as one of the great joys in life.
Lee Grant Photography
New Yorker on Lee Grant and Korean photography
Dickson Planning Consultation Dilemmas
Development dilemmas: part three
The future of the Dickson Precinct and beyond
This is the third of several posts on planning and development issues for Dickson in Canberra. Residential groups around the country share similar frustrations, dilemmas and challenges in dealing with planning and development bureaucracies.
National Cultural Institutions
The role for our cultural institutions
I suspect that most people have a fair idea of the individual function of our main national cultural institutions.