When Jon Stanhope commented on his disappointment – or was it frustration – with the lack of the ACT Government’s achievement in delivering on social housing, it struck a note with anyone who likewise considers that the LDA/directorate is focused on land sales at the expense of urban development and issues such as social housing.
All posts by Melbourne Resident
NGA Photography – The world is beautiful
In amongst the many changes across the National Gallery of Australia has been the opening up of a new exhibition of photographs from their own collection.
Climate Change
Three stories that provide a reality check on the current approaches to climate.
Highly recommended – Tom Roberts at the NGA
The National Gallery of Australia (NGA) has launched a major Tom Roberts exhibition.
Continue reading Highly recommended – Tom Roberts at the NGA
Capital Region Farmers Market
It has now become a habit for thousands of Canberrans to jump into their cars on Saturday morning and to drive to North Canberra and to make their way to a very special local retail event.
Architecture: UTS Gehry eyesore
It seems that the UTS Gehry building has won another award, this time as the Eyesore of the Month from James Kunstler.
The Canadian Photography Institute
Good news from Canada about photography – click on the image above
Neil Young
Music Review: Bluenote Cafe, Neil Young (2015)
If you like Neil Young’s music, then this album must make its way into your collection. This is Neil Young at his best and doing so as a Blues musician.
The music is from live recordings from 1987 – 1988 and is more or less based around his studio album, This Note’s For You .
Quarterly Essay: Political Amnesia
Reviews: Quarterly Essay 60 — Political Amnesia
How we forgot how to govern, Laura Tingle, November 2015
This is a recommended read for those with any sort of interest in how Australia has been and continues to be manged by the political ruling classes for the last couple of decades. I cannot say that anything Laura Tingle wrote about was shocking news, given my own experiences of dealing with governments and their bureaucracies, but her insights and observations are definitely worth the read.
Architecture: The Goods Line
Architecture
Northbourne heritage
The decision by the ACT Heritage Council to heritage list 17 of the Northbourne housing precinct does confuse the developments being proposed for the gateway to Canberra.
George Monbiot
Again George has taken aim at one of the fictions of the modern economy. His article is headed: Consume more, conserve more: sorry, but we just can’t do both. Click here.
Big Coal and India
Article from Wired about India & energy – to go Big Coal or Big Solar? click on image
Mark Seymour
Good to see artists speak out on issues – click on the image for the story
Music Review: Natalie Merchant
Paradise Is There: The New Tigerlily Recordings (2015)
It is the done thing for musicians to cover other musicians songs and to do new arrangements of those songs rather than just attempting to mimic them.
National Gallery Singapore
Canberra Tales: Two huts of protest
If you happen to be driving past the South African Embassy in Canberra, you may notice a lonely and disused sentry box on the corner near the entrance to the embassy and its residence.
ACT Planning Minister has intent
The ACT has a Planning Minister and he has put out a document titled — Statement of Planning Intent.
NGA Photography
Opening 4th December 2015: The world is beautiful
Climarte
CLIMARTE is curating an exhibition by Australia artist Debbie Symons. The artwork is a digital work titled Counting One to Four: Nature morte. Click on the image for more.
Spray For Paris
Click on image for the story in The Guardian
Climate change
SIEV X Memorial
There are so many stories to be told around the installation of the memorial to the 353 people who drowned while attempting the journey to Christmas Island on 19th October 2001.
Show me a Hero
Review: Show me a Hero
This program is recommended. It is a six part mini series based on a book. The book was in turn was based on a series of events about 30 years ago in Yonkers New York to do with resistance by a white neighbourhood to the introduction of social housing.
Green Square Zetland Sydney
We start with words from the City of Sydney – that contains all those words that make sensible people run for cover:
Australian Art at the NGA
Sometimes a visit to the National Gallery of Australia can deliver a very nice surprise.
Kingston Arts Precinct – to be or not to be?
When the ACT Government announced in October that they were putting out to tender the development of an arts precinct within the Kingston Foreshore, it did send a quiet ripple through those involved in the arts.
Continue reading Kingston Arts Precinct – to be or not to be?
Peace for Paris
Political empathy
George Monbiot on moral blankness
Even though I have been involved in political advocacy for far too many years, I am still constantly amazed by the total lack of empathy shown by many decision makers – being both bureaucrats and politicians. These people do not take the time to look at the evidence of what happens as a result of their decisions.
Taxing Times – The Monthly
Some good thoughts on the current tax debate – click here.
Kitchen Cabinet
The interviews on the ABC program Kitchen Cabinet are in some cases simply soft propaganda for particular politicians.
Time to go wild: George Monbiot
Far too many topics are not being handled honestly and openly in the public discourse.
Malcolm Turnbull
I remain totally unconvinced about the leadership of Malcolm Turnbull. I agree that the country is far far better off now that Abbott is no longer out there trying to terrify everyone.
I often wondered whether Abbott was not quite sane – and more recent events have done nothing to dispel this thought.
Stop the Dames
Oh my god! I have been denied my chance of ever being made a knight in Australia!
Nick Brandt
Click on the image for the link to the gallery page for the artist – and for more, see this article
Reid three-storey proposal ticks the boxes
Canberra residents have noticed that whenever the Chief Minister and his LDA/Directorate bureaucrats want to send in the bulldozers into an established suburb, that they use the same propaganda.
Vitoria-Gasteiz and 21st Century city transport
Imitate to Innovate: Vitoria-Gasteiz Shows How Cities can Address 21st Century Challenges. Click on image for the story.
copenhagen
A nice blog worth visiting, philscopenhagen – click on the image above.
Trams, trams and more trams
Just when most locals probably thought that there have been more than enough discussions and surveys about the Canberra’s new light rail (or trams), the ACT Government has launched another consultation on the topic.
Neil Young
Neil Young has launched a new website with the aim of educating people about world conservation. Click here for the story in Rolling Stone – or for the direct link to the site – click here.Benedict Cumberbatch & refugees
click on image for the story
Germaine Krull
Philippe Halsman at Jeu de Paume
click on image for the story from ArtDaily
York Park and wet feet
Having any urban park is to be celebrated and all efforts should be made to ensure their continued existence. Parks are constantly under threat from various property industry lobbyists who have the ear of government.
World Photobook Day
click on image for story
No New Coal Mines
click on image for more and to join the campaign
When Soak Becomes Spill
click on image for the story of the work by Subodh Gupta
Climate change
click on image for article
Your daily grind
Click on image for story about people’s daily grind – and then for more – click here.
Marie Coleman and Turnbull’s FTB
I suspect that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is still locked into appeasing those on the far right that this country needs to reduce its spending on the social welfare programs. There is little evidence that the Turnbull government is looking to have the top wealthy few and big business pay their share of taxes and thus increase the revenue.
Award for freedom of expression in art
click on the image for the story from The Straits Time and more on FX Harsono
Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton enjoys his 70th birthday at the Albert Hall London. Click on the image for the video
A voice from behind a pillar
The photo above has a weird architectural feature that reminded me of an event that was even stranger.
Canberra Parklands declared terra nullius
The ACT Government and its business advisors have adopted a destructive language to justify their negative approach to parklands and open spaces in Canberra.
Women photographers
The fight to gain equity in the recognition of women in the art world just keeps on having to be repeated. The historical biases just do not go away.
But then along comes something that is really strange.
Andrew Sayers
Click on the image for an article by Sasha Grishin on Andrew
What next for Floriade
As mentioned in an earlier post, the ACT Government is under pressure from the National Capital Authority to move Floriade out of Commonwealth Park west.
Natalie Merchant
here’s another opportunity to enjoy Natalie Merchant – Equestrienne
Kingston Arts Precinct
There’s was a recent announcement that the government is calling for developers to put forward proposals to develop part of the Kingston Foreshore site as an arts precinct.
One wonders what their perception and concept of what is art precinct. Then there will be the issues that the government is looking for a commercial entity to propose an arts precinct.
The Bowen Place underpass
The Bowen Place underpass has been a long time in coming — and is very welcomed. It is a job well done.
Australian politician and the arts
One of these images is of an ass. One of these images is of a painting.
Remembering Abbott
It was not that long ago that this country had someone else as its prime minister. Luckily his presence in our political life has already commenced to fade away as if it was just a bad dream.
There certainly were some moments of true stupidity as well as some very evil deeds carried out. It may take quite a while for the country to recover.
Monash Gallery of Art & Bowness
The MGA has announced Joseph McGlennon as the winner of the 2015 Bowness prize.
There’s an online video made before the announcement – Guardian Australian photo editor Jonny Weeks and photographer Mike Bowers discuss the entires and their picks for the winners. click here.
One giant step for Downer
Many years ago the suburb of Downer had a thriving shopping centre and a bustling school next door.
Wendy Whiteley’s secret Sydney garden
click on the image for the story from the Guardian
Glebe Park threatened by The ACT Chief Minister
More than thirty years ago there was a very vocal community campaign to halt the take over of Glebe Park.
Continue reading Glebe Park threatened by The ACT Chief Minister
So there may be life on Mars!
We all heard the news— that scientists were very excited about the discovery of water on Mars. The logical thought being that if there is water, then surely there will be some for of life on Mars.
Barangaroo & architectural sour grapes
The whole of the Barangaroo story is messy. Sydney based architectural writers are not very happy. Yes their chosen few did not get the contract. Yes even the next team did not survive.
Creating boring
Last week I made the bold statement that “There is little evidence that this ACT Government understands the importance of and the linkages between integrated design, aesthetics, landscape, infrastructure, cities, the environment and climate change.”
Barangaroo
Barangaroo Reserve, opened to the public in August 2015. It was immediately greeted with much enthusiasm and was declared a success.
Tuggeranong town centre
Tuggeranong town centre has received some mixed commentary in recent weeks. Ever since it was reported that Tuggeranong’s population is declining, locals have mounted their soap boxes. They’ve pointed out how it is much loved, that they are proud to live there, and made the call for local action.
Climate Change
Australia has a new Prime Minister. (Yah, that other one is no longer on my TV!!)
Have we changed anything when we come to getting real about climate change? So far the signs are not good but it has only been a week or two since the change in government leadership.
VW and Big Oil
The
scandal around the use of diesel in vehicles has been coming for years. There have been numerous articles recently about the research on what the dangers there are to the environment and to our health from having diesel vehicles on the roads.
The only Moscow metro toilet
Some stories make you wonder. Here’s one of them.
Passengers on Moscow’s underground system can now access a toilet for the first time – but only at one station. click here.
How high for the High Court?
The High Court of Australia, which opened in 1980, is the tallest building on the southern central foreshore of Lake Burley Griffin. Its architectural style, being brutalist concrete and glass, is not exactly friendly.
Big Coal
And now for something really silly – or maybe just naive.
George Monbiot, VW and diesel
I have been wondering just how long the world was going to accept diesel engines in cars given they are polluting nightmares. Yet they continued to be rolled out. I hope this latest scandal involving VW fixing their diesel cars so that they produced false results will now focus attention on to how bad diesel engines are for the environment. Yet again, George Monbiot has written a very timely piece on the topic – it is definitely worth the read. click here.
No more Abbott
There’s been a lot of stuff written about the end of the Abbott debacle.
Here is a very good summation. Please click here.
Notes on the Death of Culture
New Book: Mario Vargas Llosa, Notes on the Death of Culture
I suspect that many people would agree that the joys and subtleties of culture is under threat by mass media technologies and the expectations of the immediate. The demise of culture is addressed in a new book “Notes on the Death of Culture”. This is not a joyous read as it is more about being in a state of despair about so many things about us in western society.
The Gift of the Daguerreotype
The extraordinary story of how photography was kick started through a French Government initiative – a gift to the world. Click on the image
Canberra tales: As your building sinks, get out!
It was not long ago that occupants of a new Civic office building reported faults appearing in the structure. Office workers noticed that floors were sagging.
Continue reading Canberra tales: As your building sinks, get out!
photojournalist Esther Bubley
National Museum of Women in the Arts exhibits work by photojournalist Esther Bubley – click on photo for information
A Photograph
Maybe it was left behind to collect any stray mail.
Architecture
Women on TV
The New York Times article on women in TV is a sad tale of how far things have advanced with women’s employment. In this case, the author states that things did improve but that it was a spike rather than a trend. Click here for the article.
Women Photographers
There needs to be more articles such as this one from The Guardian.
Seeking a Planning Minister for Canberra
Canberra residents have the perception, or at least the aspiration, that the elected ACT politician appointed to be the planning minister will oversee the future planning and development of the city on behalf of the residents.
Vera
Review: Vera on DVD
This is a series for any crime drama fans. The stories are based in North East England, complete with accents and marvellous countryside. While the characters are important to the story lines, they do not dominate and so the crime story remains at the centre of attention throughout.
The main character, Chief Inspector Vera Stanhope, is portrayed successfully and is totally enjoyable.
Madness in Queanbeyan
It was while visiting regional towns in Victoria that I was reminded of quite silly events that are happening back home, or at least close to home.
Marion Boyce
A visit to Rippon Lea (Melbourne) to see the wonderful exhibition of costumes produced by Marion Boyce for the ABC program Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries.
Mammon
Review: Mammon on DVD (2014)
This one of series ticks all the boxes for having all the right elements for yet another Nordic Noir TV series. Trouble is that it just does not work.
There are many things to like but these are countered by too many things that are not so likeable.
Climate Change
It is very embarrassing to have your own federal government so wrong on crucial matters such as climate change and the treatment of refugees.
Another Northbourne obscure message
The ACT Government’s Land Development Agency (LDA) circulated a media release late last week that I think was meant to be good news and was supposed to inform us that something is about to happen along Northbourne Ave.
Australia’s Brutal Treatment of Migrants
click on image for a piece in the New York Times
Photographic Portraits from West Africa
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
In and Out of the Studio
Photographic Portraits from West Africa
August 31, 2015–January 3, 2016
Click image for link to the museum – or for ArtDaily – click here
John Mayall
First Listen: New John Mayall album
Find a Way To Care – John Mayall (2015)
For all the many John Mayall fans this is great news. A new album and even better, John and his band are in top form. There’s more than usual use of keyboards and a few with strong brass instruments.
Obituary Rose Farrell 1949 – 2015
It with great sadness that we heard that our friend Rose Farrell died recently. There’s a very good piece about Rose written by Robert Nelson — click here.
Spiral (Engrenages)
Review – Spiral on DVD
This is a wonderful French TV series – that has the title Spiral which is not an accurate translation of the French title – Engrenages. The story lines are more about how they are meshed together rather than being in any spiral.
The writing is great and the characters are all interesting and well-played by the actors. This series is totally recommended.
Amy Helm
First Listen: Amy Helm, Didn’t It Rain (2015)
I have had the pleasure of recently discovering the wonderful talent of Amy Helm. While her music is probably somewhere in the style of Americana and alt/country, there is a great mix of other styles in there, from blues and gospel and more. She makes great music.
Recommended: rating 8/10
Dealing with planning over-reach
There were two planning announcements in recent days that would have raised people’s eyebrows just a little.
national gallery singapore
Opening Celebrations announced
Starts 24 November. Complimentary entry for visitors from 24 Nov – 6 Dec 2015. Click on image for link to gallery website.