recommended stopover
First a little history: Having not called by Gundagai for many years, in 2015 we called in to check out the well-known Niagara Café. It was a disappointment.
Category Archives: Arts & Culture
The wonders of signs
is this what we signed up for?
Developers love putting up their signs of things to come that will make life better for future residents.
photography at the National Library of Australia
documentary photography exhibition
Viewfinder: Photography from the 1970s to Now
National Library of Australia exhibition, Friday 16 September 2022 until Monday 13 March 2023 Entry is free, curated by Matthew Jones
a link to the NLA page on the exhibition – click here
a tour of the exhibition click here
Visiting the National Gallery in Canberra
When the national Gallery opened in 1988, the exhibitions and their café became frequent destinations – a meeting place for locals, to take in the latest exhibitions while seeing old friends – the fabulous works in the permanent collections. Continue reading Visiting the National Gallery in Canberra
NGA Canberra Sculpture Garden
A place to visit often
There were few people visiting the NGA’s Sculpture Garden when I visited to enjoy the garden’s well-designed spaces and to check out the artworks.
Korean food to celebrate the Queen
It was, as I was reading an online US newspaper on Thursday, June 2, that I spotted they had the streaming of the Queen’s platinum celebration in London. How could I resist?
Supermarkets, galleries and Italian food
There was news in May that a new supermarket is to open in Canberra. Harris Farm Markets are to build a new store at Majura Park on the northern end of the site occasionally used by the circus. Continue reading Supermarkets, galleries and Italian food
Marion Mahony Griffin – What A Life!
Particular major urban developments in Canberra have been promoted to be in line with the plans of Marion Mahony Griffin and Walter Burley Griffin or somehow in the spirit of the Griffins.
Marion Mahony Griffin’s vision for Canberra
and how it is being lost
When Marion Mahony Griffin provided those glorious drawings for the submission to design Canberra, she included a distant view of the mountains.
Continue reading Marion Mahony Griffin’s vision for Canberra
What happens in Sydney – happens here
Book Review: Killing Sydney: The Fight For a City’s Soul
Elizabeth Farrelly’s new book “Killing Sydney: The Fight For a City’s Soul” is a must-read for anyone with an interest in their local planning issues.
A day out in Braidwood
Making the time out to visit regionally
Earlier this month we ventured out for the day to meet a friend at Braidwood. She was from the south coast and so Braidwood meant we both travelled just over an hour.
pandemic travel to Adelaide
not so normal travel during the pandemic
We took the opportunity to travel to what seemed like a faraway place – Adelaide.
Richard Denniss
Essay: Dead Right, How Neoliberalism ate itself and what come next
Recommended reading for all of us as we try to work out what the hell happened with democracy and how our governments have ruined this country.
Ry Cooder
New Music: Prodigal Son
There’s a wonderful group of videos on YouTube – featuring Ry Cooder in the studio performing new songs from Prodigal Son.
Mary Gauthier
Singapore
Views of Singapore 2018
A small selection of photographs from wandering around this wonderful complex city.
Mary Gauthier
Mythomania Peter Conrad
Recommended Reading
Mythomania: Tales of Our Times from Apple to ISIS – by Peter Conrad, Thames and Hudson
Several years ago I had listened to most of Peter Conrad’s BBC podcasts on his topic of Myths – and loved them.
I have read just a little of this book so far – but can say that it as good as if not better than listening to the podcasts of Peter’s broadcasts. It is now part of my reading for the next weeks. And there are new topics covered.
How women dress
Tom Petty
Robert Plant
Midnight Oil
Michael Leunig
Randy Newman
A review of Dark Matter – click here.
journalism
Randy Newman
Populism
Populism now divides, yet once it united the working class
The words populism and populist have no simple, coherent meaning.
Women in music
A list of women in music – turning the tables; click here
Venice under stress
Click on the image above
Justin Townes Earle
Album Review: Justin Townes Earle – Kids in the Street
This is an album I am playing a lot. My rating would be 5/5.
K D Lang Ingenue
special 25th anniversary edition
here’s a re-issue of some really beautiful – magnificent music.
Neil Young
Places for Children
click on image for article
Wonders of apartment heaven in Zetland
For people who live in the older tree filled suburbs of Canberra, being not only the inner north but also out to west Belconnen and the older parts of Woden, Weston and inner Tuggeranong – I have a holiday experience for you.
John Mayall
NO is NOT enough
New book by Naomi Klein
this is my second post on this book:
here’s a new review of the book on The Guardian – click here
Continue reading NO is NOT enough
Architecture
K D Lang
Randy Newman
Dark Matter – August 4th 2017
Dark Matter, Randy Newman’s first album of new material in nine years, is due August 4 on Nonesuch; vinyl on August 18.
Natalie Merchant
Uber and Defeating Sexism
The story of one woman who demanded to be heard
The Uber CEO is gone – why?
click here for the story in The Guardian and read about Susan Fowler, the person who did not do as advised – to ignore the sexist behaviour around her.
Ry Cooder
FLIX’N DICKSON – invite
Everyone is invited to the next Flix’n Dickson “Christmas in July” Party
Pauline Hanson on excluding the artistics
Setting the record straight!
Yet again the media has misunderstood what Pauline Hanson said!
Chuck Berry
His last album: Chuck
You would have heard many songs over the decades – but this is something new.
Penguin Cafe
Rijksmuseum 19th Century photography
the Rijksmuseum is presenting a major retrospective of 19th-century photography – click here
Man of the onions
says it all.. the idiot of Australian politics
NO is NOT enough
New book by Naomi Klein
“This is one attempt to uncover how we got to this surreal political moment. It is also an attempt to predict how, under cover of shocks and crises, it could get a lot worse.
And it’s a plan for how, if we keep our heads, we might just be able to flip the script and arrive at a radically better future.” — From the Introduction
Looking for arts policy
will we ever have an arts minister?
While Australia is a great country – it has been a long time since we have experienced a government that was actually committed to its culture.
Steve Earle
New Album: So You Wannabe An Outlaw
A new Steve Earle album is due out soon – this time, with a few friends, moving back to his roots – being country music.
Culture Heist
Book Notice: Culture Heist, Judith White
ART VERSUS MONEY: The fight for the soul of a
great public institution
Lyle Lovett
Review: Lyle Lovett Greatest Hits 2017
It has been a while since we have seen a ‘greatest hits’ by Lyle Lovett – and this collection is one to have.
Sgt Pepper turns 50
Sgt Pepper’s at 50 – the greatest thing you ever heard or just another album?
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band : is this the best popular music has to offer? Paul Townsend, flickr, CC BY
Frank Hurley and Australian Native Plants
INFORMATION CALL-OUT: FRANK HURLEY
Searching for Frank Hurley along our northern beaches
Did you know that Frank Hurley was a very keen gardener and photographer of wild flowers?
In April 2018 The Manly Art Gallery and Museum will be launching a very special exhibition titled: Frank Hurley – Sydney Harbour photographer: From Circular Quay to Collaroy.
Willie Nelson
The Future of Books
Has the print book trumped digital? Beware of glib conclusions
What will an eBook be 20 years from now? What will a book be? Voyagerix/shutterstock
Nick Earls, The University of Queensland Continue reading The Future of Books
Architecture – on local TV
Do we have examples of good residential architecture in Canberra?
Apple MacBook Pro 2016
This is a follow up to a previous post back in 2016 – when I questioned some of the ‘innovations’ being offered in the new MacBook Pros.
Architecture
a note to the ACT Chief Minister
About the architecture along Northbourne Avenue
Architecture
How to waste public money
The saga of the proposed Garden Bridge over the Thames in London has been well covered in the UK press. It is indeed a saga. It is about a folly.
Books and Reading
click on the banner – and bookmark the page by Jan Bridges.
Anzac Parade – public art doing service
There is no doubt that Anzac Parade is very special.
Photographing Singapore’s public housing
Photographing Singapore’s public housing
There’s an article in Straits Times about photographer Koh Kim Chay and his decades of photographing the ubiquitous government flats of Singapore.
Rhiannon Giddens
Music Review: Rhiannon Giddens: Freedom Highway, February 2017
My comments have nit changed much from my previous post on Rhiannon Giddens: This 2017 album features a woman with a strong and beautiful voice – singing folk songs of America – making very beautiful Americana music.
Ry Cooder
Ry Cooder – Jesus on the Mainline (Radio 2 Folk Awards 2017)
Wonderful music from Ry Cooder – see Youtube below..
Bob Dylan
Review: Triplicate – 3 CDs, 2017
Here’s a challenge – Bob Dylan in slow swing doing this set of 30 songs. I recommend listening to these with the volume up – not soft.
I enjoyed 2015’s Shadows in the Night & also the 2016’s Fallen Angels. I recommend both of those albums.
plundering the west – in photographs
Nice online exhibition of photographs – from The Washington Post – click here.
The National at the AGNSW 2017
Exhibition Review: The National at the AGNSW 2017
To link to a review of The National at the Art Gallery of NSW – click here.
Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
Sgt Pepper’s 50th birthday
I cannot be! That it is 50 years since at around 11pm when I was suppose to be asleep in bed, that I heard this music coming from the lounge room.
church sign
seen in Ipswich – where the cyclonic rains had descended
Philip Bentley and Group M
A history of Group M photographers by Philip Bentley
Back in 1996, Philip Bentley, Melbourne historian, wrote a thesis on the history of the Melbourne photographers, Group M.
Linton Kwesi Johnson
Oh how we wish for more voices to be critical of the current political class and their hangers-on – and I include many journalists as being hangers-on.
Scientists say – what?
It had to happen. According to recent reports – roast potatoes were in the frame for causing cancer. Science says…
Singapore
New book profiles Singapore’s Malayalees
Click on the image for the story about a book on one wonderful aspect of Singapore culture
Ballarat Foto Biennale – Portrait Prize
Martin Kantor Portrait Prize Entry
Applications close: 31st May 2017
click on image for more….
Ballarat
A place where good things happen
click on the image
George W Bell
Special presentation on George W Bell
George Bell (1920 – 2008) was member of Group M – in Melbourne.
International Women’s Day 2017
Celebrating with visual art and music
click on image for more….
Women Photograph
click on the image for the website – Women Photograph
Frank Hurley
photo-essay on Frank Hurley images
A selection of photographs taken from one of Frank Hurley’s books…
The Art of great window display
photography
one of the pleasures of life – relaxing and watching the birds..
Randy Newman
Randy Newman on PUTIN
Time for some fun – and a new song from Randy Newman…
GIRT
Book Review: Girt: The Unauthorised History of Australia -David Hunt
My knowledge of Australian history is patchy – I know the basics and much more. History interest me but usually most history books are far too dry. Then along comes this book with that title: GIRT.
The Rolling Stones
Review: Blue & Lonesome
Once upon a time thought The Rolling Stones were one of the great rock’n’roll bands – who also occasionally sang the blues. In between those early years and now there was not a lot of great music from the Stones – loads of concerts and a mix of music – some good and some ok. Would they ever make great music again?
Rebecca Huntley Still Lucky
Book Review
Still Lucky, Rebecca Huntley, 2017. This is a good book. The message is clear – Australians are far more optimistic than we have been led to believe by our governments and the media. This researcher has done the research, travelled the country, talked to loads of people over many years. If you are interested in her reports on her research and comments – this book will give you all that and more.
Shopping in Sydney
Recommended gift shopping: Made On Earth
The Place in Sydney for all manner of gifts and good buys – recommended.
Helen Garner
Review: Everywhere I Look, Helen Garner
Here’s a good read. Being a selection of essays and diary notes based on many events and sometimes those quite happenings that one observes.
I have not read any Helen Garner’s work but have a reasonable awareness of the topics she writes on. Other reviewers have related this work to previous writings – for me I had to take it all on face value.
MoMA protests Trump
Note to Australian Galleries – how to easily make a statement
click on the image for the story of how art galleries could make a stand against the Trump actions on equity and immigration.
Trump and 1984
Trumpland gets even weirder
OMG – is this really 2017 – or 1984. Click on image for the story
Trump and the media
click on the image for the wise words about dealing with Trump
Shepard Fairey
Shepard Fairey‘s new posters
click on the image for the story behind these ‘we the people’ posters
The Media
Did Media Literacy Backfire?
click on the image for the article
Cherry-picking the Griffin’s legacy
At the meeting in August 2016 on the government’s proposals to redevelop the West Basin of Lake Burley Griffin, the main line taken by the government was that their proposals were based on the Griffin Legacy.
Architecture
Architectural vandalism at Parliament House
They have tried before and have failed–but this time they have got their way.
Journalism
A word or two on the media and journalism – click on the image above
trump
Jane Fonda on Trump
Journalism
What’s wrong with journalism today?
Picking up on an online article by Dr Martin Hirst where he lays out some of the problems with journalisms – I offer the following additional thoughts.
Paul Thorn
Review: best of Paul Thorn (2016)
Here’s a highly recommended album for those who want to hear good Americana with a touch of rock. This is a best of Paul Thorn-2016 album – two discs. Rating 4/5