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Category Archives: Arts & Culture
Chinese Whispers
Visual Arts Review
Chinese Whispers at the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery
till end of January 2015
This exhibition is a good one. It is an inspired concept that has led to the engagement of a host of talented visual artists.
Dickson Shops
Planning and Development of the Dickson Shops
A bad case study in community engagement
It was just days before Christmas (2014) when local residents may have noticed that a development application with big ramifications for their precinct was now available online for comment – with a month in which to submit any comments.
Mr Turner
Film Review
Mr Turner – Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace, Cremorne, Sydney
If you enjoy beautifully made films that are a detailed character study, then see Mr Turner.
Climate Change
Bungaree
Visual Arts Review
Bungaree, The First Australian at The Mosman Art Gallery
Open till 22 February 2015.
We travelled along to the Mosman Art Gallery around lunch time one sunny day in early January. The gallery was quiet with no other visitors during our 45 minute visit.
The Bungaree exhibition at the gallery contains works by 16 emerging and established artists who have nominally re-interpreted the stories around Bungaree. The image to the right is of Bungaree. There are numerous historic paintings of Bungaree.
SFMOMA Photography out and about
Photography is alive and well in San Francisco
I noticed this report on how the San Francisco photography collection is on the move during renovations. It is always good to see such simple logic at work. Full marks to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)
Clouds again
Dreams and Imagination, MGA photography
Review: Photography Exhibition Catalogue
Dreams and Imagination: Light in the Modern City, Monash Gallery of Art , until 1st March 2015.
I have just read a copy of a wonderful catalogue of a significant photographic exhibition at the Monash Gallery of Art (MGA). Yet again the MGA lives up to their reputation as ‘The Home of Australian Photography‘.
Chances are that I will not get to Melbourne to see this exhibition. However, the catalogue is a real gem and should be sought after by anyone interested in the development of Australian photography during the early 20th Century. (click on the images to enlarge)
Capital in the Twenty-First Century
Book Notice
Capital in the Twenty-First Century, Thomas Piketty
There’s a good review of this book online that points to the book being a good read. This theme of the effect of the growing inequity on economics and the basis of capitalism is now commonly talked about. click here
Mr Turner
Film Recommendation
Mr Turner – a film by Mike Leigh, 2014
I am looking forward to see Mike Leigh’s film, Mr Turner
A reviewer has a bad day
Guardian reviewer looses the plot
It is not the job a reviewer to write stuff that everyone agrees with. The Guardian has a number of art reviewers and therefore we have a range of opinions. However one would expect any of these reviewers to be making sense.
It has come to pass that one reviewer has been showing signs of stress or something equivalent.
It’s About Design
MIT and new logos
It is usual for any organisation to want to change their branding, their logo and of course, their website.
Architectural Spin
A Review of architectural reviewers
I may have told this story before. Several years ago I was approached by a senior practitioner who wanted to talk about an article in a much-lauded architectural publication.
A Photograph
Photography: What are they doing in there?
It was while visiting Singapore recently, that a local friend took us to dinner in a well-known food alley. I was here that I noticed the light coming from the window above us. I had to take a photo. (click on photo to enlarge)
The curatorial crypt
The sale price of a Singapore photograph, by G R Lambert
With the recent growth interest in South Eastern Asian photography, prices of historic photographs have been rising significantly. Gael Newton, having departed from the National Gallery of Australia in late 2014, has continued her research and curatorial interests in South East Asian photography. She has recently written a post on her observations of a particular sale. click here.
Art Gallery Exhibitions
Review: Visual Arts/photography
This is my December 2014 overview on accessing Australia’s major visual art gallery exhibition programs though their websites. – and the status of photography.
Canberra
Book Review
Canberra, Paul Daley, 2012
This is small book is another in the city series published by Newsouth (University of NSW). I have previously reviewed Hobart (click here) and Adelaide (click here). Paul Daley has told a set of stories about Canberra, the National Capital. Sadly he seems to not have invested the time to gather local knowledge about the city, its people, its life style and its complexities as a 21st Century city of 380,000 people.
A Photograph
Photography: Things that puzzle
This small barrier was erected in the foyer of a mall we passed through most days to get to our apartment hotel in Singapore. The sign says – Work In Progress.
During the whole week that the installation sat there nothing happened around, above or anywhere near it. To this day I wonder whether someone put it there as a joke and as it looked official, it remained in place and undisturbed. It was still there the day we left Singapore. Or was it in fact an artwork – an artistic installation?
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Paul Costigan
Public Art
Comment on public art problems
Visiting London, we came across this piece of public art at The Angel, a centre located on the outskirts of central London, to the north-east.
Climate Change
Book Announcement
This Changes Everything: Capitalism Vs. The Climate,
Naomi Klein 2014
Yet to read this, but I am listing as a suggestion for your Christmas reading and/or gift list. We have to move on climate change and I agree that it is an economic discussion, one about capitalism and corporate greed. No wonder our infamous Australia politicians want it off the agenda. It is about dealing with their mates and how they are ripping off the planet.
Higher Education
higher education changes a ‘fraud on the electorate
The Australian Vice Chancellors had done a deal with the Abbott prior to the last election. They were assisted in this by many professional/industry bodies.
Enjoying London
A Photo-Essay
my tourist photographs of London.
click any image to enlarge
Sydney Photography 2014 – 2015
Notices of photography exhibitions in Sydney
over the period end of 2014 into 2015
The information below is about photography exhibitions in Sydney over the period from the end of 2014 into the early parts of 2015.
This is my selection and may be added to as I come across exhibitions I would like to recommend. If you know of others, let me know. But I will only upload stuff I am interested in and/or can recommend.
Architectural Wonders
Comment: architectural eyesores and failures
When it comes to architectural eyesores and mistakes, there are many. They are not mentioned by the professions.
Once when attending a conference on green roofs, an architect told the story of his first major green roof project. All sounded impressive, until he casually mentioned how it failed and that water penetrated the top floor of the office building.
Architecture & Photography
Review: Photography
Constructing Worlds:
Photography and Architecture in the Modern Age
25 Sept – 11 Jan 2015, Barbican Art Gallery, London
click on any image to enlarge.
Amazon and unreal wages
The Christmas campaign for real wages at Amazon
Click on image for the article in The Guardian
Black Victorians
Review: Photography
Black Chronicles II
Rivington Place, London till 29 Nov 2014.
This a photography exhibition that has to be seen in the flesh to be appreciated. The basis for the exhibition is the unearthing of photographs that have not been seen for far too many years.
The researchers have done a great job of identifying most of the subjects. The main room has huge portraits printed from the original negatives. The people are from an African choir on tour in Britain between 1891-93.
These images are just so beautiful and majestic. They have been printed super large and each person is represented by two different portraits.
Enjoying London
Photo-Essay
A few photos from a walk around London
click on any image to enlarge
Scary Things
YouTube videos that entertain and terrify
The first is a short video I saw at an exhibition at the British Library, Terror and Wonder: The Gothic Imagination. The information panel explained that when this short film was originally released, it was banned by the censors. Too terrifying? or what? As I had trouble hearing it in the exhibition, I watched it later online.
It’s About Design
Comment: Good Design and Risk Taking
Sadly in the last decade or so, I spent too much time with too many very ordinary designers who were convinced that they were something special. Despite this risk of becoming far too cynical myself, I still think that design is indeed a lot of fun and exciting – when it is good design. It is just that at the moment there is so much bad or very ordinary design flooding our visual environment.
Enjoying Life in Vienna
Things that make you laugh
It was while roaming the gardens of a former Austrian Royal Palace, that I sat down for a rest and took a moment to take in the wide views in front of me.
Enjoying Life in Vienna
A Photo-Essay on enjoying Vienna
click on any image to enlarge
Enjoying Life in Vienna
Review: Visual Arts
Cosima Von Bonin: Hippies Use Side Door.
The Year 2014 Has Lost The Plot
MUMOK – Museum Moderner Kunst Stiftung Ludwig Wien, Vienna
Spoiler alert. Be warned, this exhibition did not excite! Cosima Von Bonin’s latest exhibition is across several floors of the MUMOK and it is impressive. There are loads of cultural references and heaps of barbs at things within our culture, particularly the american culture we have all come to love and loath. It was an interesting experience to visit this massive exhibition.
I took my time – but
Gough Whitlam
Enjoying Life in Vienna
Comment on the silliness of texting
It was while roaming about the apartments at the Albertina in Vienna that I spotted two young tourists who seemed not to be able to appreciate their immediate surroundings.
Sydney heat island effect
Photo-Essay: Inner Sydney and the Heat Island Effect
I love wandering around city streets. In Sydney recently on a typical warm day, being about 28 degrees, it was very noticeable just how much of the city’s inner streets are devoid of trees and shade.
The Jet Pack
Announcement: Bad News for Dreamers
Will we ever see the Jet Pack?
I read an article in The Guardian that set out in great detail the sad news for those of us who have been brought up with the promise that one day we would be able to fly using a Jet Pack. I think the original promise was in the same category as the promise that one day, with all the new technologies, we would have the paperless office.
Dickson Parklands
Opinion Piece: The Case for the Dickson Parklands
The Dickson Community Cultural Parklands
The debate has commenced within the communities around the Dickson Parklands, previously referred to Section 72 Dickson, as to how the whole site could become a parklands with an integrated set of community cultural facilities that connect to the surrounding communities.
Singapore Photography
Review: Photography
Exhibitions from the 2014 Singapore International Photography Festival
The Singapore International Photography Festival has definitely arrived. It has now being staged every two years and this year’s is the fourth.
Bansky and racism
click on image for the Guardian story on how Bansky was accused of racism.
Gough Whitlam
click on the image for more
Canberra Sculpture
Review: Visual Arts
Sculpture Festival
at Canberra Grammar School Oct 2014
There’s been a couple of short-run sculpture festivals in recent years in Canberra. It is a great thing to see these events as they provide opportunities for our sculptors who otherwise have trouble getting into the usual exhibition venues.
My Story Julia Gillard
Announcement: New Book
Julia Gillard’s – My Story
Happy to promote this book. This story remains complex. There have been several thoughtful reviews of the book published online. As well as the usual crap from the mainstream media, who were part of the problem during Julia Gillard’s time as Prime Minister. Sara Dowse has provided an intelligent and insightful review that is definitely worth reading. click here.
A Photograph
Photo-essay: Walking Manly in the evening
Not all walks around Manly (Sydney) involve wandering along the beaches. There are many streets and lanes to seek out to see how the urban environment settles into the evening.
Architecture discovers the bleeding obvious
Comment: Architects realise something is wrong with cities
Just read a short article about how an architect at the world architecture festival stated that something has gone wrong with the design of our cities!
Wow! Now there’s a revelation from the profession largely responsible for the problem.
Continue reading Architecture discovers the bleeding obvious
Singapore Photography
Review: Photomedia / Photography
Flux Realities: A Showcase of Chinese Contemporary Photography
at Singapore Arts Science Museum till 2 Nov 2014
Arts Vandals
Comment on the stupidity of art vandals
Canberra used to have a wonderful public art program. It was pressure from the local paper and the local bands of idiots that drove the local government to shut down the program.
Visual artist cleared of all charges
Comment: A case of the Police getting it wrong – again.
About a year ago, we visited Linden Gallery in St Kilda (Melbourne). This was not long after the infamous raid by police following a very dubious complaint about the ‘sexual’ content of an artwork by Paul Yore.
The director of the centre was holding up well given the nature of the issue she was having to deal with. She deserved to have been paid a lot more for all the complex stuff that had come her way.
Journalism in Australia
Comment on Australian Journalism
I have long been disappointed by the quality of Australian journalism. This includes the quality of the work being done through the ABC as well as most mainstream media. It has become far to easy to churn out any story without checking facts.
Monash Gallery of Art, The Road
Review: Visual Art, photography
THE ROAD: Photographers on the move 1970–85
Monash Gallery of Art, 21 June–31 August 2014
Melbourne Botanic Gardens
National Museum of Australia Canberra
Photo-essay
The National Museum of Australia in Canberra
We meandered over to the museum on a Saturday afternoon to try their food and coffee.
Hack Attack Nick Davies
2nd Notice: New Book
Hack Attack by Nick Davies
Just to remind you that this book is worth reading. Sadly the ending is a bit depressing in that Nick considers the power elite have reshuffled a little but carry on a s before.
It has also been interesting to read the story of Rebecca Brooks. The question has been posed elsewhere, was she just a user of the corporate and political systems in order to climb the ladder to join the ranks of those in power?
Art in Landscape
Notice: A project about Art and Landscape
As I have said before, I wonder why a country such as Australia with its amazing landscapes does not have a much stronger arts in the landscape profile, let alone many more robust public art programs.
Monument in the Landscape
Photography: a plinth to honour almost nothing
This is a photograph of the monument on the harbour side of Manly to honour the landing of Captain Arthur Phillip in Manly. One problem!
When news gets weird
Commentary: when the news gets weird
Most days the news is too predictable in that most sources simply churn out whatever the others are churning out.
Urban Design New York
Commentary: Urban Design Fails at Ground Zero
There’s a very thorough article about the combined architectural and developer and government mishandling of the whole ground zero site in New York.
A Photograph
Photography: pollution in public places
In Manly (Sydney), the harbourside pool is closed after heavy rain because of pollution. One wonders where is the pollution coming from.
Melbourne Botanic Gardens Guilfoyle’s Volcano
Review: Landscape
Guilfoyle’s Volcano at Melbourne Botanic Gardens
This is a job well done. I saw an article about this and was determined to have a look. Now if only those promoting it had been sensible and given an address.
Continue reading Melbourne Botanic Gardens Guilfoyle’s Volcano
The Australia Council for the Arts
Commentary: Arts Leadership and the Australia Council
I am a firm believer in public investment in the arts. I have always campaigned for a role for the Australia Council for the Arts.
A Photograph
Annette Messager at the MCA Sydney
Review (2nd): Visual Arts
Annette Messager: motion/emotion at the MCA Australia (Sydney) till 26 October 2014
We were fortunate to have a business reason to be in Sydney for the Monday, so allowed ample time on the weekend to get down to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) on beautiful circular Quay to see this once in a lifetime exhibition of Annetta Messager’s artworks. It was definitely worth the trip. We loved it so much we went back the next day for a revisit.
NGA Senior Curator of Photography
Shaune Lakin, The New NGA Senior Curator of Photography
At the end of an exhibition seminar in August at the Monash Gallery of Art, we witnessed the NGA Senior Curator of Photography, Gael Newton (finishing September) , handing on the baton and all the challenges to her replacement, the new NGA Senior Curator of Photography (from October), Shaune Lakin (previously The MGA Director).
ACCA Melbourne
Review: Visual Arts
A visit to the Australian Centre of Contemporary Art (ACCA) Melbourne
A Photograph
Architecture Melbourne Query
Singapore Photography
Natural Architecture
Comment: Landscape Art
One of my many puzzles has been why within Australia, with all the diversity of natural landscapes, do we not see much landscape art.
What I mean by that are artworks that actually are designed in the landscape or at least using natural materials to be in the landscape. There’s an article online about an architect who works with nature. click here.
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for more on architecture – click here
Paul Costigan, 20 August 2014
Melbourne
Commentary: Melbourne as liveable city?
Melbourne is a city I enjoy visiting. Most of the time my visits involve moving around the inner suburbs of Melbourne.
A photograph
A Photograph
Photographer Fan Ho
Photography: Fan Ho, Hong Kong photographer
NGA Visual Arts, Motherwell, Natori Shunsen, Contemporary Photography
Review: Visual Arts
Several exhibitions at the NGA
Our public galleries are places you should visit often, and not just for the big blockbuster exhibitions.
There are many other exhibitions, especially collection exhibitions, that are a wonder to see and enjoy.
Continue reading NGA Visual Arts, Motherwell, Natori Shunsen, Contemporary Photography
John Witzig at National Portrait Gallery
Review: Visual Arts/photography
Exhibition: John Witzig at National Portrait Gallery, Canberra
till 19th October 2014, then touring.
The National Portrait Gallery in Canberra has done itself proud with this special exhibition of photographs produced from the archive of the photographer John Witzig. Full marks to the historian curator, Sarah Engledow.
Embassy Architecture – Solomon Islands
Review: Embassy Architecture in Canberra
The Solomon Islands High Commission
I spotted this example of successful embassy architecture as I was driving past to have lunch at the Beaver Gallery Cafe in Deakin. From the available online information (and there’s not much) I think these new buildings for the High Commission for the Solomon Islands were completed around 2011/2012.
Architecture of Enjoyment
Announcement: New Book on Architecture
Toward an Architecture of Enjoyment, 2014, Author: Henri Lefebvre
I’m about to get my hands on a copy of this book. Having read some of the commentary about the author and the concepts he is dealing with, the book reinforces the need for more discussion about the topic of enjoyment of architecture and urban spaces.
My life is already involved with dealing with planning bureaucracies that lack vision and any notion of good design. I have posted several times about the blandness of architecture in our cities.
Women take another hit
Commentary: on how the women of Australia have been hit (again) by so-called education reforms.
One wonders just how long all thinking Australians are going to put up with so many terrible decisions being made by a federal cabinet that has just the one token woman present. Jane Caro has written a very good piece in the Guardian on how that stupid Education Minister is putting into place even more barriers to equity in employment. click here.
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Paul Costigan, 11 August 2014
A photograph
love in a public place. (click on image to enlarge)
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Paul Costigan, 13 August 2014
Team Australia
click on the image for the First Dog on the Moon Cartoon
Singapore Photography
Public Art North Korean Style
Comment: Public Art
There’s not much to add to this story online. Click on the image.
Nick Davies Hack Attack
Notice: New Book
Hack Attack by Nick Davies
I had read and reviewed Nick Davies former revelatory book, click here. Now Nick follows through with the more worrying story of the damage that has been done to the media following the phone hacking scandals.
Annette Messager at the MCA
Review (forecasted): Visual Arts
Annette Messager: motion/emotion at the MCA Australia (Sydney) till 26 October 2014
Here’s an exhibition that you must see. If you are in Sydney or thinking about going to Sydney, you must allow ample time to wander through and contemplate this exhibition by this extraordinary artist. We were there on Saturday, and it was busy. Today (Sunday) we returned to watch the film and to walk through again. If you have any interest in contemporary art, a visit to the MCA will be worth it! Then go back for a second visit.
There will be a review to follow. Click here. The catalogue is a wonderful production but I suspect it is about to be sold out (I have one).
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Paul Costigan, 3 August 2014
Wind Power and Heritage
Comment: Wind Power aesthetics
Recently a colleague expressed doubts about how he viewed a new wind farm that appeared in a landscape that he and his son loved to escaped into when time allowed. While he is totally committed to alternative energy, the issue he was working through was that the wind farm challenged his aesthetics, or to be more accurate he was still having trouble accepting them in this landscape that had been part of his memory since childhood.
Visual Artist: Banksy
Visual artist Jeff Wall
Review: Visual Arts
Review: The imagined tableaux has been a fascinating area of photography from the beginnings of the art form. Personally I place this form of photography as being one of the most enjoyable and engaging forms of photography. Therefore I would always recommend an exhibition by Jeff Wall , no matter how many times you have seen his work previously.
Chicago Millennium Park
Photo-Essay:
The park celebrated its tenth anniversary last June. This first image is from their own website.
Supermarkets
The duopoly of supermarkets in Australia
There is a very hard-hitting article in the August 2014 issue of The Monthly on how the two large supermarkets have been allowed to rip anyone and everyone off. Even more depressing is that it points to how we, as consumers, are continuing to allow this to happen.
The major point raised by the article is how this dominance of the two of these supermarkets has reduced the food security in this country.
Far East Organization Children’s Garden, Singapore
Far East Organization Children’s Garden
at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore
I spotted this YouTube introduction to the Far East Organization Children’s Garden at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore.
Continue reading Far East Organization Children’s Garden, Singapore
Goulburn
A Photo-Essay
Here’s a small group of photographs from a recent visit to Goulburn on a very cold winter’s day. I managed to take a few moments from the business trip to snap a few photographs.
Click on any photograph to enlarge.
Brisbane, photo-essay
Brisbane, photo-essay
Here are a few photographs taken near the Roma Street Parklands in mid winter 2014. This time of the year makes for wonderful light. Please click on any of the images to enlarge them. I enjoyed this image because of the shadows and the light, the plants were being highlighted, and of course the texture and mass of the rock wall.
Near Roma Street Parkland entrance, July 2014
Trees and sustainable settlements
Comment on the Art of Trees
I have said it before and am happy to say so again, I live in a suburb in Canberra that has a fabulous amount of trees. The amount of trees in the public arena, streets and parks etc, combined with those throughout the residential properties delivers an ambience that is hard to explain to anyone who has not experienced it.
Landscape acoustic barrier
Landscape Art as acoustic barrier
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is located in one of the most densely populated areas of the country, and aircraft noise is a problem in the surrounding cities. Low-frequency ground noise created at take-off is especially difficult to combat because standard noise barriers are largely ineffective against it. Schiphol is implementing acoustical landscaping in the form of large ridges that dampen longer wavelengths.
Highway Arrows
Comment: Highway arrows and Not So Subtle differences
Having driven down many highways and sometimes wondered about those large arrows that point down, I was interested in a story from the Netherlands.
click on image for the story
Gender Inequity in Galleries
Confronting art world sexism
From an article by Jori Finkel in the Art Newspaper:
In New York, Sperone Westwater comes in at 91 versus nine. Team Gallery at 85 versus 15; Matthew Marks at 84 versus 16, and Mary Boone at 83 versus 17. Some of the top galleries in Los Angeles tell a similar story: Blum & Poe is 89 versus 11; Prism is 88 versus 12; Thomas Solomon is 85 to 15, and Patrick Painter is 83 to 17.
Capability Brown
Celebrating 300 Years of Capability Brown
click on the image below
Roma Street Parkland, Brisbane, Part Two
Review: Roma Street Parkland, Brisbane
Part Two: The Urban Development Atrocities
The Queensland state government spent millions on the Roma Street Parklands. This parkland was set to add huge value to any apartments built around its edges. One would have thought that the City would have insisted on at least some higher levels of design for such buildings. Continue reading Roma Street Parkland, Brisbane, Part Two
Roma Street Parkland, Brisbane, Part One
Review: Roma Street Parkland, Brisbane
Part One: It is about creative Garden Design
I first visited these gardens and parklands back in 2004 and was very impressed then. This parkland project was a major commitment by the then state government to re-develop a former industrial site and to join it to the existing Albert Park to form one larger parkland, the Roma Street Parklands. I highly recommend anyone and everyone visiting Brisbane to allocate at least an hour to wander about these parklands ten minutes or more away from the Brisbane CBD. (click on any image to enlarge it)
Homeland
Review: TV on DVD
Homeland, Season Three 2014
I am not sure why, but I persisted to watch Homeland despite enough warnings in season two that the writers had lost the plot.
I start these comments with my recommendation so I can avoid providing spoilers for those who have not watched the third season of this TV series.
Unloved Art
Comment: Visual Arts
The debate about getting rid of previously loved artworks
The debate over what different people, institutions and township are doing with their formerly treasured artworks by Rolf Harris has been sad to watch. This style of artwork was always more of a populist marketing campaign. His art was and remains simplistic and very ordinary at best.
I was a little shocked when he was commissioned to paint a portrait of the Queen. Continue reading Unloved Art