Category Archives: reviews

MAph Bowness Photography Prize

Museum of Australian Photography exhibition

An opinion piece about photography exhibitions, the visual arts, and things. 

As the title of the exhibition indicates, this is a photography prize exhibition. Maybe a third of the works are not photographs but are contemporary artworks that either use photographic processes or at least have links to photography.

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NGV Africa Photography

An exhibition within an exhibition

We were visiting the National Gallery of Victoria St Kilda Road when we split up with Gael heading for the paid exhibition of African fashion and I headed in the other direction to check on a couple of 17th century Dutch paintings. A few minutes later the phone tingled with a message that there was an exhibition of great photography within the fashion exhibition. Change of plan!

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MAph Built Photography

Museum of Australian Photography exhibition

An opinion piece about exhibitions, the visual arts, and things. 

Always up for a drive out to the Museum of Australian Photography at Wheelers Hill – in Melbourne, we drove out through the suburban streets (rather than the freeways) for the pleasure of taking in a range of suburbs on the way. The changes of architecture and the various old and new build environments make the journey worth-while.

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Crace Crowley and Ralph Balson

National Gallery of Victoria exhibition visit

On exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) till 22 Sept 2024 is a beautifully curated exhibition of two fantastic painters who were pivotal in the development of  Australian abstract art. This is a must see – even for those of us who are photographers.
My rating for this exhibition is   😎 😎 😎 😎 😎  (out of 5).

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Hair Pieces – Heidi May 2024

A visit to Heidi Museum of Modern Art

A visit to the galleries and gardens at the Heidi Museum of Modern Art remains a recommendation for anyone in Melbourne. The gallery is 30 minutes (more or less) from the CBD and is definitely worth the visit.

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photography at the National Library of Australia

Viewfinder: Photography from the 1970s to Now

This piece was originally published in October 2022

The National Library is staging an exhibition of 125 documentary photographs, “Viewfinder: Photography from the 1970s to Now”. Continue reading photography at the National Library of Australia

Visiting ANU Drill Hall Gallery

This was published originally in August 2022

It was a recent photography exhibition by Catherine Rogers (closed 14th August) that brought home to me what a great space the ANU Drill Hall Gallery is.

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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

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.

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Hillary Clinton

The Destruction of Hillary Clinton

I have already reviewed this book – click here.

However I cannot stop pondering the challenge this story throws up for anyone interested in equity, fairness, and the role of the media in so many aspects of our daily lives.

If we had a real media, this story would have been totally different. Instead what happened here was the total manipulation of the media and through them members of the public, by all forms of malicious groups of people and individuals.

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Hillary Clinton

The Destruction of Hillary Clinton

It was on hearing certain phrases used over and over again on Australian TV programs talking about the 2016 US election campaign that I became suspicious that we were witnessing a lazy press.

Almost daily  the media was taking the same phrases and words and using them over and over again – with no evidence that they could be accurate except that they were the words and phrases being used by most journalists and commentators at the time.

On the basis we were supposed to accept their words as fact.

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New Philosopher

Totally recommended reading

The theme being – Future thinking

From the publishers:

Although the term and precise starting point might be disputed, many anthropologists believe that ‘behavioural modernity’ – when certain traits such as abstract thinking and symbolic behaviour are said to have emerged in humans – started around 50,000 years ago.

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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?

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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.

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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.

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Being Turnbulled

9781760294885The Curious Story of Malcolm Turnbull, the Incredible Shrinking Man in the Top Hat

I wrote briefly about this earlier – and as I said before – it’s a book for anyone puzzled by the current loser who is Prime Minister.

click here for more on the book and here’s an article by the author about his dilemma–click here.

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Billy Bragg & Joe Henry

Shine A Light – Field Recordings From The Great American Railroad. 2016 Billy Bragg & Joe Henry

billy-bragg-joe-henryHere’s a fun story about two musicians and how they made this album. They hopped on the train and then jumped off at stops along the way to record a song – while making sure they were back on board as the train left. And yes – the music is good stuff. Definitely worth a listen if you are a follower of Billy Bragg and Joe Henry. Click here for more on the album.

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Being Turnbulled

9781760294885The Curious Story of Malcolm Turnbull, the Incredible Shrinking Man in the Top Hat

Here’s a book for anyone puzzled by the current loser who is Prime Minister. I am still reading it… click here or on the image. and here’s an article by the author about his dilemma–click here.   Review to follow…..

Shetland

shetland1-2Review TV program on DVD: Shetland

There are several good crime dramas coming out of the UK that have a common theme – being a police unit in a region of the UK well away from metropolitan areas. Shetland is one these – the stories being located on the islands off the north east of Scotland. It is a good series – and for those who like their frequent dose of crime/ police/ dramas – this series is definitely recommended.

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Notes on the Death of Culture

New Book: Mario Vargas Llosa, Notes on the Death of Culture
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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.

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Vera

Review: Vera on DVD

914ClcuQ2QL._SL1500_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.

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Spiral (Engrenages)

Review – Spiral on DVD

SpiralMontageThis 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.

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A most disturbing photo

mosman-Photo0165web2I spotted this work of art in a visual arts print making exhibition at the Mosman City Gallery (Sydney). (Review to follow in a couple of days)

Given the current leadership of the country and its attitudes to segments of society as well as its dangerous statements about migrants – this image is way too disturbing. It reflects so accurately how so many people feel about this government and the current Prime Minister.