Category Archives: MELBOURNE

opinions on arts, cultural urban matters in and around Melbourne

Mary Meyer Australian painter

early 20th C Australian woman artist

Following visits to auctions and subsequent research, we have been looking into the lives and works of a couple of Australian early 20th century painters. One artist that caught our eye was Mary Meyer – who had six works up for sale at Joel’s Women Artists auction here in Melbourne in September 2024.

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CCP in Collingwood

Visiting the new CCP project space

Today we ventured into Collingwood to see the first exhibition at the new CCP project space. They now occupy a room on the second floor at the back of the complex of the building above – The Collingwood Yards. (the photo above borrowed from their web site).

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Rediscovered Australian women artists

Leonard Joel auction – Women Artists 2024

On Friday 20th September we drove over to Hawthorn (Melbourne) to view the Leonard Joel Auction’s exhibition of  women’s art that was open for viewing that weekend. An excellent experience. It was so good, we returned on Saturday for another look around.

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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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Visiting National Trust Como House

Exhibition: Traces of Girlhood

On Saturday 7th Sept 2024 in Melbourne, we travelled over to South Yarra to visit a National Trust property, Como House. Till 20th October it is open house on the weekend (see times below)

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World of Books

Victoria State Library Exhibition

There are several reasons to go to the State Library of Victoria. It is a great place for research – and – they have very engaging exhibitions. One of their current exhibitions is high up in the dome (4th floor). This one is World of Books.

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Photography remains popular

Public photography collections hidden from view

Recently Gibson’s Auction in Melbourne (20th August 2024) held a successful auction of photographs, paintings and prints from the Julian Burnside & Kate Durham Collection. The result highlighted a disconnect between the management of Australia’s public art museums and the viewing and collecting public.

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Gibson’s Auction Julian Burnside exhibition

Art exhibition visit

Being in Melbourne, means we can get along to see art auction exhibitions. This we did last Friday and to see Wolfgang Sievers photographs and a range of prints & other material from the Julian Burnside & Kate Durham Collection (link below) . Good stuff!

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Councillors who fence sit their constituents

what priority given to urban aesthetics?

The October 2024 local government elections provide Melbourne residents with the opportunity to examine the record of their councillors on the key issue of development and the reshaping of the amenities and aesthetics of their suburbs, the place they have chosen to invest in for the rest of their lives.

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How many storeys are inappropriate?

Ivanhoe Urban Architecture

Political spin justifies anything

Recently in The Age (19th July 2024) several local politicians and a few ‘experts’ spoke of  the coming of apartments towers to the central areas of Ivanhoe with the emphasis on those sites nearer the railway station.

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Councils and high street architecture

Ivanhoe Urban Architecture

On the main intersection on Upper Heidelberg Road in the middle of the Ivanhoe shopping strip, stands this building that I think is all about the real estate agency on the first floor – meaning I suspect the real estate is also on the upper floors. On the ground floor are two businesses.

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Is this architecture?

local bank makes a statement

Upper Heidelberg Road as it runs through Ivanhoe in Melbourne has many buildings of interest. The street has a general people friendly feel to it. In among them is this bank building. Isn’t it wonderful!!

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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 – HeideMay 2024

A visit to Heide Museum of Modern Art

A visit to the galleries and gardens at the Heide 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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