Visiting auction exhibition
Last weekend we made our way over to South Yarra – to wander through the exhibition of Australian art being staged prior to the auction by Menzies in South Yarra.
Category Archives: Visual Arts
Alma Figuerola Australian painter
early 20th C Australian woman artist
More visits to auctions has led to research on Alma Figuerola. Seven of her works were in a Gibson’s auction in October 2024.
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.
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).
Another NGV visit
National Gallery of Victoria visit
We had things to do at the NGV, so arrived early to allow about an hour to take in the rehang of a couple of the galleries – in particular the 19th Century European.
Visiting Heide October 2024
Heide Museum of Modern Art
An overcast Friday in Melbourne and a good time to visit Heide Museum of Modern Art.
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.
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.
Exhibition Searching for Sanctuary
State Library of Victoria exhibition
The full title for this exhibition is:
Searching for Sanctuary: A journey of survival by Barat Ali Batoor
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.
Geelong Art Gallery
Top rated three in one
This piece is about an exhibition that closed 28th July 2024. Cutting Through Time—Cressida Campbell, Margaret Preston, and the Japanese Print
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!
Art as event – Steve McCurry Icons
exhibition at Seaworks, Melbourne, early 2024
This exhibition is now closed but its staging was a curious event. Before I write about the exhibition, a few words about the photography of Steve McCurry.
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.
National Gallery of Victoria 3rd Floor
Visiting 3rd Floor NGV Fed Square
An opinion Piece about exhibitions, the visual arts, and things.
Our major public galleries now promote their special exhibition/ blockbusters to such an extent that people often overlook what else is on offer. Normally there are fantastic collection and other special exhibitions on offer.
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).
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.
Japanese photographs circa early 20th Century
In my spare time , I have put together a collection of early 20th century photographs from Japan – click here to see the collection (for sale)
What NGA exhibits – or doesn’t
This piece was originally uploaded in May 2023
Back in 1982, when the construction of the National Gallery’s building was completed and had been handed over to become operational as a gallery, there was an open day for people to see what there was to see – that being lots of empty spaces.
A wonderful art gallery with a not so great café
This piece was originally uploaded in June 2023.
Before you wonder what the image above is about – it is a digitally altered photograph of the National Gallery of Australia here in Canberra. I’ll explain later in this piece.
Continue reading A wonderful art gallery with a not so great café
National Gallery of Australia closed galleries
NGA visit with quite a few friends missing
This piece was originally uploaded in May 2023
To more or less quote an art school lecturer, it is great to live in Canberra and to visit the National Gallery to see old friends.
Continue reading National Gallery of Australia closed galleries
New art, old art and a new book on John Glover
This piece was originally published in January 2023
Viewing John Glover (the two in centre) at the AGNSW:
Continue reading New art, old art and a new book on John Glover
Does Clive Hamilton value his own backyard?
This piece as originally published in 2022
Looking at the creative political sign in front of the Kingston Glass Workshop in October (now removed), the message was clear.
Continue reading Does Clive Hamilton value his own backyard?
Gardening and farming at the National Museum
This piece was originally published in September 2022
A visit to an exhibition at the National Museum of Australia provided the extra opportunity to have a look at the new garden at the entrance and to check out again the Garden of Australian Dreams.
Continue reading Gardening and farming at the National Museum
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.
Yet again we ponder a new future for Civic
City Renewal Authority bereft of ideas
Someone in the ACT planning Directorate thought it was a great idea to get their planning minister to launch yet another round of consultations on the future of Civic and the surrounding areas – on the 4th December last year.
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.
The National Library trees and sculpture festival
How the NCA keeps getting it wrong!
The National Library of Australia forecourt should be a well-designed open space welcoming people to a key national institution. It is, sort of – but not quite!
Continue reading The National Library trees and sculpture festival
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 Canberra’s City Gallery
CMAG – a new future
More than three decades ago the local visual arts community advocated for the establishment of a Canberra Regional/City Gallery. Continue reading visiting Canberra’s City Gallery
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
Belconnen arts and architecture
Saturday 30 July was a sunny day that encouraged a walk somewhere else in the city, besides the usual meander through the local streets.
Civic still a bit of a mess
Public art — Civic in Canberra
A media notice from the City Renewal Authority about a new artwork in Civic caught my attention. Continue reading Civic still a bit of a mess
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.
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
ACT Government fails on landscape design
Design leadership missing in action
The south side of Franklin Street, Manuka, was shut off during November for several clusters of seats and tables on fake grass. It was apparently another of this government’s pop-up experiments.
Christmas, trees and biodiversity
ACT Government does not get biodiversity
Wandering through Civic, there loomed ahead a shape.
ACT Public Art and inequality
It was stunning to see the images of Premier Dominic Perrottet after NSW opened up on October 11; he welcomed people back to his version of normal – that of blokes, pubs, beers and more blokes. Women were absent.
Kingston Arts Space reboot – maybe
Inner-south community groups received a curious, but welcomed, phone call on Thursday (November 4) from the communications officer of the ACT Suburban Land Agency (SLA).
Public Art in Canberra
When “Seven Days” columnist Ian Meikle remarked in “CityNews” on July 19 that the ACT Legislative Assembly’s Standing Committee on Economy and Gender and Economic Equality is seeking submissions to its inquiry into memorialisation through public commemoration, it did raise an issue or two.
ACT Government score card
They are not doing well!
With the ACT Labor/Greens coalition in place until October 2024, it’s a good time to start reporting on how it’s performing.
ACT Government ignores Commonwealth Park
Commonwealth Park neglected by government
Attention to a significant piece of national land is being overlooked among the misinformation used to justify the demolition of West Basin.
ACT Government and public sculpture
Need for a new public art policy
Sometime during the last election, a candidate said something about revising the public sculpture program initiated by Jon Stanhope when he was chief minister.
Canberra’s missing arts centres
ACT Government failure on culture
In 2015, the now disbanded Land Development Agency announced the follow up to its 2011 master plan with the go-ahead for the Kingston Arts Precinct.
Floriade Canberra 2020
Flowers in the suburbs
It is all happening again in Kingston and, as with other locations throughout Canberra, Floriade Reimagined saw locals planting more than 8000 bulbs and annuals in May.
Summer at the NGA
There’s a lot to be seen at the exhibitions at the National Gallery of Australia this summer – so it’s time to get thee hence – – –click here.
Driving between Canberra and Melbourne
Cultural Landscape
The Cultural Landscape Foundation wants to connect people to the places of culture around them. click here
ANCA meeting Place exhibition
Walking in on an artist’s install of their exhibition can be an interesting way to learn more about an artist and their work.
Urban Bites
GANG GANG arrives in Downer
Always good to celebrate when a suburban centre rises again.
Rijksmuseum 19th Century photography
the Rijksmuseum is presenting a major retrospective of 19th-century photography – click here
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.
Culture Heist
Book Notice: Culture Heist, Judith White
ART VERSUS MONEY: The fight for the soul of a
great public institution
Tracey Moffatt at 2017 Venice Biennale
Tracey Moffatt’s exhibition in Venice
click here for my review and comments on Tracey Moffatt’s exhibition at the 2017 Venice Biennale.
Regis Lansac
Head On Photography Exhibition
Exhibition of Regis Lansac’s photographs at Janet Clayton Gallery:
3-28 May 2017 – click here for more on the-ARTMUSEum.com
Anzac Parade – public art doing service
There is no doubt that Anzac Parade is very special.
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.
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.
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.
Planetary Gardening
This is an exhibition at photoaccess (Canberra) curated by Ashley Lumb and Laura McLean.
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
The Art of great window display
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.
climarte
Acland Street Public Art Commission
Expressions of Interest are due by 5pm on 3 February 2017
The Arts – after Trump
Trump’s win shows how vital the arts and humanities are
Julianne Schultz, Griffith University (This has been reprinted from The Conversation)
Megalo
The visual arts in Canberra is a very active scene. It has been thus for several decades.
Versailles at the NGA–a summer of glitz, cake and unsettled staff
Usually at this time of the year, I am looking forward to the coming visual arts exhibitions at the National Gallery of Australia (NGA).
Continue reading Versailles at the NGA–a summer of glitz, cake and unsettled staff
Singapore visual arts
For many years tourists regarded Singapore as a stop over to somewhere else. Most spent a night or three but rarely much more.
Singapore Biennale 2016
Women in Art
click on image for the story in The Guardian
Women in Museums
Contour 556
click on image for more on this public art festival
weatherland
How does the weather affect us?
Art and The PM’s Lodge
NGA art on the walls of the PM’s Lodge
Have a look at the photograph above – taken from the Canberra Times.
contour 556
More news about Canberra’s new public art festival – to run Friday 21st October to Sunday 13th November 2016. Continue reading contour 556
The weird in the arts
weird things can happen within the art world – as in all aspect of life.
Megalo
The art work by Annie Trevillian plus others..
Here’s a review that points to the great work being done by artists working within Megalo – a Canberra based open access print workshop. Click here.
One day soon I must tell my version of Megalo when I worked for the organisation as it was then from 1986 to 1991.
Why arts schools matter
Why arts schools matter, not just for art’s sake but for urban renewal in Sydney and other cities
Portraits of William Eggleston
click on the image for the story about the exhibition of William Eggleston
photography at the V&A
click on the image for more…
Equity in the arts
click on banner for this post on The Arts Museum
great women on Britain’s streets
Click on image for the story of the lack of public statues depicting women in the UK.
the best of the Archibald finalists
Patchwork, ironic, serious and kitsch: the best of the Archibald finalists
Photography at Nishi Gallery – Beauty In This
Beauty In This is a wonderful photography exhibition, by Maryanne Voyazis, on for a short time at Nishi Gallery, New Acton.
Continue reading Photography at Nishi Gallery – Beauty In This
photography
Review International Center of Photography New York
There’s something going in within photography – there’s something going within many of the centres and galleries devoted to photography.
Architecture
Arts writing, Tracey Moffatt & Degas
Article and essays about the arts have become threatened species given the downturn in the newspapers.
The number of arts writers has continuously being reduced. So it is wonderful that a few survive.
Diane Arbus and more at the NGA
There’s a wonderful exhibition at the NGA till 30th October 2016 – Diane Arbus: American portraits.
Auckland festival of photography
Exhibition Review: Home, 2 June – 20 June 2016
Trump Baby
Another sign of wonder. This one we came upon while walking down a street in Auckland. That hair should be a registered trademark.
Arts exchange with Singapore and Wellington
First a positive note – full marks to the ACT Government for their efforts to achieve direct flights between Canberra and the cities of Wellington and Singapore.
Continue reading Arts exchange with Singapore and Wellington
photography
click on the image for the new 2016 series, Stardust, by Anna Carey.
contour 556 – Canberra’s new public art festival
contour 556 is Canberra’s new public art festival to be staged from Friday 21st October to Sunday 13th November, 2016
Continue reading contour 556 – Canberra’s new public art festival
Canberra Visual Arts being Turnbulled
Last Friday 13th May was sad day, and very much a black Friday, for many in the arts across Australia.
Being Turnbulled
click on the image for the story about Turnbull and the arts – and then
Cindy Sherman
click on the image for the story from the New York Times
Climarte
click – here – for information about this poster project
Sydney contemporary art
There’s an announcement for a new biennale of Australian contemporary art. Good news – click on the image for The Guardian story – but..