We live in strange times. The Australian Government has led the country into being backward looking and to be so far behind so many countries that are moving to address climate change. Into this important international debates has stepped the Pope. The Australian Prime Minister continues to portray himself as a man of the Catholic Faith. Yet he has chosen to ignore the Pope. Here are some thoughts on the Pope’s timely actions – click here.
It’s about the music! click on image for the latest from Neil
The previous story on the Australian Centre for Photography relocating may have been inaccurate. We have heard that all options remain open on the table. The ACP is still looking at inner Sydney venues and that nothing has been decided yet.
A political speech with a difference! She nailed the issue right on the head!
Here in Australia there is no-one like this in our Parliament. It is time for a change – where are the Australian Mhairi Blacks?
It often occurs while driving south along Limestone Ave, that you encounter a new message from a local church. Often they make powerful political statements on current issues.
First Listen: Neil Young + Promise Of The Real, ‘The Monsanto Years’
There’s no doubt that while Greece is doing it tough and much of the damage was brought on by all forms of dubious practices within Greece and Europe’s banks, the attitude of Germany and the European Union will be remembered for all its nastiness. Yet again – George has hit the nail on the head. click here
A study of the ACT’s master planning processes reveals thorough research and consultations to produce a range of comprehensive documents on options for many of Canberra’s established shopping centres.
Photography is alive and well in Los Angeles – click here for a review of an exhibition. And for a direct link to the gallery at the Hammer Museum and for more images of the works in the exhibition – click here.
An exhibition I would love to see – shame I am here and it is in London. Click on image.
The views of Lake George on drive up to Goulburn were very dramatic on the day we travelled north to see the Rosalie Gascoigne exhibition at the Goulburn Regional Art Gallery.
We have endured several days of stuff written by the junk journalist writing on the Greece decision to reject the demands of the Intentional Monetary Fund. The Greeks voted no and the journalists have reproduced the media releases of those with ties to the Big Banks. It has taken a few days but at last some real journalism is appearing on this important topic.
30 Photographers in Asia – click on image
Good to see the work by locals, Harris Hobbs Landscapes, being recognised.
click on the image.
A good day for the profile of the use of bricks in architecture with recognition by the UN of important 20th Century German brick buildings – The Speicherstadt . click here. and for a feast of bricks – click here.
The eulogy by the US President demonstrates how leadership can inspire.
Over the years I have wondered about the placement of public art and memorials in and around the parliamentary zone. Here are three stories.
Continue reading Mysterious placement of public art and memorials
A little while ago I reviewed an exhibition of contemporary print making at the National Gallery of Australia – click here. Last week I visited Mosman Art Gallery (Sydney) to see another contemporary print making exhibition.
recommended reading…click on the image – for many articles about the art world and its not so fair treatment of women. If one sector of this world should have sorted this by now – surely it should have been the arts. But alas, it just ain’t so. Here’s the link again.
There’s an announcement online about a new art fair to be held in January at the same time as Art Stage Singapore, Click on the image for more on this.
This is an exhibition of Asian artworks from a private collection, that of Gene and Brian Sherman. It’s a good exhibition – worth visiting.
Hot Gossip: The ACP to move from Paddington and will be soon looking for a new Director.
The news being circulated around Sydney is that the ACP has made its decision to move from Paddington and to move to the western suburbs, to Parramatta. This will definitely require a change to the organisation and some of its programs.
A few years ago the ACT Government had a bright idea to confront the problem of the power of the supermarket giants. It introduced a policy to encourage more competition to the usual two or three. It didn’t deliver.
I 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.
This is a small exhibition of nine works has been produced to celebrate the 40th anniversary of International Women’s Year (1975).
With Canberra struggling with its malls and the government agencies still following old models in what they encourage in the way of shopping centre developments – I am keeping track of stories about the demise of the great shopping malls – here’s a recent one – click here.
Here in Canberra we are very lucky to have a good person as one of our national senators. She was a great Chief Minister of the ACT and now given her personal commitments to issues, let’s hope the great beast of the Labor Party does not do her in. Click here for her maiden speech to the senate. Go Girl!!!
Any time you are in Sydney, you should always find the time for a wander through the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW).
Click on the image for news from The Guardian on the legality of taking action on climate change.
Central Canberra needs a dedicated open space for large special events at any time of the year.
The Australian governments have consistently hidden behind the argument that Australia cannot cut back on its emissions because it would be of no effect given the amount of carbon emissions being pumped out by China.
In researching the establishment of these Chinese Gardens I came across some of the consultation documents when the public was asked to comment on the gardens being built within Lennox Gardens.
George Monbiot has made a good call on the pope’s letter to the world on climate change – click here.
We all now sit back and watch the catholic prime minister of Australia, who is an ardent climate denier and environmental wrecker, deal with this message from his spiritual leader.
There is one thing that planning officers excel at: creating jobs for themselves. They do this by constantly reinventing planning and development processes that are so complicated that it takes a planning officer to be able to make sense of them.
The current exhibition at ANCA in Dickson presents two photographic artists whose works have direct links back to the 1970s American colour photography represented by a host of artists including William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, Helen Levitt and Joel Meyerowitz.
The dumbness of our political leaders just gets worse.
for a bit of fun – click on the image
click on image for the story from Crikey
A Review of the NGA Exhibition: Streetwise: contemporary print culture
The state of Canberra’s shopping centres is a hot topic of conversation at present.
With reports about the coming of much improved batteries by which households will be able to store their solar power, the concept of whole suburbs going off the grid is starting to be discussed.
Last July the ACT Government announced plans to develop a shipping container village by the lake on the west side of Commonwealth Avenue.
Canberra does not have a history of food carts. The nearest would be a double decker bus that opens at night time at the top of Braddon. Another would have been the now closed Brodburgers that was a very popular red caravan packed on the side of the lake. That was its problem – it was parked on land overseen by the fairly useless National Capital Authority (NCA).
an update on Sydney Modern Project – click on image
Several decades ago, the centre of Canberra provided a very different shopping experience. Civic was a series of pedestrian plazas with a small complex named The Monaro Mall. In 1989 this mall was enlarged to become the first Canberra Centre.
It has been interesting to watch the political responses to the decision by the Irish to back marriage equality. Sometimes a writer’s opening lines hit the nail on the head.
Canberra was built with gardens being integrated into each household and throughout the neighbourhoods.
I have been to London many times. Somehow I had not managed to find my way to the Sir John Soane Museum London until my most recent trip.
More signs that things are slowly getting worse. Now is the bee colonies that are suffering. But who is listening?
click on the image.
The ACT Planning and Land Authority today announced that the controversial Dickson Coles-DOMA development has been officially refused.
All the boys in the Australian Government continue to prove to the world their attitude to women. Through the recent budget processes, we had the astonishing revelation that so many women at home with children who had been using the paid leave system available to them have now been identified by this government, those wonderful band of big boys, as being rorters and fraudsters.
a photo essay from early May – a foggy morning followed by a brilliant blue sky.
It doesn’t get any worse than this!
I have written about Arts Ministers previously – click here. This country desperately needs a new model of national Culture Minster. Instead we have been landed with one of the most unsuitable politician to be the Arts Minister.
Voter action needed following Dickson shops debacle
There have been recent reports that the controversial Dickson supermarket proposal continues to be debated behind closed doors within the government planning bureaucracy.
One would think that by now people would make sure there is equity with the appointment of people to corporate boards, panels, committees etc.
National Gallery Singapore: A story about doubts about whether an artwork is a fake. Click on the image for more.
While Australian governments spend a lot of time on transport matters, it usually means cars, maybe public transport and occasionally bicycles. In Canberra the pedestrian is not often on the agenda. Walking is far more fun. I visited Vienna recently and was impressed about many things to do with its urban structure. And now I read that they have a new emphasis on walking and urban planning is allowing for this!
A few travel photographs from not quite the usual tourist destination. This time we were in Maidstone in Kent. The image above is from within the local museum.
One of the faults with Australian democracy remains that many decisions by the elected politicians remain flawed because of the obvious but ignored conflicts of interests.
There was much ado amongst the Australian arts heavies with their announcement of a new pavilion for the Venice Biennale.
It was during a radio program on the future of Civic, the centre of Canberra, that an architectural academic came forward with his Big Idea on how this city centre could be refurbished. To my surprise the academic suggested that Civic’s pedestrian areas should be opened up for cars. I have to say that ‘architectural experts’ often speak on urban matters as if they are living on another planet.
We have a government that lies and denies when it comes to climate change. Click on the image for this story.
Paris Photo LA Preivew (click on the image)
A little while ago, I wrote a few pieces about Braddon. In amongst the many different aspects of the suburb, I brought up the concept of significant changes to Haig Park.
Public sculpture commissioned in the memory of our dignitaries has been known to cause a stir amongst art lovers as well as those who take a position on public art.
The Canberra Museum and Gallery’s current major visual arts exhibition has the focus on artists’ views of life for the people living in this city.
One of the local manifestations for Centenary of Federation in the year 2001 was the building of Commonwealth Place down on the side of the lake in the axis between Parliament and Mount Ainslie.
There’s a special exhibition at National Portrait Gallery in Canberra. This is this institution’s contribution to the Anzac centenary.
It is good to be reminded that the term The Lucky Country as used by Donald Horne was not complimentary of our leadership. Sadly the term and its meaning as used back then still applies today.
There’s a new online review on the Art Gallery of NSW photography exhibition: The Photograph and Australia.
Kate Breakey at the Michener Art Museum
Click on images for more
Originally published on RiotACT.
A couple of decades ago, the Yarralumla Brickworks site was home to community markets and a colony of artists. This was the last time I visited the site.
I enjoy the exhibitions at Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). However ever since they completed their renovations and now attract more people, something has happened in how some visitors behave.
While the many in the world address climate change, the present federal government in Australia continues to prop up Big Coal and anyone else who supports them. So what’s to be done about this? Continue reading Climate Change
Here’s a recommended exhibition for those with an interest in Australian hand coloured photography from the last couple of decades.
The Dickson residents continue to be disappointed with the ACT Government for allowing so many inappropriate development proposals to be taken seriously. The latest let-down is that local politicians look as if they are allowing a supermarket and residential proposal to progress even though the evidence indicates how wrong it is for this inner suburb.
A visit to the Art Gallery of New South Wales is always worth the trouble no matter what exhibitions are on. I have often said, that this would be one of the easier jobs in the country as the audience comes no matter what the exhibition. But
It was well before self-government that a bureaucracy of experts delivered our inner Canberra urban landscapes. While there are many aspects of Canberra’s landscapes to be celebrated, there are questionable decisions by former planners and bureaucrats that we now have to deal with and correct.
The Photograph and Australia, AGNSW till 8 June 2015
It is a good thing to read critical reviews of the visual arts. A variety of views is refreshing.
For anyone with an interest in photography, this exhibition at the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) has to be seen, and then seen again.
Many universities in Australia have campuses with lush landscape settings. Then there are the universities that are very contained inner city urban environments. In Sydney, the University of Technology (UTS) is one of the latter.
The ACT Government is to implement the city’s first light rail system. Particular lobby groups have been hounding the government about this decision.
The Property Council has issued another one of their occasional gems about planning and development here in Canberra. This one is titled: Transforming Canberra’s CBD. Sometimes you are not sure whether to laugh or cry when you read these documents.
National Gallery of Australia (Canberra) Exhibition open till 30 August 2015
There are reports circulating that the future of an important aspect of Braddon’s heritage is in danger of being lost.
It was earlier today while sitting back on my verandah reading a book on the concept of architecture and enjoyment that this Dickson resident had the pleasant autumnal experience of drifting away into a city of complete amazements. The city’s government had just appointed a Chief Minister of extraordinary vision for urban development.
11 January 1931 – 31 March 2015
This is a re-posting of a review I posted to RiotACT last week.
Architecture owns the story. That’s not necessarily a good thing!
at the Art Gallery of NSW, 25 April – 2 July 2015 – click on the image for more
A city that embraces public art must a place to visit. In Canberra when Jon Stanhope was Chief Minister the city had a very active public art program.
This is a must see exhibition.
The following is a slightly longer version of a post I uploaded to RiotACT. This post concentrated on the new development sites which will replace much of the greenery around the southern edge of this part of Yarralumla. I have left comments about the redevelopment of the former brickwork’s sit for another time.
Germany: Memories of a Nation, 2014
I was somewhat aware of the complicated history of the German peoples. Over many years I had dipped into history books about various aspects of German histories. But despite this I had still not quite got my head around just how the German state as we know it today came into being.
This book by Neil MacGregor is recommended not only because it deals very well with the layers of history, but because he does this in a very accessible and enjoyable method. I cannot say the same for the exhibition.
The Bendigo Art Gallery is one of the stars of Australian public art galleries. The gallery has built a great reputation through ongoing successful exhibition programs. We visited in March and were very impressed.
ANU Australian Centre on China in the World till 3 April 2015 
This is a highly recommended photography exhibition. It closes 3 April 2015.
Following a recent post on the developments happening in the Braddon commercial precinct (click here), I also posted on RiotACT on the surrounding suburb.
I met Jon Stanhope a couple of times when he was Chief Minister for the ACT. Canberra benefited from his leadership. He continues to be a person known for his strong ethical stance on important issues.
He also liked public art – but that program was killed off because of the Liberal Party trolls who used the media to hammer the program.
Over the last year or so a local architect has been writing in the Canberra Times on issues around planning, development and design. Unfortunately his tone has changed somewhat. Or maybe it was always so, and we have only now witnessed the true nature of his advocacy.
Art Gallery of NSW – 21 March – 2 June 2015. click on image for more
