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Tag Archives: reviews
Bob Dylan
Review: Triplicate – 3 CDs, 2017
Here’s a challenge – Bob Dylan in slow swing doing this set of 30 songs. I recommend listening to these with the volume up – not soft.
I enjoyed 2015’s Shadows in the Night & also the 2016’s Fallen Angels. I recommend both of those albums.
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?
Billy Bragg & Joe Henry
Shine A Light – Field Recordings From The Great American Railroad. 2016 Billy Bragg & Joe Henry
Here’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.
Mawson shops on hold – why?
Earlier this year we drove south to the Mawson shops (Southlands) to shop at one of the specialist supermarkets as well as to take in a Middle Eastern brunch.
Nick Cave
A new song from Nick Cave – one you may need to stop and listen to especially when you realise when he wrote it – just after his son had died. Continue reading Nick Cave
Diane Arbus and more at the NGA
There’s a wonderful exhibition at the NGA till 30th October 2016 – Diane Arbus: American portraits.
Shawn Colvin & Steve Earle
Review: Colvin & Earle June 2016
Join two wonderful voices, join two approaches to making music and two lives that have crossed over several times, and you have two marvellous talents – and the result – a great album. Many of the songs are original – and some are covers. It’s all good stuff.
Recommended: Rating 8/10
Auckland festival of photography
2016 Auckland festival of photography – June 2016
The 2016 Auckland festival of photography like many Australian photographic festival is very dependent on the enthusiasms and the energy of a small band of people, or more often than not, just one person.
Tracy Chapman
Review: Tracy Chapman Greatest Hits 2015
The first thing to say is that tis is a great collection.
It is a new collection made by Tracy. The title – Greatest Hits – does not quite sit easily with this selection.
Neil Young
Music Review: Bluenote Cafe, Neil Young (2015)
If you like Neil Young’s music, then this album must make its way into your collection. This is Neil Young at his best and doing so as a Blues musician.
The music is from live recordings from 1987 – 1988 and is more or less based around his studio album, This Note’s For You .
Music Review: Natalie Merchant
Paradise Is There: The New Tigerlily Recordings (2015)
It is the done thing for musicians to cover other musicians songs and to do new arrangements of those songs rather than just attempting to mimic them.
Urban Suburban
Exhibition Review
Canberra Museum and Gallery: Urban Suburban. Until June 21.
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.
NGA Colour My World
Exhibition Review
Colour My World, National Gallery of Australia till 30 August 2015
Here’s a recommended exhibition for those with an interest in Australian hand coloured photography from the last couple of decades.
The Photograph and Australia
Review: Photography
The Photograph and Australia, AGNSW till 8 June 2015
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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 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
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.
Singapore Photography
Review: Photomedia / Photography
Flux Realities: A Showcase of Chinese Contemporary Photography
at Singapore Arts Science Museum till 2 Nov 2014
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
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.
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
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.
ACCA Melbourne
Review: Visual Arts
A visit to the Australian Centre of Contemporary Art (ACCA) Melbourne
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.
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
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.
Hospital Architecture Brisbane
Review: Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital
photographed late June/early July 2014 – due to open later in 2014
On two recent visits to Brisbane I noticed this new hospital building under construction in South Brisbane. I first noticed it as while crossing the river. I was impressed that at last there was something in the area that was not simply bland-box architecture. (click on photographs to enlarge)
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.
Architectural Eyesores
Comment: From James Howard Kunstler
James Howard Kunstler’s blog often has interesting points to offer in the debate about design and architecture and how it is assisting, or not, with solutions for the future.
Click on the image for eyesore of the month of June 2014. I do not always agree with what he sees as eyesores. But it a great start to any debate. In this case, yes, the tall towers’ days have gone but the developers and architects will stay with them while there is money to be made. Stuff the environment!
Click on the image.
Harvest at GOMA
Review: Visual Arts
Harvest: Art, Film + Food at the Queensland Art Gallery – GOMA
Our public galleries have wonderful collections. Collection exhibitions are often overlooked by the public as the marketing foolishly concentrates on the block busters and special exhibitions. This is a shame as the collection exhibitions are wonderful.
I welcomed the opportunity to visit Harvest: Art, Film + Food. To see this mix of art was indeed a welcomed experience. Continue reading Harvest at GOMA
Brisbane Laneway Art
Review: Visual Arts in Brisbane Laneways, July 2014
The centre of Melbourne has a tremendous network of laneways. Many are well established as alternate routes to the main streets. Many of the laneways have cafes, and in more recent years, many have become havens for all manner of street art.
2014 World Architecture Awards
Comment: World Architecture Festival Awards
The 2014 World Architecture Festival Awards shortlisted projects have been listed online. It makes for an interesting read.
I have provided two links below. One with categories only – which means you have click-through to see more. The other is the full list. A number of Australian projects have been listed, including The National Botanic Gardens – these I have reviewed (click here) , so I will say no more.
Architecture Awards
Comment: Awards for Architecture
It has been a long puzzle of mine as to just what makes an architecture project an award-winning project. I know that it cannot be just who sits on the award jury and who knows who, so it must be something else.
Robyn Stacey
Review: Visual Arts
Guest Relations at Jan Manton Art
I had a chance last week to see Guest Relations, the exhibition of Robyn Stacey in Brisbane. As I had pointed out in my earlier review, it is a show not to be missed.
Click here for my former post.
Click here for words in Art Almanac
Click here for Jan Manton Art.
Click here for Stills Gallery, Sydney.
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Paul Costigan, 6 July 2014
100 Canberra Houses
Review: Book
100 Canberra Houses: A Century of Capital Architecture / by Tim Reeves and Alan Roberts
This book about housing in Canberra is welcomed by those amongst us who would love to see more good design in the provision of houses in Canberra. Much of Canberra, as with most places internationally, is presently being devastated with loads of new badly designed suburbs as well as very awful blocks of cheaply rendered apartments being foisted on the older inner suburbs. The authors of this book are to be congratulated for illustrating that the architecture for residential properties can be something to be enjoyed.
Canberra Architecture
Review: Book
Canberra Architecture, Andrew Metcalf
Watermark Architectural Guides, 2003
I picked up this book quiet a while ago but it is only now that I have had time to look through it. I am glad I did, as after reading through quite a bit of it, I have become more aware that Canberra has a reasonable amount of good and notable architecture.
I have a quiet interest in good architecture and have spent some energies complaining about the current crop of badly designed houses and commercial buildings being thrust onto Canberra. Residents have despaired that good design in our civic areas and suburbs has become a thing of the past.
Anna Zahalka
Review: Visual Arts
Anna Zahalka’s 2013 Parliament House commission
On Exhibit at Parliament House in Canberra are the commissioned photographs by Anna Zahalka (click here). The photographs are of the staff who are normally behind the scenes and whose work is vital to so many operations within the building.
Manhattan: The Island at the Centre of the World
Review: Book
The Island at the Centre of the World: The Untold Story of Dutch Manhattan and the Founding of New York, by Russell Shorto, 2004
Surely the citizens of the USA would have by now have worked out the history about their first colonists.
They probably thought so until the research behind this book surfaced and now they can read about the real history from this author, Russell Shorto.
This book is the precursor to Russell Shorto’s later book, Amsterdam, reviewed earlier – click here. Both are fascinating reads.
Continue reading Manhattan: The Island at the Centre of the World
Robyn Stacey
Review: Visual Arts, Photography
Robyn Stacey at Jan Manton, Brisbane
Guest Relations Brisbane
I have stayed in many hotel rooms in many cities and towns. The experience of being in a hotel room, although now it is mostly apartments, is usually enjoyable but always with a tinge of weird. You enter this borrowed space and establish your presence while always being aware of the temporary nature of your stay.
Without You
Review: TV program on DVD
Without You with Ann Friel, on DVD – three-part mini series.
This three-part mini series was viewed in one sitting on a cold and wet Saturday evening.
The story’s focus is how a married woman copes with the sudden death of her husband of 12 years. To that add that she quickly has doubts about the car accident. She has to also deal with the doubts and stories about whether he was being unfaithful.
FX Harsono at the NGA
Review: Visual Arts
FX Harsono and Writing In The Rain
At the seminar at the National Gallery of Australia, the Indonesian artist FX Harsono made a presentation as an Indonesian of Chinese decent who is now researching and making art about the treatment of the Chinese communities in the early days of the Indonesian republic.
There’s a fantastic video on exhibition in which FX Harsono deals with his Chinese name, in that he is writing it continuously while other forces are washing it away.
Ian North on Canberra
Review: Photography
Ian North’s Canberra Suite Series 1981,
Canberra Museum and Gallery 2014
On exhibition: # 6, 11, 12 17, 20,24
It was while visiting the Canberra Gallery for another exhibition that we spotted these six works by the artist/photographer Ian North. On exhibition were colour photographs from Ian’s suite of 24 images, the Canberra Suite Series (1981).
Prince Alfred Park Sydney
Review: Inner city park/ Prince Alfred Park
The redevelopment of Prince Alfred Park Sydney
It should always be celebrated when a city council looks after its city parks. The property and development lobbies of this world see these public spaces as potential for profit-making development sites and would be always on hand to lobby for any reduction such public open spaces. Prince Alfred Park in Surrey Hills in Sydney has just benefited from a wise city council that has invested in some upgrades on this fabulous inner city parkland.
Three Photographs
Review: Photography
Three photographs, three photographers, and the contemplation of the women by women.
It was while visiting the Stills Gallery in Sydney to see the works by Mary Ellen Mark, that I was totally struck by the ambiance of a photograph titled: The Damm Family in Their Car, Los Angeles, California, USA, 1987. (it is reproduced larger below)
Besides the stand out nature of the total composition, the car, the children, the hands around the woman, it was the faces on the mother and the daughter that glued me for much more than the standard time one usually spends with any work in an exhibition. Then I could not help but return to it several times.
Visiting the National Gallery of Victoria
Review: Gallery Visitor Experience
Visiting the National Gallery of Victoria*
One of the unfortunate outcomes of the marketing of our major art galleries is that so much emphasis has been placed on the special and blockbuster exhibitions. This form of marketing may be assisting with budgets, but this success is at the cost of letting people know about the galleries’ own collection exhibitions.
Climate Politics
Book Review: as posted on Inside Story
Power Failure: The Inside Story of Climate Politics Under Rudd and Gillard
By Philip Chubb, Black Inc.
There’s a good book review uploaded to the online site Inside Story. The book is The Inside Story of Climate Politics Under Rudd and Gillard.
Andrew Dodd provides a thorough overview of Philip Chubb’s insider account of the demise of Kevin Rudd’s climate scheme.
His review males the book to be essential reading. My stack of books is already too high so I have provided this review as a way of tempting others. Click here.
University Urbanity
Review: Campus Design
A review of new architecture and spaces within the ANU (Australian National University) Part One
Across Australia there are stand out examples of campus design amongst many of our universities. In more recent years I have had reason to visit campuses in all the states and back here in Canberra and have been constantly impressed with some of the architectural and landscape work. In most cases I have been positively impressed with the work and in others I have been taken aback.
Cars and design
Comment: Cars and Design
A few comments about cars and people and design
In 2014, contemporary car design is fairly mundane. Most car designers are pumping out things that are not attractive. Cars today seem to be suffering from either a lack of design or have a combination of tricky features pretending to be some form of design. So many cars today are simply very boring.
Canberra Visual Arts
Review: Visual Arts
May 2014 Visual Arts Exhibitions at M16 and the CCAS (Canberra)
Once upon time Canberra had heaps visual arts galleries to visit on weekends. Now there are but a few left. Last weekend I visited two publicly funded visual art spaces; being the M16 Gallery in Griffith and the Canberra Contemporary Art Space (CCAS) in Braddon. I can happily report that things are looking good and suggest you get out there and see for yourself just how both of these are traveling.*
Sue Ford Photographer at NGV
Review: Visual Arts/ Photography
Sue Ford, The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, April – August 2014
This exhibition of the photography of Sue Ford (1943 – 2009) at the Victorian State Gallery (National Gallery of Victoria*) is a curious one. Click here – for their media statements.
As an opening statement I have to say that I did not find this exhibition as satisfactory as I had anticipated. Parts of the exhibition worked reasonably well, whereas other sections look as if someone was not sure what to do with the work, or that maybe they did not understand Sue Ford’s work.
Monument in the Landscape
Review: Visual Arts
Fabrice Fouillet photography: Colosses in the landscape
Photographer, Fabrice Fouillet, has a series of images of Colosses that were created to dominate and dwarf the landscape and buildings around them.
Anna Carey Photography
Review: Visual Arts
A small selection of work by Anna Carey
I have just come back from Brisbane and had the wonderful experience of seeing more photographs by Anna Carey. I have mentioned her work previously — click here for that post.
Brisbane Ugly Part Six
Urbanity: More on comments by Alain de Botton, Part Six of Six
That parts of Brisbane are ugly and the local government has allowed this to happen
Part Six of Six – some final words
See previous: Part One – Part Two – Part Three – Part Four – Part Five
Brisbane definitely would not win any ‘most attractive city award’.
Brisbane Ugly Part Five
Urbanity: Following up comments by Alain de Botton, Part five/six
That parts of Brisbane are ugly and the local government has allowed this to happen
Beauty in urban development is something we should insist on!
Part Five of Six – South Bank and West End.
Links to all: Part One – Part Two – Part Three – Part Four – Part Five – Part Six
There is no doubt that there are aspects of Brisbane that a far more interesting than the city centre. South Bank and the West End are such places. South Bank Parklands have been managed well for years up till now – but I am not so sure about the current management.
South Bank is a place for leisure, for the family, for picnics, for food and cafes and the cultural centres, for events, and especially for culture such as visits to the state gallery.
Brisbane Ugly Part Four
Urbanity:
Following up comments by Alain de Botton, Part Four of Six
That parts of Brisbane are ugly and the local government has allowed this to happen
Beauty in urban development is something we should insist on!
Part Four – nearby the Brisbane Central District
Links to all: Part One – Part Two – Part Three – Part Four – Part Five – Part Six
There are aspects of Brisbane are beautiful. The river is magic. The photo above, taken some years back illustrates this. The evening lights enhance the unfortunate placement of major roads along the river’s edge. These freeways are transport engineering successes but are barriers to any hope of joining the city to the river.
Brisbane Ugly Part Three
Urbanity: Following up comments by Alain de Botton, Part Three
That parts of Brisbane are ugly and the local government has allowed this to happen
Beauty in urban development is something we should insist on!
Part Three – Brisbane Central District
Links to all: Part One – Part Two – Part Three – Part Four – Part Five – Part Six
The central area of the city of Brisbane has evolved into a modern city with many historic buildings surviving. These heritage buildings are now surrounded by an over abundance of glass and concrete walls of taller office building. It is not a pretty sight.
Brisbane Ugly part Two
Urbanity: Following up on comments by Alain de Botton, Part Two
That parts of Brisbane are ugly and the local government has allowed this to happen
Beauty in urban development is something we should insist on!
Part Two – arriving from the airport
Links to all: Part One – Part Two – Part Three – Part Four – Part Five – Part Six
New Acton Precinct, Canberra
Review: Urbanity
New Acton Precinct, Canberra
There was much ado about this whole precinct development when it was being built and this continues through to today. Having visited the site a few times now, to meander, to eat, to meet for coffee and the occasional business, I have to say that it is a very mixed result. It is worth a visit on a busy day to see for yourself. But it does not match some of the rhetoric that has been put about – click here for an example of some project-porn spin*.
Brisbane Ugly Part One
Urbanity:
Following up on comments by Alain de Botton, Part One of Six
That parts of Brisbane are ugly and the local government has allowed this to happen
Beauty in urban development is something we should insist on!
Part One – commenting on the News and its response to Alain
Links to all: Part One – Part Two – Part Three – Part Four – Part Five – Part Six
A mild storm recently broke in the media around comments made by Alain de Botton. To view one Brisbane local news piece on this and see Alain respond – click here. I was alerted to there being something wrong here when certain commentators responded. Oh the media just did not read his new book on the media!
Australian War Memorial Landscapes
Review: Landscapes at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra
These comments not are about the exhibitions of the War Memorial. These are comments about the building and recent additions.
Many times the expression is used when an architect is talking about a building, about how their architecture fits into the landscape. In most cases this proves to be just false architectural spin. However there is one building here in Canberra that does sit beautifully with the landscape. That building is the Australian War Memorial in Canberra
Neon Lights
Review: Visual Arts
Neon Lights and The Museum of Neon Arts
I happen to like all things neon. I have been fascinated by neon lights for years. We have twice visited the Museum of Neon Art in LA; noting that they have moved again to another new home, this time in Glendale. (above)
photo by Paul Costigan, 2002
Here’s a few YouTube presentations on Neon (see below):
Motherhood
Opinion Piece on Queen Victoria and Motherhood
Queen Victoria, Another Maligned Mother
Julia Baird, New York Times
Julia Baird has published an opinion piece in the New York times using a review of a book to comment on how mothers who work continue to be maligned in the 21st Century.
Happy City
Reviews: Book
Happy City, Charles Montgomery, 2013
From the blurb online:
“A brilliant, entertaining and vital book. Montgomery deftly leads us from our misplaced focus on money, cars and stuff to consider what makes us truly happy. Then everything changes – the way we live, work and play in humanity’s major habitat, the city.” – David Suzuki
AGNSW Photography
Review: Visual Arts
Photography at the Art Gallery of New South Wales
Exhibition title: Australian vernacular photography
Once again, the Art Gallery of NSW has brought together an interesting exhibition of Australian photography – click here.
This is a must see for anyone with interests in photography. Judy Annear, the curator, has brought some gems from their vast collection.
Not A Photography Exhibition
Review: Visual Arts
Points of Focus: Historic Photographs from the Pacific
University of Sydney, Macleay Museum
This exhibition is advertised as being of historic photographs from the Pacific spanning a century beginning from the late 1850s. With these words both in advertising and online, the expectations were for an extensive exhibition of photographs of the pacific islands.
Post-Soviet Architecture
Review: Book
The Butt-Ugly Allure of Post-Soviet Architecture
The photographs of architecture of the Post-Soviet era.
There’s a review in WIRED online of a book. To quote: Frank Herfort moved to Moscow with no intention to make a book. Like all photographers, the German-born artist always keeps one eye open for potential subjects, but making a book of architectural photos was never the plan. “While scouting the new city for myself, I began to notice these amazing buildings.”
Gardens of the East
Review: Visual Arts
NGA Garden of the East: photography in Indonesia 1850s–1940s
from the Canberra Times, March 8 2014, comes this review by Sacha Grishin. Click here for the review.
For more on the National Gallery of Australia exhibition – click here. Note that the exhibition is free and runs till 22 June 2014.
Adelaide
Review: Book
Adelaide, Kerryn Goldsworthy, 2011
This is another of those smallish book published about Australia’s capital cities. I have already reviewed Hobart, by Peter Timms.
I have to confess that I did not take to the book on Adelaide and at times seriously considered giving up. In the end I had a move quickly through whole sections in order to see where the author was going.
Gardens By The Bay
Review: Gardens By The Bay, Singapore
This is a difficult review. I am not as enthusiastic about this major park project as all the reviews I can find online. I am very ware that it has been granted all sorts of awards. Please check award accolades here in the UK Telegraph, and again on this award site.
Health Costs
Opinion: Health Costs – the reality
The Australian Government is currently not doing much, except to hand power to its business friends.
We expect all manner of stupid decisions to follow soon. That is, once the business groups have worked out what they want this Rabbott Government to do. Hence all the reviews underway, which are being overseen by the business and lobby groups who brought this government to power.
Cotter Dam
Review: The Cotter Dam Site
Late in 2013, there was much ado in Canberra about the completion of the new Cotter Dam. The new wall is a replacement and enlargement of the previous dam on the Cotter River. It was built as a result of the ten-year drought and the need for water security for Canberra.
The surrounding recreational areas had been devastated in the 2003 bush fires and the whole area has been rejuvenated to once again be a reaction area for locals and visitors on the outskirts of the capital.
Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid
Opinion:
Be Afraid, be Very Afraid of balance as provided by the ABC
Once upon a time I was a rusted on ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) watcher. I relied on the ABC, and SBS, for most of my news and current affairs.
Over time as a reaction to the style of gotcha journalism that became the norm on the ABC, radio and TV, I started watching less and less. Today as the result of this quiet reduction in watching and listening to the ABC, I have found that I now routinely do not watch or listen to the ABC.
Grace Marchant Garden
Review: Grace Marchant Garden, San Francisco
Location the Filbert Steps between Telegraph Hill Boulevard down to Levi Plaza and the Embarcadero.
This is a story about local people caring for their own. In the first instance one woman’s determination to make the open space beautiful around her new home. And then a story about the local community who have since stepped in to keep and maintain her legacy, now called the Grace Marchant Garden.
photography
Photography exhibitions
an overview of some national & international photography, January 2013
Would we all have wings to zoom around the globe to visit a few photography exhibitions. But wait, that’s called the internet. So here are a few of the current exhibitions presently with an online presence that we have looked into recently.
This is a fairly random selection and we are linking to those where there is an accessible online exhibition. If a gallery has used flash and therefore there are no direct links, unfortunately they are fairly useless for this exercise. Shame there are a few that miss out, such as one of my favourite Singapore galleries: Gallery 2902. Continue reading photography
Tale of two Arboretums, The National Arboretum, Canberra
Tale of two Arboretums
The National Arboretum, Canberra
Once the devastating 2003 Canberra fires were over, the Canberra landscapes to the west of the Lake Burley Griffin were left denuded of the previous forest. The subsequent international design competition delivered a much celebrated design for a National Arboretum.
Continue reading Tale of two Arboretums, The National Arboretum, Canberra
Innovation
Preview: good design
Lumio Lamp 
I saw this online and thought of a friend who has been looking for a light to take outside to have dinner in their courtyard. We have looked at various solar light thingys. None quite worked out. and now in early 2014, maybe this is. Not yet available but there is the you tube promotion below. Continue reading Innovation
Womens Centennial
Review: Public Art
Centenary of Women’s Suffrage
This is an unfortunate case of how things can get out of hand and go wrong in a huge way.
Exhibition Catalogue
Review: Visual Arts
The Souvenir Genre, an essay by Mel Campbell on exhibition catalogues, published in Meanjin January 2014.
One aspect of visiting exhibitions is the catalogue. Sometimes we flick through it and sometimes we purchase a copy. The catalogue may be purchased as a souvenir of the exhibition but once away from the exhibition, the publication has a life of its own.
There are several exhibition catalogues in the queue to be reviewed through this blog. The first in line is most likely to be Australia, from the 2013 Royal Academy exhibition in London. This exhibition was partnership with the National Gallery of Australia. There is an interesting story there to come concerning reviews and the response from the NGA as well as an interesting perspective from a Sydney commentator.
Meanwhile here’s a recommended article by Mel Campbell on exhibition catalogues.
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Paul Costigan, 4 January 2014
Public Art
Review: Public Art
Sculpture of Ben Chifley and John Curtin, Canberra
I have driven passed this sculptural piece, by Peter Corlett, many many times. The pair of sculptures look very natural on the corner to the extent that I dare say the casual observer and busy drivers may pass by and miss that they are bronze figures. There’s no plinth. They have been attached directly onto the footpath.
Central Park Sydney
Review: Urban Development
Sydney’s Central Park development, Chippendale, Sydney
photographs by Paul Costigan – click on image for larger
The Central Park development of the old brewery site opposite UTS in Sydney, has attracted much attention in the last couple of years. Most of this was in the form of churnalism, being column space based on using the developer’s media releases. There has also been the expected paragraphs of praise by ‘industry’ experts in profession’s trade magazines.
Art Gallery Exhibitions
Review: Visual Arts
An overview of accessing Australia’s major visual art gallery exhibition programs though their websites. Date: Christmas 2013.
This is an overview of what visual arts major art galleries are telling us is available around the country this Christmas. Our major art galleries endeavour to have their local audiences come through the doors. The challenge is to convince someone interested in all manner of visual arts, including photography, to spend some of our discretionary leisure time and dollars to travel (pay airfares and accommodation) to see the collections and special exhibitions.
Monash Gallery of Art
Review: Visual Arts
Claudia Terstappen: In the shadow of change, Monash Gallery of Art
There’s a must see exhibition of landscape photography on at Monash Gallery of Art (Melbourne). This gallery is the Home of Australian Photography.
This body of work is an example of an artist expanding the great traditions of photographing our planet. It is obvious from the photographs that Claudia Terstappen has a romantic view of our landscapes and wants us to be positive about appreciating the world around us.
You are urged to set off for the Monash Gallery of Art and allow time to sit and enjoy.
The exhibition closes 26th January 2014 – check the website here. and ..
Botanic Gardens
Review: Australian National Botanic Gardens
On the western edge of Canberra’s CBD, next to the Australian National University, on the side of Black Mountain, sits one of the National Capital’s often overlooked treasures, the Australian National Botanic Gardens. Although it figures in tourist brochures, I am not aware of large numbers of visitors. I am also not convinced that local Canberrans visit this site very often or that they think to take their visitors there.
Scandal
Review: TV series on DVD
Scandal
Trash TV is alive and well. There is real trash such as Revenge (a review some time soon). Then there are programs such as Scandal that come with a fictional framework with a touch of reality, that really tries to be serious, but moves back and forth from potentially being a reasonable political crime drama to a fluffy and unrealistic soap opera. It can be fun to watch but depends on your mood and what you are looking for entertainment.
Warning; We are half way through series two – so if you have not seen these episodes, spoilers may follow.