November 2017 Pop-Up Arts News. One of my favourite months in Sydney...
Hi Everyone.
I am back home now in Sydney after my recent adventures in Spain and Switzerland. Three weeks on the Roman archaelogical site in Spain, Cerra de la Muela (aka The Roman Pulpon) were hot, fascinating and incredible - and yes, we found coins from the time of Augustus (200AD), iron blades, nails, caligae (studs from Roman sandals), pottery, jewellery including fibulae (toga brooch) and hair pins, small turned pebble toys, animal bones and loads of roof tiles - some even with small hand prints and finger marks across their surface. Most of it in poor condition and broken, but it has been buried in a farmers field for over 1800 years. I also learned a lot travelling on my own for 5 weeks - an opportunity I said yes to, but will admit to being quite nervous about - before meeting up with friends and one of my daughters in Switzerland, where we toured gigantic mountains, glacial lakes, raging rivers and historic towns, all the while being surrounded by stunningly beautiful verdant countryside. We were mostly in the Swiss French and German parts and it seems everyone in Switzerland is a gifted backyard gardener or farmer. And what sound sums up Switzerland? For me it will always be the lulling sound of tinkling cow bells.
Sydney in November is one of my favourite months of the year - certainly one of the prettiest - with jacarandas and flame trees, tangles of bougainvillea and star jasmine, strelitzia and grevilleas growing like crazy all over this bloomin' town. And I am very happy indeed to watch all the veges planted from seed popping up in my own backyard garden, albeit a very small one.
But let's now look at a few arty ways to enjoy spring in this city and thank you for reading...
Cassie
|
|
|
|
Tom Carment. Fiona's Optima, 2017 (top left). Jacarandas, Lang Road, 2017 (top right)
Cloudwatch, afternoon Harbour looking from McKell Park, 2017 (bottom). Oil on linen.
DARLINGHURST...
Tom Carment. New Paintings - Old Habits
07 November - 02 December 2017 OPENING Wed 08 November 6-8pm
This is yet another beautiful and unique collection of new paintings by one of my favourite Australian painters. In this series Carment has painted jacarandas in full bloom, tiny innercity laneways, Sydney Harbour views from secret Sydney parks, city life and country fields, fruit, vegetables, eggs - and typewriters.
All six of the 'typewriter portraits' (four in the exhibition and two in current Australian Still Life Awards), have a story of their own - which is kinda perfect given the stories they would have tapped out.
So here we have an artist who is also a writer and one who often uses a typewriter, painting, in delightful detail, a collection of vintage models, including his own. Who learned to type on one of these? I did.
LINKS Neighbourhood Paper - a story by Tom Carment on Typewriters and Eggs. Nov 2017 I SHORT FILM Tom Carment Painting Urban Sydney, made by Art Gallery NSW
GALLERY King Street Gallery on William, 177 William Street, Darlinghurst
www.kingstreetgallery.com.au www.tomcarment.com
|
|
|
|
Ken & Michelle Dyball. Lion in the Rain, Kenya 2013
DARLINGHURST...
Ken & Michelle Dyball. AFRIKA The Wild
14 November - 03 December 2017 OPENING Thurs 16 Nov 6-8pm
When the Natural History Museum of Britain are discussing with you a publication of your work, then I think one can presume the work is pretty good. Well that is the story with these two Aussies who grew up in Port Macquarie on the NSW mid north coast and are now living for most of the year in Kenya in East Africa, travelling back to Australia each year to visit family. This time around they also bring a stunning collection of their large scale b&w photographic works, showing for the first time in a solo exhibition. They are the epitorme of true adventurers and committed photographers. Modifying their Nissan 4wd by removing the doors (madness), installing a roof top tent, shower, fridge and mini-kitchen (not mad), attaching film and camera tripod bars and then camping out in places so remote the only lights at night are stars. This all pays off in some of the most beautiful nature, travel, African photographs you will have seen for some time. And you'll probably be lucky to find them in the gallery in the next few weeks, so be sure to ask about the time the lion was chasing the hyena and both were running full belt aiming straight for the passenger seat, all the whlle with Michelle sitting in the drivers seat looking straight at them wondering whether to jump out or stay in the truck - and remember they had removed those doors...
LINKS Story in Photographers Local Paper Port Macquarie News l National Geographic Profile/Ken&MichelleDyball
GALLERY Black Eye Gallery, 138 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst
www.kmwild.com l www.blackeyegallery.com.au
|
|
|
Two more recommended photographic exhibitions...
|
|
|
|
Teena McCarthy. Bush Mary.
REALISING MOTHER.
Until 18 November 2017
Photographers: Denise Ferris, Sally McInerney, Julie Sundberg, Ella Dreyfus, Anke Stäcker, Deborah Kelly, Raphaela Rosella, Miho Watanabe, Sarah Rhodes, Teena McCarthy, Clare Rae, Donna Bailey, Anne Zahalka, Rafaela Pandolfini, Theresa Byrnes and Lottie Consalvo.
Curated by Zorica Purlija.
Realising Mother explores the issues surrounding the maternal experience. These 16 selected women artists question how we 'realise' and frame images of motherhood and the way the medium of photography has the power to describe real experiences. For more background read the SMH story. LINKS SMH Review 30/10/17
Kudos Gallery, 6 Napier Street, Paddington
www.arc.unsw.edu.au
_____________________
|
|
Portrait of Barbara McGrady by Matt Ward.
ALWAYS WILL BE. Barbara McGrady
Until 09 December 2017
Curated by Sandy Edwards, Arthere.
Barbara McGrady is a Gamilaroi Murri yinah (woman), Sydney based-photographer from the north west of NSW and Southern Queensland, who has been documenting contemporary Aboriginal history since the 1970s. Her works include the iconic images of world champion Aboriginal boxer Anthony "Choc" Mundine, the Koori Knockout Carnival (one of the biggest Indigenous gatherings in Australia) and the Sista Girls of Mardi Gras. (text from ACP website). Whenever I see Barbara McGrady out and about, she always has a camera with her - often a big heavy number - she even brought it to her own Opening last week at the ACP. It was a packed house with terrific speeches and a great didg performance, making it a wonderful celebratory night to honour this significant photographer.
ACP Project Space, 72 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst
www.acp.org.au
|
|
|
Two exhibitions reflecting the History of Australia & Sydney in objects...
|
|
|
|
200 TREASURES.
The Australian Museum, Sydney
I haven't yet been to this exhibition, but I will before the end of the month. Guest Curator and Historian Dr Peter Emmett says: This is an Australian story, Not a narrative of firsts and greats, but a unique and distinctive story of our entanglement with people, places, and animals and things.’ One of the 200 Treasures from this exhibition is the kipuka or feathered cape (above) given to Captain Cook on his third – and fatal – Pacific voyage by Ali’i (chief) Kalani’opu’u, as an official welcome to Hawaii in December 1778 or January 1779.
This is a paid Exhibition included in Museum Entry Ticket
LINKS Conserving our Treasures
Australian Museum, 1 William Street, Sydney
www.australianmuseum.net.au
___________________
|
|
OUR CITY: 175 YEARS IN 175 OBJECTS
Council of City of Sydney, Sydney Town Hall
Until 12 November 2017
A bit shortlived - I have no idea why so brief an exhibition and I will even miss this one myself - but it looks great for those with an interest in the historic development of Sydney as a city. A major exhibition presenting civic and social histories, events, people and places of the inner city from 1842-2017. I just wish it was on for longer.
OPEN DAILY. Free VIDEO LINK Footage from 1873
Lower Town Hall, Sydney CBD
www.whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
|
|
|
What I'm watching on TV right now...
|
|
|
|
TRANSPARENT.
Well I've watched Season 1 and 2 so far. I have loved the humanness in this series. A dysfunctional family for sure, but the Pfefferman's face up to life's complexities, dilemmas, absurdities and dramas in a very moving, realistic and touching, warts and all, kinda way. Family secrets out of the bag. This is well made drama on every level - script, character, observation, direction, well filmed and great music. Maybe not for everybody, but I'm missing the Pfefferman family and looking forward to catching Season 3 and 4 . The Guardian Reviews Transparent
LINK to Season One on Rotten Tomatoes
___________
|
|
NARCOS Season 3
This is brutal and violent and terrifying and real. Violence isn't what grips you in this history, but it does catch you up. A friend of mine told me it was at this time back in the 90s when a Colombian friend of hers left the country because it felt dangerous and unstable - that's because it was. Escobar is dead and the Cali Cartel step up to replace him. The US DEA are committed but money and cocaine make for nasty beasts.
TRAILER & Info
|
|
SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER 
|
|
|
|
|
|
