The business of architecture
I’m in Venice. It’s hot and humid and teeming with tourists, a cacophony of languages and accents, cheap souvenirs and selfie sticks. The water is aquamarine and pungent, a bouquet of toxic algae and dead fish. The ancient buildings guard the banks of the canals, their mostly shuttered windows reinforcing a pervading sense of decay.... Continue Reading →
Who is he? A talented painter and drawer, about whom we have posted previously, Liddell has recently opened his first solo show at the Duchess of Spotswood. The show comprises a series of seven pencil sketches with a focus on Scandinavian landscapes and fragmented representations of the architecture of Richard Neutra. The pieces explore the interpretive qualities of... Continue Reading →
What was it? An unsanctioned exhibition of non-shortlisted entries into Stage 1 of the Flinders Street Station Design Competition (FSSDC). Co-ordinated by Edwards Moore at Sibling in Fitzroy, it was part design display, part political protest and part social gathering. 27 of the 112 non-shortlisted entries were exhibited, including our own discussed in a previous post... Continue Reading →
Driving a pod to slaughter What is it? Taiji is a small town in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, inconsequential except for its notoriety as the site of the regular and highly controversial slaughter of large numbers of dolphins. Endorsed by the Japanese government, details of the slaughter are systematically concealed by local authorities, so much so... Continue Reading →
Northwest view towards entry and Bank of New South Wales facade What is it? John Wardle Architects (JWA), in collaboration with NADAAA, have designed a new and much needed building for the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning (ABP) at the University of Melbourne. Their detailed design follows their winning entry into an international ideas competition run... Continue Reading →
What is it? A recent exhibition of graduates' work from three casual workshops held by the Victorian College of the Arts. The three workshops run across a full year, covering drawing, painting and sculpture disciplines. The casual workshops have no entry prerequisites, trying to appeal to the widest possible audience. This is a commendable philosophy... Continue Reading →
What is it? Along with 30 other national pavilions, the Australia Pavilion is located in Venice's Giardini, the site each year of the extraordinary Biennale di Venezia. In the late 1980s, Australia was given the opportunity to take one of the last plots within the Giardini, however it was necessary that we occupy the plot immediately lest we... Continue Reading →
(Natural Order by Janine Mackintosh) What is it? An annual fair held at the Royal Exhibition Buildings populated mostly by small art galleries and self-represented artists, both armed with affordable art pieces for sale (from our informal survey, prices generally range from AU$500 up to AU$7500, though a few small-scale pieces and prints go for... Continue Reading →
What is it? An annual competition for portraiture running since 1921 in honour of Victorian journalist and art lover, Jules François Archibald, who bequeathed in his will one tenth of his estate to the Art Gallery NSW to set up and run the competition. Submitted portraits must be of "some man or woman distinguished in art,... Continue Reading →
What is it? An exhibition currently showing at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), running until the 26th of April, that celebrates 70-odd years of the art of Disney. It provides a broad overview of the history of the animation company, centred around the showcase of 9 key feature films, from Snow White... Continue Reading →