Biennale of Sydney

We spent a freezing cold and windy day at Cockatoo Island visiting the artworks that make up the 18th Biennale of Sydney. Discovering the artworks in and around the many varied structures on the island was delightful and I would definitely like to revisit for a weekend of glamping in Spring. Several works stood out including the magical experience of Philip Beesley's complex and interactive Sibyl (bottom two images) and Sachiko Abe's meditative Cuts Papers #13.  I'm looking forward to visiting the other two main venues of the Biennale very soon.

Vivid

Vivid is a highly photographed event but here is my contribution in case you haven't already seen enough. I was fortunate enough to wander down to the harbour on a fine Friday evening and join the crowds in viewing this wonderful spectacle. It is amazing what all of the artists created, the projection on the Opera House was mesmerising and the interactive works around the foreshore engaging.

Art in Brisbane

I recently spent a weekend in Brisbane enjoying lots of art in the steamy city. Visiting several wonderful exhibitions at commercial galleries, Michael Muir's striking colour saturated abstracts and Lewis Miller's beautiful portraits and still lifes. Then it was off to GoMA to view the overwhelming and beautiful Matisse exhibition, the fabulous experiential Yayoi Kusama works and majestic landscapes of Eugene von Guerard.

Peter Kingston

This humourous artwork, Christine's grandfather went broke selling champagne on the Hunters Hill ferry belongs to my parents. It is one of Peter Kingston's amazingly intricate lightboxes which moves like you are actually on a ferry. If you look through the ferry's back window you can see the Opera House in the distance.

Cy Twombly

'It’s more like I’m having an experience than making a picture' 

- Cy Twombly 

  Untitled  2008

I have been lucky enough to view Cy Twombly's work in many galleries around the world. We are also very fortunate to have a piece by this extraordinary artist at the Art Gallery of NSW. Sadly Cy passed away today in Rome.

Ai Weiwei released

 

It is pleasing to hear that after almost three months artist Ai Weiwei has been released from detention by Chinese authorities.

{Photo: 'Ai Weiwei: According to What?' exhibition at Mori Art Centre, Tokyo, August 2009}

William Morris

'Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, 

or believe to be beautiful.'

Helsinki

Helsinki was our recovery stop. After weeks of continuous travel it was lovely to find ourselves in the beautiful capital city of Finland. It was easy, clean and expensive. We were lucky enough to visit in 'Aparagus Month' (one of my favourite veggies) and had several amazing meals. Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art and the green open parks kept us entertained. It was the perfect place to recharge before we embarked on our journey through Turkey.

Russia

As you know I loved Siberia, it was the highlight of our adventure for me. The rest of Russia was also a very interesting.

My first time inside a Russian Orthodox Church was in Suzdal and it was breathtaking. The Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin was highly decorated with paintings and decked out in gold. The spires and domes gave the village a feel of a deserted fairy tale. We had dinner at a local lady, Eliena's house where she cooked blini (pancakes) and we drank vodka within a glitter wallpapered room while techno was playing.

Standing in Red Square, Moscow with the amazing St Basil's Cathedral behind us was surreal. It was cold which was just as it should be. We saw Lenin's body glowing like a glowworm, wandered through Guum (although it has not retained its Sovietness) and had a guided tour through the Kremlin where we were lucky enough to view the beautiful Faberge eggs.

St Petersburg was pretty (with an icy cold wind) and reminded me very much of the beautiful European cities. The Hermitage was amazing, the collection extensive and hard to fathom. I loved standing in the room of Matisse's paintings.

We watched Russian women running for their bus in stiletto heals on ice, were told to be quiet in Lenin's Mausoleum and were served hot chips for breakfast. Russia was intriguing and bizarre. Moscow is the city I would choose to return to as it had an amazing energy and I would love to explore more.

Four x shows

I had a fabulous weekend visiting galleries and seeing shows.

I popped along to my cousin's exhibition opening at Oh Really Gallery, Enmore 'Interupted Focus', paintings by six artists. His work was of course the best (I may be biased but I also have an art history degree and have worked in the arts so I think my opinon counts for something!). I purchased a piece and can't wait to take the new addition home and add it to my collection.

 
Ad and I popped over to the Opera House to see Bell Shakespeare's production of 'Much Ado About Nothing'. It was enjoyable (not ground breaking) and it was great how we identified with the Italian elements of the play that this performance emphasised - it's amazing how travel can assist you with relating to different things!

Then it was off to some stand up comedy at the Comedy Store. Not really my thing but Ad persuaded me to go along with him and his friends. It was surprisingly ok and I laughed a fair bit!

On Sunday I visited White Rabbit Gallery with two of my lovely friends. It was so great to catch up over dumplings at the Teahouse and then wander through the amazing contemporary Chinese art. It is really difficult to fathom that it has all come from one family's collection.

Works on paper

A few artworks by very talented young Australian artists that I would love to own.

 

Laith McGregor

Dear Mister Mystical Man  2009

biro on paper

250 x 150 cm
from Sullivan and Strumpf
 

Kirra Jamison 

Cosmic might and sunset rider 2011

gouache and vinyl on paper

148 x 143 cm
from Sophie Gannon Gallery

China

Visiting China was not what I expected. The inevitable modernisation of the country is well underway particularly in Beijing. The food was great, especially the dumplings. Finding the old hutongs and wandering through them was fantastic and I feel that I was very lucky that I was able to experience this before they all disappear. Climbing the Great Wall was awe-inspiring.

I enjoyed visiting but my view of China has been shifted by the recent disappearance of a Chinese-Australian writer (which has since been denied) and detention of other prominent dissidents including the artist Ai Weiwei.

Ai Weiwei's beautiful works have been shown extensively in Australian and his installation Sunflower Seeds  is currently on display at the Tate Modern, London. Weiwei's works explore society, culture and history from the perspective of a Chinese dissident. He is now The Artist as Political Hero.

I am not sure if China is high on my list to visit again but I think that the dramatic craggy countryside, terracotta warriors and lights of Shanghai may lure me back.

30

I turned 30 with two parties, four cakes and lots of food & fun with friends & family!

Bbq with extended family on a rainy Sunday afternoon.

Birthday lunch at the Greenhouse by Joost before viewing the 

Annie Leibovitz exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

 

Exquisite dinner with friends at Pendolino.

Canberra weekend

Mikhail Larionov

Costume for Buffoons Wife  c.1921

from the Ballets Russes 'Chout'

This weekend I am off to Canberra to visit the amazing costumes in the Ballets Russes exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia. I am also very excited about experiencing James Turrell's 'Within without ' Skyspace installation, a structure which emphasises light, movement and sound.

James Turrell

Within without 2010

lighting installation, concrete and basalt stupa, water, earth, landscaping

I love our capital in Autumn as the leaves are turning and you can feel the crispness of the approaching Winter in the air. 

Wishing for...

My 30th birthday is fast approaching and I would love to receive something that I will keep forever - like these beautiful artworks.

 Robyn Stacey

Bombe (Cape Bulbs) 2009

from Empire Line

C Type print

edition of 5

 

Stephanie Vanlentin

ether 6 2006

from Ether 

photogram

edition of 2

from Stills Gallery

My husband and I are going to do a little gallery hopping over the weekend to see what else we can find.

A Fauvist

Henri Matisse  

Red fish 1912

This is one of my favourite paintings in the enitre world and it lives at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Art in Moscow. I wish it could live at my place.

Grasshopper Bar

On Wednesday night I headed into the city for a drink with some good friends. We found Grasshopper Bar tucked away in a Sydney laneway with a Melbourne vibe. A lovely bottle of french wine was ordered even though cocktails seem to be their forte. As it was bustling inside we perched ourselves on the milk crates outside (not very comfortable) and enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and happy attentive staff.

From our position in the lane we had a fabulous view of Newell Harry's Circle/s in the round for (Miles and Miles + 1) which is a part of the City of Sydney's Laneway Art that is on display until the end of January 2011.

It was a lovely evening and next time I'll definitely be trying the restaurant's limited menu of French cuisine which smelt amazing!

Art equation

Maybe it is because I have worked in an art gallery but I find this hilarious!
by Craig Damrauer via A Cup of Jo