With over 45 million visitors globally, Body Worlds is one of the world's most visited health and wellness exhibitions. It's also frequently described as a "life changing experience" — visitors can expect to leave with an understanding of the marvel that is the human body. Now, after its popular Australian premiere in Melbourne, the original exhibition of real human bodies is coming to Sydney for the first time. Body Worlds Vital — which is different to the Real Bodies exhibition that, earlier in the year, garnered protesters amid claims the bodies were of executed Chinese political prisoners — will be on display at Sydney Town Hall from December 3 until March 2019, taking attendees on an intricate journey of the workings of the human body, through an authentic, visual display of over 150 donated specimens. The human bodies and body parts, donated for the benefit of public education, have gone through a meticulous process of plastination, and demonstrate the complexity, resilience and vulnerability of the human body in distress, disease and optimal health. The exhibitions were founded by anatomist and scientist Dr Gunther von Hagens and physician and conceptual designer Dr Angelina Whalley. And all the specimens displayed at the exhibitions are from an established body donation program with consenting donors — so far 17,000 bodies from around the world have been donated to Dr von Hagens' Institute for Plastination. The Australian tour specifically focuses on contemporary diseases and ailments and how everyday lifestyle choices can improve health and wellness, to live with vitality. The 150 specimens on display stem are preserved through a scientific process that replaces body fluids with polymers. Interactive elements include the Anatomical Mirror, where visitors will see how organs are positioned in their own body, a photo display that showcases longevity and healthy ageing, and healthy organs shown in direct comparison with diseased organs. The exhibition will be open seven days a week, and until 9pm on Thursday if you're keen to go after work.
In much the same way as many people seem hard-pressed to conjure more than the moment of creation and the mob scene from Frankenstein, it seems to be common knowledge that Oscar Wilde was persecuted for his homosexuality… and that's it. As part of Sydney's Mardi Gras celebrations, Iain Sinclair directs David Hare's The Judas Kiss which follows Wilde's fall from celebrated playwright to a prisoner sentenced to hard labour. In 1895, Wilde sued his lover's father for calling him a sodomite. The trial found evidence that Wilde was culpable for gross indecency and he withdrew his case. The Judas Kiss is set in the weeks following, in which Wilde is holed up in a hotel, his friends pleading with him to flee to France before the law catches up with him. But for Wilde's customary flamboyant wit, there is little to celebrate in the play's events. Wilde was ruthlessly manipulated by his lover, imprisoned and eventually died in exile. It's an important story, but don't go in expecting Lady Windermere's Fan.
One of Sydney's favourite art events will turn 22 this year as Sculpture by the Sea returns for 2018. Kicking off on Thursday, October 18, two clicks of Sydney's most picturesque coastline will be even more breathtaking as it's transformed into a living, breathing artscape. Over 100 epic pieces from both Australian and international artists will be on show on the two-kilometre track linking Bondi and Tamarama beaches. While the full list of works is yet to be revealed, you can expect one piece from Anne Levitch, whose work Reality TV reflected the beach back onto itself at Sculpture by the Sea in 2016. There's also the chance for a chinwag with the artists themselves at the Aqualand Artist Talks series, which will take place each Saturday and Sunday of the exhibition. Plus, it coincides with this year's Sydney Sculpture Conference to be held at the Opera House if you can't get enough of the art form. So keep your fingers crossed for good weather — the whole thing runs until November 4. Image: Cool Shit, Damien Hirst Looking for Sharks. Shot by Trent van der Jagt.
Dancing furiously and determinedly to CHVRCHES' 'Clearest Blue' on a slippery, beer-soaked hill after inhaling a juicy, drippy Mary's burger and a Young Henrys brewski might not be a wise activity for everyone. Some might say it's not highly recommended. But others, like the punters at St Jerome's Laneway Festival, enjoyed many a precarious, glorious moment such as this for the Sydney leg of Laneway 2016. Landing at the Sydney College of the Arts in Rozelle on Sunday, February 7, Laneway promised one of its most eclectic lineups yet — with old favourites and new buzzy hypecards alike. Donning big plush bows reminiscent of Kiki's Delivery Service, headliner Grimes and her sporty squad tore up the Park Stage. If you've ever felt the crippling weariness of watching someone with more energy than you'll ever physically know, you might have seen Grimes live. Equally energetic but less hair-flicky was hugely hyped up Las Vegas newcomer Shamir, bringing his insanely catchy singles and debut album Ratchet to hungry Sydney ears. Hometown hero Flume returned to the Sydney stage in fine form and with a slick new production set-up, dropping a few crowdpleasing singles before delving deep, deep, deep into newer heavier material. Fellow local goalkickers Big Scary delivered a near-perfect set for their triumphant return, Hermitude generated one of the most packed-out audiences of the day and Violent Soho boiled up an already sweaty, sweaty crowd (many wearing crisp new 'HELL FUCK YEAH' t-shirts). Straight-up the best set of the day? Thundercat. LA producer and bass virtuoso Stephen Bruner — famed for his work with Flying Lotus, Kendrick Lamar and Erykah Badu — knocked it out of the art school with his signature brand of session jazz fusion finesse. Kudos to drummer Justin Brown for leaving our faces in a puddle on the grass. Closing out the eve, punters crammed into the Mistletone stage for an epic set from Canadian duo Purity Ring. Encased by their signature light string forest, Megan James and Corin Roddick made Laneway revellers worship at the altar of autotune and giant crystal organs. The other half of the remaining crowd squished into the Red Bull stage for a mighty set from trap prince Hudson Mohawke. Also apparently QT is a thing. I feel old. Images: Andy Fraser. Words: Shannon Connellan.
Master of all smooth tunes and poster child of Melbourne's enduring obsession with beards, Chet Faker has just announced a huge national tour for 2015. And we really do mean huge — this local legend is returning from a string of massively successful European and American shows to play Sydney's Hordern Pavilion, Melbourne's Palais and the freakin' Brisbane Convention Centre. His shows are officially pulling the same numbers as the G20. This is no doubt welcome news for those that missed out on his national tour earlier this year. With Hordern Pavilion holding roughly 4,000 more people than the Enmore where he played in June, tickets will be much easier to come by. In Brisbane that difference will be even more pronounced. The Brisbane Convention Centre can host a whopping 8,000 rampant Chet lovers. All this hype comes after a stellar run of critical acclaim for the Melbourne musician. He's been nominated for a spectacular nine ARIA awards this year including Best Male Artist and Best Breakthrough Artist — and he's already won three, including Producer of the Year at the ARIA Artisans. His much-loved debut album Built On Glass is also a hot tip for winner of Australian Album of the Year at the J Awards. However this arena setting is sure to affect the show itself too. Specialising in croony electronic ballads and music that makes you feel all warm and gooey inside, it's hard to see how Chet will translate well to the big stage. How are we supposed to snug up and get a little intimate around the stage where Barack Obama talked just a few months prior? Melbourne, on the other hand, may get treated to a rare glimpse of this intimacy. His show at the Palais — assuming it's still standing by then — will actually be smaller than when he played the Forum earlier in the year. Get ready for some hometown lovin' — after he picks up all of the ARIAs he'll probably be graduating to Rod Laver Arena. Tour dates: Wednesday, February 11 – ANU Bar, Canberra Friday, February 13 – Hordern Pavilion, Sydney Saturday, February 14 – Convention Centre, Brisbane Friday, February 20 – Chevron Gardens, Perth Festival Saturday, February 21 – Chevron Gardens, Perth Festival Friday, February 27 – Palais Theatre, Melbourne Saturday, February 28 – Thebarton Theatre, Adelaide Tickets go on sale 9am, November 20. To find out more about about Chet Faker and his killer debut album check out our interview from earlier in the year.
With over 300 productions presented from September 1 through 30, Sydney Fringe Festival returns with more fuel in the tank than ever. Sydney's annual celebration of fringe culture, the month-long cultural festival brings theatre, music and dance together with visual art, film and comedy, not to mention cabaret, spoken-word and even circus performances. The 42 partner venues span inner Sydney, with this year's opening weekend extravaganza taking the form of an enormous 'masqueerade' from the Heaps Gay team. It will take over the brand new festival hub at Sydney Park, rocking over two nights on September 2 and 3. The 7000 square-metre warehouse space will go on to house multiple performance and exhibition spaces, with shows that include immersive light, art and theatrical experiences, musical performances, installations and even a 200-seat vegan feast by the Alfie's Kitchen team. Chippendale's Kensington Street will take on the official launch party, with shops, bars, restaurants and footpaths alive with music curated by Sydney-based songstress Ngaiire. With a focus on new art and activations, over 50 percent of the productions are world premieres, including Silent Theatre — this immersive production invites participants to the Urban Newtown Hotel, where they will voyeuristically observe from the streets below, watching through hotel windows and listening to the story of four playwrights through headphones. Other highlights include a Wig Exhibition by hairdresser Shaun McGrath, a world first GIF-iti exhibition from UK artist INSA and Cirque Africa — a sellout circus show featuring 38 performers from six African countries, all backed by a live African band. And of course, Sydney Fringe Comedy Festival is back for another year, taking over the Factory Theatre with the next big things in hilarity.
If you're a fan of Game of Thrones, The Handmaid's Tale or Big Little Lies, you've probably spent plenty of time in front of your TV screen over the past six months. If you're head-over-heels for Stranger Things, you likely have more couch time planned, too. But 2019's television and streaming viewing isn't just about the shows you already love. If you're eager to add some fresh favourites to your pile, the year so far has well and truly delivered. From existential comedies and anarchic sketch shows to gripping accounts of real-life tragedies and excellent anthology revivals, 2019's batch of new shows has proven a varied bunch — and an excellent one as well. It's enough to make you hole up in your living room and never want to leave. Or, to spend the year's colder months catching up. With the year at its halfway point, here's our picks of 2019's best TV and streaming series that you owe it to yourself to seek out now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YHcKoAMGGvY RUSSIAN DOLL Netflix and smart existential laughs continued to go hand-in-hand with Russian Doll, with the streaming platform once again taking one its protagonists with wondering what this whole life business is all about. Here, however, New Yorker Nadia (Natasha Lyonne — who you'll most likely recognise from Orange Is the New Black) is forced to relive her 36th birthday shindig over and over again. And wWhile getting stuck at a celebration in your own honour will sound like a literal party to most folks, that's not Nadia's path. Co-created and co-written by Lyonne, Amy Poehler and filmmaker Leslye Headland (Bachelorette, Sleeping with Other People), this eight-episode show takes its acerbic, misanthropic lead character through all kinds of twists and turns, examining fate, logic, life's loops and wading through limbo in a clever and compelling way. This is a dark, heartfelt, hilarious and inventive series all at once, and, although the do-over premise has become a well-established trope on both the big and small screens, Russian Doll never feels like it's relying on a gimmick. Unsurprisingly, Netflix has renewed it for a second season. The entire first season of Russian Doll is available to stream on Netflix. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9APLXM9Ei8 CHERNOBYL When it comes to sheer horror of the bone-chilling kind, not to mention the kind of soul-crushing dismay that can only stem from the bleakest of tales, nothing compares to Chernobyl. The five-part show explores the aftermath of the 1986 nuclear disaster, which saw the reactor inside the Ukrainian facility explode. The fallout, unsurprisingly, was catastrophic, with the incident considered the worst nuclear power plant accident in history as well one of the worst man-made events ever. While the dramatisation begins with the fiery explosion, it's what happens next that earns the show's focus — the initial salvage attempts by workers condemned to suffer and die just for doing their jobs; the arrogant cover-ups, including by stubborn plant supervisors who refuse to believe what's happened; the clean-up and rescue missions, sacrificing more lives to the incident; and the inevitable investigation. Every aspect of the series is detailed, thorough, and even more relentless and unnerving than you'd expect given the real-life situation, with creator and writer Craig Mazin drawing upon meticulous research, interviews with nuclear scientists, chats with former Soviet residents and first-person accounts from those who were there. All five episodes of Chernobyl are available to stream on Foxtel Now. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLkEpO3k514 PEN15 Remember those years when you were too cool for childhood, but just finding your feet as a teenager? You've probably blocked it out of your memory. Most of us do — except comedians Maya Erskine and Anna Konkle, who've based the entirety of their series PEN15 on the time that most of us would rather forget. Across the show's ten-episode first season, the pair play themselves as 13-year-olds starting middle school, reliving the highlights, the horrors, the first sips of beer and the agony of trying to work out what life is all about at any moment. In a series executive produced by Andy Samberg and his fellow Lonely Island pals Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, Erskine and Konkle's on-screen alter-egos are surrounded by real 13-year-olds — and the results are poignant, scarily accurate and all-round hilarious. If you love it, it's been renewed for a second season, so there's more to come. The entire first season of PEN15 is available to stream now on Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29_gA_GDGvE THE TWILIGHT ZONE The Twilight Zone is back, and it's in the best possible hands. After wowing horror movie lovers with Get Out and Us, Jordan Peele takes on the task of presenting, narrating and redeveloping the legendary sci-fi anthology show for the 21st century, and it's one he does well. Picking up where Rod Serling's original five-season 50s and 60s show left off (and short-lived revivals in 1985 and 2002, too), the eight-episode first series blends the old with the new — both remaking previous episodes and coming up with fresh, thrilling stories. It's as entertaining as you'd rightfully expect, with more set to come next year. This initial season also comes with a huge cast, including Adam Scott, Kumail Nanjiani, Tracy Morgan, Steven Yeun, Zazie Beetz, Taissa Farmiga, Greg Kinnear, John Cho, Rhea Seehorn, Jessica Williams, Jacob Tremblay, Allison Tolman, Betty Gabriel, Ginnifer Goodwin, Chris O'Dowd and Seth Rogan. Put simply, it's must-see viewing. The entire first season of The Twilight Zone is available to stream on 10 All Access — in both colour and retro black-and-white. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfBbSwX6kEk WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS A bunch of vampires. One share house. Ample undead hijinks. It worked swimmingly in 2005 short film What We Do In the Shadows. Next, it worked hilariously in 2014 mockumentary movie What We Do In the Shadows. And it works mighty fine in TV spinoff that's also called What We Do In the Shadows, too. Adapted for television by original creators and stars Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi (with the first episode written by the former and directed by the latter), this Staten Island-set version focuses on a new set of vamps and new supernatural problems, and the laughs keep coming. Unsurprisingly, Matt Berry's English bloodsucker Laszlo is a highlight, but this is a great ensemble effort, complete with ace turns from Kayvan Novak as Ottoman Empire-era soldier Nandor the Relentless, Natasia Demetriou as Romani vamp Nadja, Mark Proksch as 'energy vampire' Colin Robinson and Lady Bird's Beanie Feldstein as a live-action role-play fan who falls in with the undead crowd. Also keep an eye out for some absolutely killer high-profile cameos — and for more episodes next year. The entire first season of What We Do In the Shadows is available to stream on Foxtel Now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQaTa5eTxnk THE CASE AGAINST ADNAN SYED It has been five years since much of the world first heard the name Adnan Syed, delving into his case in the first season of Serial. And just like the hugely popular true crime podcast, Syed's is a tale that just keeps fascinating audiences. Murder and the possible miscarriage of justice will do that, as will the grim circumstances surrounding the death of Baltimore high school student Hae Min Lee in 1999. Enter The Case Against Adnan Syed, the four-part documentary TV series that has been in production since 2015 and promises to answer — and pose — more questions. Yes, it delivers. As well as boasting a compelling subject, the series also has an impressive pedigree, with filmmaker Amy Berg adding another top effort to her resume after Oscar-nominated 2006 doco Deliver Us from Evil, 2012's West of Memphis and 2014's An Open Secret. The Case Against Adnan Syed is available to purchase on iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v75RmNuZgTs HANNA Joining the long list of films-turned-TV shows is Hanna — and the long list of spy, assassin and conspiracy -focused series as well. This small-screen adaptation follows the storyline established in the 2011 movie, just with a change of cast (sorry Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett fans). Here, the titular child (Esmé Creed-Miles) has spent her entire life learning survivalist skills under the tutelage of her mercenary father (Joel Kinnaman). Of course, the day comes when she has to put her talents to the test. The original flick plunged viewers into a complex, murky world that it'd be easy to spend more time within, and now this series delivers on that notion. The entire first season Hanna is available to stream on Amazon Prime. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrZkGgoVSFk I THINK YOU SHOULD LEAVE WITH TIM ROBINSON You don't even need two hours to get through all six episodes of this new sketch comedy show but, once you're done, you'll wish that it went for at least twice as long. Social awkwardness is satirised with absurd precision in I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, and the results are as offbeat and hilarious as a house completely filled with Garfield items and furniture (trust us). If he seems familiar, Robinson was the star of Detroiters and also spent a couple of seasons on Saturday Night Live. He has plenty of recognisable co-stars on his new show, which he also wrote and produced — talents such as Will Forte, Steven Yeun, Tim Heidecker and Vanessa Bayer. And, like fellow ace new 2019 comedy PEN15, the show boasts some big names off-screen too, with The Lonely Island (aka Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone) its executive producers. It's also another of this year's big debutants that's coming back for a second season. The entire first season I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson is available to stream on Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCSyXUqPaZM FOSSE/VERDON The director and choreographer behind Cabaret and All That Jazz, Bob Fosse's achievements are many, including winning an Oscar, Emmy and Tony all in the same year. A prolific Broadway performer who earned just as much acclaim — and four Tony awards of her own — Gwen Verdon was his collaborator, muse and wife, although theirs was a tumultuous story. That's the showbiz drama unfurled in Fosse/Verdon, which boasts Sam Rockwell as Fosse, Michelle Williams as Verdon, and even Hamilton's Lin-Manuel Miranda as Roy Scheider. Unsurprisingly, the performance-driven eight-episode series is full of razzle, dazzle, interpersonal drama and excellent portrayals. Also unsurprisingly, it'll add plenty of 70s musicals to your watch list afterwards. The first four episodes of Fosse/Verdon are available to stream on Foxtel Now, with new episodes added weekly. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytB8xNQ18_c MIRACLE WORKERS Yes, existential comedy is having a moment — and add Miracle Workers to the already great pile that includes The Good Place and Russian Doll. Based on the novel What in God's Name and adapted for TV by the book's author Simon Rich, the series asks a very important question: what if God was a slacker played by Steve Buscemi? The amusing questions keep coming. What if heaven was a huge company charged with making Earth run smoothly? What if two employees were responsible for all of the world's miracles? What if said miracle workers made a bet with God, and he's planning to blow up the planet if they lose? It all makes for ace viewing, complete with a stellar cast, including Daniel Radcliffe and Australian actress Geraldine Viswanathan (Emo the Musical, Blockers) as the duo trying to save humanity by performing one heavenly feat: making a shy couple fall in love. The entire first season of Miracle Workers is available to stream now on Stan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwYBw1raC2o DEAD TO ME When the trailer for Dead to Me first released, we noted that this blend of drama and comedy gave off A Simple Favour vibes — and we stand by it. The Netflix series isn't as quirky or laugh-out-loud funny as that great flick; however, it similarly nails the complications of female friendship. The incredibly watchable show also delves into the many shades of grief smartly and satisfyingly as well. Story-wise, Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini play new pals who meet at a bereavement support group, bonding over their shared mourning for their respective spouses. But there's more to their tale, with the show adhering to one of the streaming platform's favourite techniques and throwing up cliffhangers at the end of every episode. Given the way that the first season comes to a close, you'll definitely be left waiting for the just-announced second series. The entire first season of Dead to Me is available to stream on Netflix. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho1YcutJLb8 NOW APOCALYPSE He made his famous Teen Apocalypse Trilogy back in the 90s, courted controversy with the Joseph Gordon-Levitt-starring Mysterious Skin, gave the world a female-fronted stoner comedy with Happy Face and won the first ever Cannes Film Festival Queer Palm with Kaboom. Alas, it's been five years since filmmaker Gregg Araki last made a movie — and while Now Apocalypse is definitely a television show, it's 100 percent driven by the distinctive writer/director. Transferring his talents to the small screen (and his usual themes, standout visual style and love of taking viewers on a head trip), Araki's series is set in Los Angeles, and follows Ulysses (Avan Jogia) and his fellow twenty-something pals. They're are all just trying to chase their dreams, but in Uly's case, that could be a literal quest given that his monstrous nightmares seem to be coming true. The entire first season of Now Apocalypse is available to stream on Stan. Looking for more viewing highlights? Check out our list of film and TV streaming recommendations, which is updated monthly.
Farewell, cheap steaks and schnitties, Chippendale's beloved shabby rock and roll pub The Lansdowne is closing for good. Sitting on the corner of City Road and Broadway, the uni student and local band lover-frequented pub will pour its last beer on Tuesday, September 29. But it's not necessarily a lockout thing. According to The Brag, the site will possibly be turned into a new educational facility by the Academy of Music and Performing Arts (AMPA) — they've already lodged the development application with the City of Sydney, for opening in 2016. Making its mark as one of Sydney’s key live venues since changing ownership in April 2014, the Lansdowne has experienced somewhat of a genuine revival over the last year. Revamped by new owners the Oscars Group (also the brains behind last year’s Annandale Hotel renovation), the Lansdowne has been home to free, well-programmed live music and cheap, cheap steak every week for a a good ten months. We thought the pub had run into trouble in February this year when it closed unexpectedly, but the whole thing turned out to be mere renovations. This is a big blow to the Sydney music scene, who are sadly running out of shabby pubs to plug their amps into. Although the Annandale was reopened by Oscars last year, the venue's restricted its music programming to folk, country and acoustic gigs (read: softer, more neighbour-friendly music than the metal and prog rock that used to tear the place up). The Lansdowne will close for good on Tuesday, September 29. Get in there, have a cheapo schooner of Old and load up on junk change steaks and Ramones cover bands. We'll miss this one. Via The Brag. Images: The Lansdowne.
"Well, this changes everything." It's a common enough expression, used almost entirely hyperbolically in circumstances like preparing a bowl of cereal before discovering your milk's already past its due by date. Every so often, however, the adage is justified, as was the case in 1974 when it was revealed to the world that Germany's infamous WWII 'enigma code' had in fact been cracked some 30 years earlier by a small group of English mathematicians. That announcement changed history. Textbooks were rewritten, curriculums revised and almost every detail of the global conflict reexamined. For three decades, credit for the extraordinary intelligence windfall that helped expedite the War's end by as much as two years fell to an unnamed Allied spy within Berlin operating under the codename 'Ultra'. That man did not exist, and now The Imitation Game, based on the biography Alan Turing: The Enigma, explores the true source of the Allies' codebreaking secret. Benedict Cumberbatch plays Turing, a man whose name should rightly be known the world over, twice, and yet whose story remains largely unfamiliar. For one, he was the genius behind the machine that cracked the Nazi code, and two, he effectively pioneered development of both artificial intelligence and the digital computer. It's an astounding story, both for its marvel and misery, and The Imitation Game seeks to capture both. Artistic licence notwithstanding (there are no recordings of Turing, or at the very least no declassified ones), Cumberbatch's masterful performance brings to life a man whose mathematical genius was matched only by his social dyslexia and his torment at being gay in an age when homosexuality was still illegal under British law. Surrounding him is an all-star, all-English ensemble, including: Mark Strong, Keira Knightly, Matthew Goode, Charles Dance and Rory Kinnear. Newcomer Alex Lawther also deserves special mention in his turn as the young Turing, whose flashback scenes are perhaps the film's most poignant and emotionally charged. Director Morten Tyldum (Headhunters) balances his three timelines well, using the prep school years and wartime experiences to inform Turing's later disposition during his 1952 police interrogation in which he was charged with 'gross indecency'. Turing's ultimate fate was a despicable one, sentenced to state-sanctioned chemical castration by the same government that only ten years earlier had been saved by his extraordinary abilities. It was only in 2013, in fact, that he received a posthumous pardon by the Queen, and if there's a problem with The Imitation Game, it’s the way the subject of homosexual persecution is largely dispensed with upon the film's conclusion, despite being so deftly introduced and explored earlier. "Sometimes it's the people no one imagines anything of who do the things that no one can imagine." These words, first uttered to Turing by his childhood sweetheart (and then repeated — albeit a little clumsily — several further times throughout), underscore The Imitation Game's representation of Turing as an astonishing man who almost singlehandedly achieved the impossible without ever seeking, or receiving, any acknowledgment for it. His is a story that needs to be known, and thanks to this film, more will not just learn of Turing, but hopefully seek out and explore it in far greater detail thereafter.
That’s right, you heard us correctly. Thanks to the FreeWines app, you can now get a top-quality bottle of red or white wine when you dine at certain restaurants. FreeWines is connected with more than 200 venues in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, so wherever you are, download this app stat for some tasty vino. To get the ball rolling, here are just some out the outstanding eateries you can enjoy free wine. NEW SOUTH WALES YORK LANE Tucked away in an inner-city laneway lies York Lane — cafe/espresso bar by day, restaurant/bar by night. Drop on in where the vinyl is spinning and the tapas is rolling out on a regular basis. The key word here is cosy, as it can only fit up to 30 people at a time. Get amongst the repurposed decor and polish off a bottle of award-winning wine with a small group of friends. 56 Clarence Street, Sydney. THE CROW BAR Small, elegant, and stylish all come to mind when it comes to this delightful venue with serious cocktails and a thoughtful wine list. European-influenced share plates are the go here, and their ambient fireplace and black leather sofas make it ideal for a cool-weather hideaway spot, but in truth this venue is a gem all year round. The Crow Bar in Crows Nest is certainly worth ‘raven’ about. 6 Burlington Street, Crows Nest THE HILL EATERY What list of Sydney foodie spots would be complete without a Bondi representative? The Hill Eatery is our destination of choice. With ethically sourced produce, these guys are big on farm-to-table practice and make an effort to venture outside of the city limits to bring only the best to your plate. They’re also expanding over summer with their Florida Keys Garden Bar, so stay tuned for more excellent work from this crew. Shop 5, 39-53 Campbell Parade, North Bondi. RED LANTERN ON RILEY Vietnamese cuisine is at its best at Red Lantern on Riley, with its excellence continuing across the way at Red Lily Cocktail Bar. Fresh ingredients, sustainable practice and authenticity is at the heart of Luke Nguyen’s venture, with a French Colonial Vietnamese influence on the decor. Red Lantern on Riley is ideal for catching up with friends and family, as their menu is full of shared dishes. You know what else is excellent when shared? A bottle of free wine. 60 Riley Street, Darlinghurst. VICTORIA CRU WINE BAR We love CRU at anytime of day, as they’re open from early-bird brekkie to last drinks most nights of the week. Settle in to their quaint front bar or courtyard when the weather warms up and have a chat with their resident ‘wine guy’ about what is the right drop for you. Their wine list here is plentiful, so after your free wine don’t hesitate to grab another bottle of something equally as delicious. 916 Glenferrie Road, Kew. CHOW CITY Serving up a combination of Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai and Malaysian fare, Chow City provides a playful approach to pan-Asian dining. Whether you’re looking for authentic traditional dishes or some street food on the run, your tastebuds will be satisfied here. A nice white wine would go a treat with their spicy seafood, such as the battered king prawns with egg white and chilli sauce. 287 Exhibition Street, Melbourne. EBENEZER COFFEE AND WINE BAR If specialty coffee and boutique wine is your bag, head down to Black Rock and leave the hustle and bustle of the city behind. The focus here is on taking pride in their produce, so you’re sure to get a great serve for breakfast, lunch of dinner. A glass of wine by the seaside sounds like heaven to us. 615 Balcombe Road, Black Rock. QUEENSLAND CLARET HOUSE This wine bar has a menu designed for sharing, and we would certainly recommend splitting a charcuterie plate or some slow-cooked lamb ribs with chimichurri among friends. Their wine list is extensive and their staff knowledgeable, so if it’s a fine wine you’re after, look no further. Shop 5 London Woolstores, 36 Vernon Terrace, Teneriffe. DEER DUCK BISTRO Modern European dining experiences often call for the perfect red wine to match. Rest assured you’ll find one at Deer Duck Bistro. There is a focus on ethical eating at this establishment, where only the freshest in local, sustainable, organic and macrobiotic produce is used where possible. Embrace the old world charm and carefully crafted dishes on your next night out. 396 Milton Road, Auchenflower COVE BAR AND DINING In among South Bank’s River Quay fine dining precinct, you’re sure to stumble across Cove Bar, and when you do, do yourself a favour and stay a while. This casual yet elegant atmosphere is ideal for your next date night, as the riverside views and flawless feasting is sure to impress. Try one of their seasonal oyster creations with Hugh Hamilton 'The Trickster' Pinot Grigio and thank us later. 4 Sidon Street, South Brisbane.
Visitors to Australia's most iconic building will be spoiled for choice at dinner time, thanks to the award-winning chef behind Felix Bar and Bistro. The Sydney Opera House has handed over the keys to its Colonnade Cafe and Western Foyer Theatre Bars to hospitality outfit Trippas White Group, who have charged head chef Lauren Murdoch with creating a brand new menu. No word yet on what exactly Murdoch will be serving, although the restaurant is expected to make use of fresh local produce in a relaxed and affordable setting – perhaps offering a slightly more casual alternative to the recently redesigned Bennelong upstairs. Anyone looking for further clues can take a gander at Murdoch's seriously impressive resume, which in addition to Felix includes stints at Lotus Bistro, Pier, Ash Street Cellar and Rockpool. Likewise, Trippas White are no stranger to high-end dining options — their operations portfolio includes Centennial Parklands Dining, the Botanic Gardens Restaurant, The Avalon on the Beach and the newly opened WATT at Brisbane Powerhouse, to name a few. Murdoch and Trippas White will start work at the Opera House this week, with plans for a refurbishment once the busy summer period has subsided next year. "It’s exciting to be able to bring our experience and flair to Australia’s most famous building," read a statement by Trippas White Group Managing Director Joseph Murray, who promised to bring "new food concepts and a fresh look to the Western Foyers venue". Image: Summer pop-up at the Sydney Opera House.
Whether you missed out on a Splendour ticket or are gearing up to see your fave acts twice, you'd better be quick if you want to get your mitts on some sideshow tix. Splendour's official sideshows have almost sold out, but there's a bunch with a skerrick of tickets remaining. Jump on them. Jump on them now. All up, eleven official shows are planned, mainly in Sydney and Melbourne (but there are a few locked in for Adelaide and Perth too). You'll be able to catch James Blake, who exploded onto global stages at the wee age of 22 with his debut EP CMYK and is now working on his third album, Radio Silence. You might well want to spend some time at the arenas (Sydney Olympic Park and Hisense Arena) finding out why The 1975 is one of the world's most sought after acts. There's Jake Bugg, who became the youngest ever bloke to enter the UK charts at number one back in 2012 when he was just 18. And you'll want your whistling skills handy for this next one. Peter, Bjorn and John (they're a Swedish trio, if you hadn't guessed), are responsible for one of 2006's catchiest tunes, 'Young Folks'. Without further ado, here are the Splendour sideshows you should be slinging your dollars towards. NOTE: This is all very 'at the time of writing' so if something sells out in the meantime, we're sorry for getting any hopes up. By Jasmine Crittenden with Matt Abotomey.
Let your inner child run wild with this one. For one day only, bots from around the country will descend on The Rocks for an unmissable display of mechanical ingenuity — in a legit tiered arena in the Cargo Hall of the Overseas Passenger Terminal. There'll be everything from tiny remote-controlled figures to the premiere appearance of the 150 kilogram crocodile 'Deathroll' robot (direct from the set of hit LA show Battlebots). Ever wanted to see what the world of bot building is all about? This destruction-packed clash is the perfect place to start. This is one of our top picks for Vivid Ideas events. Read the whole list and reboot your brain.
Living in the big smoke has more perks than just an abundance of all-night convenience stores. But what makes a liveable, smart city? This year, the fifth international Media Architecture Biennale wants to focus on just how cities like Sydney will evolve in years to come, focused on the theme 'Digital Placemaking'. Hosted at The Concourse in Chatswood, MAB16 is a four-day lineup of conferences, workshops and even an award ceremony, presenting the best future ideas in architecture, media and design. Exploring everything from the role of urban screens to local media interventions in cities, global industry leaders will open your eyes to potential of what's to come in these bustling metropolitan spaces. This is one of our top picks for Vivid Ideas events. Read the whole list and reboot your brain.
Canadian duo Megan James and Corin Roddick are bringing their lauded dark electro-pop sounds and captivating live show to Melbourne and Sydney, thanks to Splendour in the Grass. Purity Ring's incredibly strong debut album Shrines dealt out such slam dunks as 'Fineshrine' and ‘Obedear’, and in March this year they released their second record, Another Eternity. Their latest material emerges from the mysterious darkness surrounding Shrines, and blissfully leans towards more upbeat dream pop, which we happily receive. Hitting Australia for Splendour, Purity Ring have drummed up these hugely anticipated sideshows you should lock down tickets for immediately; who knows how long it will be until we see them next?
Almost two years after closing, The Lansdowne is on the verge of a triumphant return. The beloved rough-around-the-edges live music venue in Chippendale is set to reopen on Thursday, June 15 — with Jake Smyth and Kenny Graham of Mary's and The Unicorn at the helm. But not everything will be exactly as you remember it. Case in point: Smyth and Graham have teamed up with local artist Jessica Cochrane, who has brought her own unique vision to the iconic two-storey space. She helped design the staff t-shirts, the menu, the courtyards and the bathrooms, which she and the owners have dubbed 'The Pisstine Chapel'. Among her most striking additions is a wall covered in Playboy magazine covers that Cochrane has defaced with paint. "I wanted to take advantage of a classic space being transformed into something with a contemporary edge and make my work mimic that sentiment," said Cochrane. "Taking an iconic symbol of popular culture that's been a controversial influence of feminine beauty and societal standards, and repurposing its information through artistic means." "It's awesome to get to create something that can be enjoyed by an eleven out of ten community," she added. "For me, as an artist, it's exciting to engage an audience visually and encourage positive and interesting conversations. For Jake, Kenny and the team to support me and women in the arts in this way is the coolest shit ever." The Lansdowne will return to its live music roots with a series of gigs already planned for the space. Opening weekend, starting Thursday, June 15, will see special guest bands announced an hour before they hit the stage, according to the hotel's Instagram. On Friday, June 23, The Delta Riggs will cause a characteristically Lansdowne ruckus, and on Friday, June 30, Red Bull Sound Select are putting on a free gig with I OH YOU's Johann Ponniah, Melbourne's The Peep Tempel and locals Sloan Peterson & Mezko. Then, in July, there's a whole month of gigs in store. Stuck a banner up to let the people at the red lights know what's up!!! Thanks to @sindysinn for the art A post shared by The Lansdowne Hotel (@thelansdowne) on May 16, 2017 at 5:30pm PDT The Lansdowne will open on Thursday, June 15 at 2-6 City Road, Chippendale.
Beloved Sydney winery Cake Wines is shaking things up after a string of secret pop-up parties, moving into more grown-up, sit-down territory this time. Cake is launching a series of 'community feasts', taking place on select Saturdays through November and December. The feasts will bring hungry Sydneysiders together with chefs, producers and winemakers for a series of communal lunches and dinners. Each feast will be held in a different community garden or farmers market, starting with St Helen's Community Garden in Glebe on November 7. For the inaugural feast, chef Richie Dolan from Chiswick will join Cake Wines' head winemaker Sarah Burvill and garden manager Jock Keane to deliver a bespoke menu made with produce grown in the St Helen's Garden, with the food specially matched with a wine from Cake's 2014 and 2015 vintage releases. "This is a chance to prioritise the importance of real community, the gardens and the food they can provide, and of course, the wines that go along with that," says Burvill. "I’m really excited about working closely with the gardeners and chefs to understand the range of produce and food that will be on offer so I can match the wines accordingly and make this a really special experience." Future feasts will be held at the Ultimo Community Garden with Thievery head chef Jordan Muhamad on November 21; the Carriageworks Farmers Market with chef and creative director Mike McEnearney on December 5; 107 Project's Rooftop Garden with Redfern Continental chef Bobby Fry on December 12; and Charlie's Garden in Redfern with Hartsyard head chef Gregory Llewellyn on December 19. Each event will host around 120 guests over two sittings, with lunch sessions commencing at 12.30pm and dinner sessions commencing at 4.30pm. Tickets cost $120 a head and include food as well as a matched Cake Wines and James Squire beer option. Best of all, a portion of wine sales will be donated back to the host garden. To book your ticket, go here. https://vimeo.com/142993326
Whether you're heading to the cinema with friends or curling up on the couch with your significant other, a night watching movies remains a fantastic source of entertainment, enjoyment and escapism. Sitting in the dark, switching your mind away from your regular worries and slipping into another world — if you're catching the right flick, few things can top it. Cinema-wise, 2020 has thrown up plenty of films that tick all of the above boxes. Even with theatres closing for a significant portion of the year so far, that still proves the case. And now that 2020 is just approaching its halfway mark, it's time to look back. Maybe you missed one of this year's great flicks when it was in cinemas. Perhaps it's showing again now that picture palaces are reopening, and you haven't quite made it along yet. Indeed, it could be on your must-see list when you next sit in a darkened theatre. Or, of course, there might be a few gems that have just slipped your attention. Plus, there are always the ace movies you saw, loved and want to see again. Whichever category fits, here are 12 films from 2020 that you you need to catch up on. Head to the cinema and grab a choc top or organise your streaming queue and cook up some popcorn, as we've sorted out your viewing for the near future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE7YVZA5YVc TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG What our critic said: Made for a world where 'such is life' tattoos commit Ned Kelly's purported last words to slabs of Aussie flesh, this gritty, galvanising film sets fire to Australia's national identity and stares at the ashes of the country's troubled history — all by re-interrogating a man inescapably engrained in our iconography over the past century and a half... A visually, emotionally, thematically searing movie that strides across the screen like an outlaw, aptly. True History of the Kelly Gang is available to stream via Stan. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CELbK9q_ZeA A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD What our critic said: A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood remembers a man who considered himself ordinary while having an extraordinary effect on others. You could say the same about Tom Hanks, which is what makes his casting as Mr Rogers so sublime. His is a superb, deservedly Oscar-nominated performance that's never an act of simple mimicry, but that he's as revered — and has been a reliable screen presence for decades, too — is never forgotten. A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes — and is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJXmdY4lVR0 A HIDDEN LIFE What our critic said: As a renowned lover of rolling hills, scenic greenery, constantly roving camerawork and breathy voiceover that borders on whispering, Terrence Malick recreates the Second World War with splendour. Although its conflict remains spiritual, philosophical and existential rather than physical, A Hidden Life is as weighty as any blood-soaked account of combat — and as affecting. A Hidden Life is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gOs6gKtrb4 THE LIGHTHOUSE What our critic said: After watching Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson fart, fight, guzzle too much rum, growl at seagulls, masturbate and go steadily mad in one of the titular buildings, you might never look at these oceanside staples in the same way again... The more this powerhouse duo snipe and snarl back and forth, the more they lure viewers into The Lighthouse's fever dream like a glowing beam — or like the tentacles that help make this already out-there movie even more eccentric, outlandish and utterly mesmerising. The Lighthouse is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes — and is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLmvs9Wrem0 COLOR OUT OF SPACE What our critic said: Whenever Nicolas Cage keeps things quiet and normal, he evokes the unnerving sensation that perhaps everything is too quiet and normal. When he's letting loose, there's really no telling what could happen next. A film about a glowing meteor that crashes on an alpaca farm and not only forever changes a family's existence, but their entire grasp on reality, Lovecraftian horror adaptation Color Out of Space needs both Cage's unsettlingly calm and brain-bogglingly over-the-top sides. More than that, it thrives on them. Color Out of Space is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KLAJyugYEiY THE INVISIBLE MAN What our critic said: Great horror movies have always reflected and responded to the times they're made in and, in the same vein as Jordan Peele's Get Out and Us, Leigh Whannell's The Invisible Man helps lead the charge as the 21st century reaches its third decade. This is a socially conscious, savagely creepy, supremely clever reinterpretation of a classic scarefest that takes every part of that equation seriously. The Invisible Man is available to stream via Google Play and YouTube — and is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srPas4PqCkw BEATS What our critic said: Based on the play of the same name, this black-and-white gem is set in the Scottish electronic music scene in the early 90s — just as the UK government was passing legislation to effectively ban raves. Following two teenagers desperate to attend what might be their first and last dance music festival, and featuring a thumping soundtrack of old-school tunes, the result is an insightful exuberant coming-of-age film, as well as a as a thoughtful and reflective social-realist drama. Beats is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hroo3-sKc0w HONEY BOY What our critic said: A Vietnam veteran and ex-rodeo clown who treats his pre-teen son more like a buddy than a child, James Lort is the role that Shia LaBeouf was born to play... Basing Honey Boy on the latter's years as a child actor, and on his father's involvement, the result is an astonishingly personal and revelatory film that continues the American Honey and The Peanut Butter Falcon star's recent stellar streak. Honey Boy is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes — and is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dii0FMXXVvA&feature=emb_logo HONEYLAND What our critic said: In Honeyland's opening moments, Hatidže Muratova performs feats that wouldn't be out of place in an action blockbuster... In this intimate observational doco, she's worlds away from cinema's big-budget spectacles — but she's still a daring superhero. Dedicated to traditional apiary methods, Hatidže is the last female wild beekeeper in Europe. That mightn't mean much when audiences start watching Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov's debut feature-length film, but it will when the credits roll. Honeyland is available to stream via Movie Night, At Home and iTunes — and is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBGi3SzxkKk&feature=share DARK WATERS What our critic said: Dark Waters doesn't shy away from or try to reinvent its genre. Any move in that direction wouldn't do its real-life details justice. But this is definitely a Todd Haynes movie in the way that matters most: its emotional impact... Haynes hasn't just brought an essential story to the screen (and inspired his audience to start questioning all the chemicals in their lives), but crafted the ideal movie for a world where the entire planet is increasingly at the mercy of corporate giants. Dark Waters is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes — and is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRMPdhQBlWs QUEEN & SLIM What our critic said: The debut feature by music video director Melina Matsoukas — a Grammy-winner for her work on Rihanna's 'We Found Love' and Beyonce's 'Formation' — Queen & Slim wears its nods on its sleeves, and its topicality as well. Combining an all-too-frequent real-life situation with cinema's "lovers on the run" genre, it's a statement piece that not only conveys an attention-grabbing story, but explores the constantly relevant issue of race relations in America. Queen & Slim is available to stream via Google Play, YouTube and iTunes — and is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biHUTtV4K40 IN FABRIC What our critic said:Peter Strickland is one of cinema's inimitable auteurs, not only conjuring up narratives that no other filmmaker ever would or could, but bringing them to the screen with a distinctive sense of style and mood. That remains accurate with In Fabric — the lauded writer/director's haunted dress movie. In a London clothing store, bank teller Sheila (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) finds the perfect red frock for her first blind date; however, she soon discovers that the fabulous outfit has quite the dark side. Also starring Games of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie, this fashion-focused horror-comedy is lurid and intoxicating. In Fabric is currently screening in some Australian cinemas. Read our full review.
If you died a little death of burger-induced happiness at August's Barrio Cellar x Pub Life Kitchen Burger Pop-Up, it might be time to resurrect your satisfied self and head over to Camperdown's Deus Ex Machina. The two burger champs are coming together once again for a summer burger residency at the motorcycle brand's multi-purpose space, and it opens this Friday, November 27. The residency will see inner-west Sydneysiders full and fed right through to January. This time, however, the two Sydney legends won't be pitted against each other in a battle of hamburger juice and mustard — they'll be teaming up to create the ultimate burger joint. If you're not familiar with the two halves of this delicious equation, get acquainted. Pub Life Kitchen have earned their stripes in burgery, serving seriously excellent creations inside Ultimo's tiny Lord Wolseley Hotel, and have been known to put everything from Dorito fried chicken to chilli jam doughnuts on their buns. Barrio Cellar, while probably known more for their tacos and tequila, have been flipping some pretty excellent burgers in the CBD since June. Deus Ex Machina is located at 98-104 Parramatta Road, Camperdown. For more information on the pop-up, visit Pub Life Kitchen's Facebook page. Via Good Food.
"It only took 99 years," said Archibald Prize winner Vincent Namatjira, who took the top gong at this year's portrait prize for his depiction of sporting star Adam Goodes in 'Stand strong for who you are'. Namatjira's portrait was chosen from 55 finalists, whittled down from a record 1068 entries. It's the first time the award has been presented to an Indigenous artist in the Archibald's history, which this year saw a record number of First Nations artists and sitters in the final selection. This year's Packing Room Prize winner was also awarded to an Indigenous artist — first-time entrant Wongutha-Yamatji artist Meyne Wyatt won for his self-portrait 'Meyne'. Wyatt's work is the second self-portrait to ever win the Packing Room Prize, which is judged by the Art Gallery of New South Wales staff who receive, unpack and hang the entries. [caption id="attachment_783639" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2020 finalist Scott Marsh, 'Salute of gentle frustration', spray paint, acrylic, enamel, oil pastel on canvas, 142.5 x 95.5cm © the artist. Photo: AGNSW, Felicity Jenkins[/caption] This year's famous sitters include Bad Apples label owner and rapper Adam Briggs; Dark Emu author Bruce Pascoe; comedian Magda Szubanski; singer-songwriter Ngaiire; Western Sydney rapper L-Fresh the Lion; MP Anthony Albanese; Sydney Elder Charles 'Chicka' Madden; and No Friend But the Mountains author and journalist Behrouz Boochani. In the Wynne Prize, artist Hubert Pareroultja was rewarded for his landscape painting of his home country 'Tjoritja (West MacDonnell Ranges, NT)'. And the Sulman Prize went to Western Sydney artist Marikit Santiago for her image of her three children, called 'The divine'. Tickets to see the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman Prizes 2020 exhibition are available to purchase online for specific days and times. Over the course of the exhibition visitors are strongly recommended to pre-book their ticket in advance, to avoid disappointment, as it is expected to be popular. As always, there's the opportunity to vote for your favourite portrait in the ANZ People's Choice award, as well as marvel at the talented young painters in the Young Archies. If you're planning to visit later in the year, you can upgrade your ticket to a Gallery Pass ($35), which will give you access to the new Streeton exhibition, running from November 7 to February 14. Top images: 1. Archibald Prize 2020 winner Vincent Namatjira with 'Stand strong for who you are', courtesy of the artist and Iwantja Arts. 2. Wynne Prize 2020 winner Hubert Pareroultja 'Tjoritja (West MacDonnell Ranges, NT)', copyright the artist. Photo: AGNSW, Mim Stirling. 3. Sulman Prize 2020 winner Marikit Santiago 'The divine', courtesy the artist. Photo AGNSW, Jenni Carter 4. Packing Room Prize 2020 winner Meyne Wyatt 'Meyne', © the artist. Photo: AGNSW, Mim Stirling.
The ancient Chinese believed that mountains and caves were the dwelling places of gods and immortals. Painters imbued their landscapes with a sense of sanctuary, with towering mountains, misty waterfalls and crystal clear rivers echoing the presence of divine energy, a harmonious balance of yin and yang. Compare this to the landscape contemporary Chinese artists experience in a dazzling modern country of mega cities: everything high speed, high tech — and high pollution. This contrast is at the heart of White Rabbit's newest exhibition, Supernatural. In an incredibly rich and diverse show, artists work across a variety of mediums including painting, photography, video and sculpture. Several artists employ contemporary takes on traditional ink and brush techniques, such as Song Ling, Emily Shih-Chi Yang and Wu Chi-Tao, the latter whose series of 12 albums depicting the fragile landscapes of Taiwan's coast, threatened by modern day urbanisation, reflect his expert knowledge of Song and Ming Dynasty masters' ink paintings (he even grinds his own ink). You'll also see less traditional approaches to landscape, like Huang Zhen's knitted wire mountains, Feng Yan's large-scale photographs of rocks and Zhou Xiaohu's dystopian video Garden of Earthly Delights, inspired by the Hieronymus Bosch painting of the same name. Marionettes based on characters from Bosch's painting act out fables of Daoist philosopher Zhuangzi in a work that acts as "a cautionary tale for a world on the brink of environmental catastrophe". Images: Chen Wei, Future and Modern (2014); Yang Wei Lin, Oceans of Cloth Weheels and Floating Islands; Yang Shen, Ducks Mocking Sailor; Huang Xiaoliang, East Window — Untitled 20150514.
Two documentary filmmakers living in Kings Cross are taking their cameras in hand and asking some serious questions about the lockout laws. Have assault rates really decreased? How is the local economy faring? Has Kings Cross been unfairly targeted? Have other entertainment precincts reaped a commercial advantage? And, at the end of the day, who's in charge of the future: residents, local businesses, developers or the council? If similar issues have been nagging you, grab some change and throw them at Tim DiMuzio and Tim Onslow's doco project, Who Killed Kings Cross? before its Pozible deadline this Wednesday, November 11. The seeds for the project were first planted in February last year, shortly after the controversial lockout laws came into place. "We started talking to local businesses and people, and realised there's a story here – probably a really big one," says DiMuzio. "Kings Cross has always gone through transitions as a neighbourhood, but this one seems to be quite drastic and quite targeted and unfair to local businesses." While high-profile closures, like that of Hugo's Lounge, have received plenty of attention in the media, there hasn't been much coverage of the impact on business owners' mental health. "Some people bought their businesses for millions of dollars and had to go into debt to do it," says DiMuzio. "They're now stuck with that debt, so they're suffering mental health issues." Meanwhile, despite claims of reduced violence, many reports demonstrate that it's simply moved to other suburbs. In Newtown, for example, alcohol-related crimes have increased by 18%. "Rather than dealing with the actual problem of violence in masculine culture in Australia through education or cultural transformation, [the Government has introduced] a blanket law that penalised, in our view, the wrong people," says DiMuzio. He and Onslow will also investigate underlying issues, such as developers' interest in gentrifying the Cross to take advantage of increasing property values, and plans to turn the Casino and surrounds into a hot spot for nightlife. "There was no consultation whatsoever. There was no impact assessment in terms of what the laws would do to the neighbourhood. And there was no discussion of the fact that they're disproportionate – some areas are just magically excluded," says DiMuzio. "The rule of law means that no one's above it. It applies to everyone equally. But this is now an exception…The traffic is going to Newtown. The traffic is going to Pyrmont. The traffic is going to the Casino. The laws haven't killed nightlife and they haven't killed violence and yet the property developers seem to be elated about them." Tim DiMuzio is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Wollongong with a PhD in International Relations and Political Economy from York University. He's the author of The 1% and the Rest of Us, Debt as Power and Carbon Capitalism: Energy, Social Reproduction and World Order. Co-director Tim Onslow is a Darlinghurst-born writer, who made the finals of the Lloyds Bank Channel 4 Film Challenge and has won awards from the BBC and WHSmith for his fiction and poetry. To support this documentary project, visit their Pozible page. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=56-KLQZDgBA
The Australian Bar of the Year isn't in Sydney or Melbourne this year. Culinary heavyweights Victoria and New South Wales clean up year after year at the Australian Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Awards, announced last night at Sydney's Carriageworks, but the coveted Bar of the Year gong was instead nabbed by Queensland, hitherto known as the little engine that could. Perhaps not best known for fine dining, Queenslanders do love a good bevvy so shouldn't come as a surprise Brisbane’s crowd favourite The Gresham won bar of the year. Sydney's gained points for friendliness and food this week, as Neil Perry's Sydney restaurant Rockpool has taken out the Restaurant of the Year title, along with many other impressive wins for the Sydney food scene. Rockpool won out in the end with judges citing reasons such as the luxurious fit-out, inventive food and genuine old-school service from the star sommelier (who is, no doubt, about to get quite a raise). Other Sydney award winners include the just-opened Bennelong, which took out the award for best new restaurant of the year; Billy Kwong took out best wine list (we wonder how they’ll be celebrating the win); Raffaele Mastrovincenzo of Kappo won sommelier of the year and Lennox Hastie of Surry Hills' Firedoor was awarded best new talent. Melbourne was Sydney’s main rival in food and wine stakes and won maître d’ of the year (Vanessa Crichton of Rosetta) and Melbourne legend Joost Bakker (owner of zero waste cafe brothl) was recognised for his service and awarded the outstanding contribution to hospitality. Regional New South Wales and Victoria also got in on the action, with Dan Hunter of Brae in Birregurra winning chef of the year and Byron Bay's new chapter of Three Blue Ducks taking out regional restaurant of the year. And the list of three-star winners (the equally mortgage-your-house-to-eat-here contest of culinary fanciness) was crawling with Sydney royalty, including Sepia, Vue de Monde, Quay, Momofuku Seiobo and The Bridge Room alongside Melbourne’s eternal flame, Ben Shewry’s Attica. Image: Gourmet Traveller.
Every New Year's Eve, Sydney Harbour throws more parties than you can poke a stick at. Some are great — and some are not so great — but we have high hopes for the Sydney Opera House's NYE Party At The House, which will see the upper concourse of its western boardwalk play host to the most cultured rager in the city. Its high vantage point means uninterrupted and super Instagrammable views of the iconic fireworks, which will be curated by Romance Was Born. But there's more to do at the party than just wait for the fireworks. Think an uninterrupted flow of Piper Heidsieck Brut NV Champagne, cocktails, premium beers and Robert Oatley Signature Series wines. You'll also be able to zero in on a seriously yum menu of canapes by Matt Moran and ARIA Catering. Drinks, food and music make up the perfect party trifecta, and in true Opera House style, there will be some stellar sounds. You may know L'Tric as the Australian duo behind the infectious 'This Feeling'. They'll be on hand to help you ring in the new year with some feel-good tunes, and DJ Dan Rowntree will also be providing nu-disco vibes. Start practicing your best dance moves. Tickets are $595 per person and, as you'd expect for the price, they include all your food and drinks for the night. Yes, all the Champagne and canapes. All. Night. Long. So go thirsty, go hungry and go ready to dance — and welcome in 2016 at The House. NYE Party At The House is happening at the Sydney Opera House on the upper concourse of western boardwalk on Thursday, December 31 from 7.30pm – 1am. Tickets are $595 + booking fee. Capacity is strictly limited, so book your tickets early here.
Fans of model-making or dream-like photography will enjoy this new photography series. Artereal is showcasing the latest solo exhibition from Los Angeles-based, Australian artist Anna Carey, In Search of Rainbows. An artist whose practice includes photography and sculpture, Carey's latest show is a body of photographs documenting seven miniature fictional architectural spaces based on the urban environments of cities such as Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Palm Springs and her hometown, the Gold Coast. Each work is based on a dominant colour similar to the rainbow spectrum — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, pink and purple. Drawing from her imagination and the recollection of various environments rather than a single specific place, Carey combines model-making, drawing and photography to explore the connection between colour, memory and space. "The work] aims to reawaken imaginations for the viewer by creating a space of stillness and contemplation for one to drift between reality and daydreams," according to Carey. Image: Anna Carey, Pink Flamingo, Orange Sun, Blue Pearl, Yellow Moon, Red Rose, Green Paradise, Purple Sage (2017).
It's a sad day for Soulfest ticketholders, this year's festival has been cancelled due to poor ticket sales. Due to kick off for Australia/New Zealand dates with the likes of Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige and Miguel on Saturday, October 24, Soulfest 2015 will no longer be hitting Auckland, Sydney and Melbourne, or bringing sideshows to Brisbane, Mebourne and Sydney. Soulfest International posted this statement on their website and Facebook page this morning: "It is with a heavy heart and great regret that Soulfest International advises that it has become necessary to cancel Soulfest and the subsequent sideshows, due to poor ticket sales. Soulfest was scheduled to take place in Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney, with sideshows in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, and was due to commence on October 20th. "Soulfest was launched with the intention of promoting genres of music that are often overlooked commercially in this country, specifically Neo-Soul, RnB and Hip-Hop, and Soulfest 2014 successfully delivered some of the most exciting talent within these genres. Despite a stellar line-up of artists and the best promotional endeavours on Soulfest’s behalf, the event has simply not received the support via ticket sales, and the financial loss that would be incurred by the event if it were to go ahead as planned would be devastating. "There have been many people working behind the scenes, including media partners, artists, sponsors, sub-contracted promoters, communication managers, agents and suppliers who live, breathe and support this incredible genre of music and have worked tirelessly to try and make this event a success. The promoter sincerely apologises to all involved who have dedicated 7 months of their lives to work on this festival, and to the supporters of the event who purchased tickets." Soulfest has confirmed tickets will be refunded. For tickets booked online or by phone, credit cards used to book will automatically be refunded. Soulfest have said refunds could take up to 14 days. Bookings made at outlets will also be refunded, with ticketholders told to return to the box office where they bought the tickets with the credit card they used and photo ID. Soulfest's sideshows, sadly, are also cancelled. Via Music Feeds. Image: Soulfest.
Because of its diverse climate and varied soil, New South Wales is home to some of Australia's best — and oldest — wine regions. But despite the state possessing over 480 producers, less than eight percent of wines sold on-premise in Sydney restaurants and in retail are sourced from the surrounding area. On the weekend of October 14 and 15, the inaugural Sydney Wine Festival will bring together over 60 wineries from 14 different regions to showcase what our great state has to offer. Choose from 350 drops from regions such as Mudgee, the Hunter Valley, Orange, the Southern Highlands, New England and many more. Taking place at Rosehill Racecourse, tickets purchased in advance online will set you back $25, otherwise they're $30 at the gate. The ticket includes ten wine tasting tickets, which is quite reasonably priced (although no word on how large the tasting pours are). Plus, a vast selection of food will also be on offer to purchase, from crepes and oysters, to burgers and German sausages. Sydney Wine Festival will take place at Rosehill Racecourse on Saturday, October 14 and Sunday, October 15. For more info and to buy tickets, visit sydneywinefestival.com.
Sour and wild beers are in the craft beer spotlight right now, and for good reason — if you've had any brews from Tasmania's Two Metre Tall, you'll understand why. The Sydney craft beer institution that is the The Local Taphouse knows all about it and is bringing you the more obscure side of craft brewing this Sydney Craft Beer Week. Their list of sour and wild beers is promised to be larger than any seen in Sydney previously. We just hope the aforementioned 2MT will represent.
It might have been a while between drinks for you at The Edinburgh Castle. If fact, you might have yet to visit the Castle in your time. But this week, we've got plenty of reason to head to this long-time CBD pub on the corner of Pitt and Bathurst — it's reopening after a huge revamp. Soon, you'll be feasting on dishes created by ex-North Bondi Fish chef Daniel Lanza and choosing from a 100 percent Aussie wine list curated by expert sommelier Matt Dunne. The Solotel group, which owns 26 venues Australia-wide including Sydney's Opera Bar, Chiswick, Public House Petersham, The Erko, The Clock Hotel and many more, have taken over. And, on Tuesday, July 12, they reopened the pub after an extensive makeover. Luchetti Krelle (Momofuku Seiobo, Bar Brose, ACME, Barrio Cellar, The Butler) took care of the design, refurbishing the ground level bar and totally revamping the first floor, while keeping — and emphasising — the building's heritage features. There's now a beautiful cocktail lounge and an outdoor courtyard — this ain't no run-of-the-mill city pub. Lanza's menu subtly references the Edinburgh's important literary history as one-time home to Aussie writer and poet Henry Lawson. Tasty morsels on the snacks list include house-made damper with garlic herb butter, house-made potato scallops with chicken salt (!), a pork and sage sausage roll with green tomato chutney, and a ploughman's plate with ham, cheddar and house pickles. If you're up for something more substantial, dig into a devon and cheddar toastie (yep, DEVON), saltbush chicken schnitzel with crispy potatoes, celeriac and chunky tomato sauce, or crumbed barramundi burger with iceberg lettuce and fennel slaw. "We aim to offer people some comfort, in being able to visit and experience a classic, satisfying, Australian pub meal, yet still experiment with reinventing the wheel of what people expect, by modernising traditional menu items," says Lanza. Meanwhile, the signature cocktail list includes the Lawson's Cup (hibiscus-infused gin, Aperol, pomegranate, mint, lime, ginger beer), the City Slick (Hendricks gin, lemon, basil, lavender, sea salt) and a fancy take on an espresso martini (Abslout vodka, Patron Café, cold drip coffee, salted caramel, popcorn). Find the refurbished Edinburgh Hotel at 294 Pitt Street. Open Monday to Wednesday 10am-12am, Thursday, 10am-1am, Saturday 12pm-2am and Sunday 12pm-10pm.
As far as Victorian cities go, Melbourne's long held the food capital crown with its laneway bars, innovative cafes and Chef's Table-starring suburban restaurants alike consistently offering up some of the best coffee, cocktails and chow this side of the equator. But now, the culinary throne is being strongly contested by in recent years by a wildcard entrant: Geelong. We've said it before and we'll say it again: Geelong is the place to go for unique, high quality grub. Some of the best chefs, brewers and baristas in Australia are joining the ranks of the Geelong foodie community, not only for the fresh produce (and cheaper rent), but because of the underlying, undeniable buzz about the place. Chomp your way through this handy guide to some of the tastiest destinations in Australia's newest foodie hub of Geelong. GEELONG CELLAR DOOR Sitting pretty on Little Malop Street, Geelong Cellar Door is relatively new in town (they only opened couple of months ago) but this slick little bar has already amassed a loyal following. And it's no wonder — the place is a g-darn delight. The interior is warmly-lit, intimate and cosy, with a working fireplace, plenty of seating and an impressive catalogue of wine showcasing the region's talented wineries and breweries. Their vast wine selection lines the walls like the booziest library in the world, for all tastes and budgets. You can choose to drink by the glass or buy from their retail list and pay a reasonable corkage. Feeling peckish? Vino is served alongside a tight menu of charcuterie boards piled with fresh fruit, creamy cheeses and quality deli meats. Sit yourself at the bar with your new favourite varietal and a cheeky cheese plate — they say the 'Le Grande' platter is for sharing, but we'll happily miss the memo. 97-99 Little Malop Street, Geelong WHITE RABBIT BREWERY The holy source of one of our favourite breweries, White Rabbit, lives in Geelong and you'd be a fool to miss it while you're in town. While the crew originally set up shop in Healesville, they've since gravitated to Geelong, opening a highly impressive brewery and Barrel Hall — open to the public. As well as learning about the brewing process and sampling White Rabbit's Belgian-inspired ales fresh from the brewery, you can also enjoy a rich, seasonal menu perfectly paired with a complementary brews. Trust us, on a winter's day, there's nothing more hearty than a beef bourguignon ($19) matched with White Rabbit Dark Ale and followed up with a cheeky raspberry and choc tartlet ($3.5) by the brewery's crackling fire. Because beer, meat and cheese are naturally delicious bedfellows, White Rabbit specialise in the humble, age old crowdpleaser, the Ploughman's Board. You can build your own plate with handpicked cheeses and meats from across Australia, served up in an Instagram-worthy heap with baguettes, waters, condiments and pickled vegetables. Want to take something home? Visit the on-site providore, stocked with local delights (and, of course, ale). 221 Swanston Street, South Geelong THE HOT CHICKEN PROJECT When you settle into a cosy table at the Hot Chicken Project on Little Malop Street, prepare to stay a while. Not only will you enjoy the best fried chicken of your life (more on that in a minute) but the venue has a great atmosphere on a Saturday night — in fact it's one of the best spots in town. But on to the food. The project belongs to Aaron Turner, the legend who conceptualised Melbourne's Belle's Hot Chicken, and his cooking technique comes from the motherland of fried chicken: the deep American south. Choose between crispy chicken skin (covered in spice and drizzled in honey), spicy chicken tenders, crunchy wings, creamy 'slaw, shoestring fries covered in juicy pickles, flavoursome turnip greens, all dunked in blue cheese or ranch sauce. Or, heck, don't choose and try it all — you won't regret it. As seen with BHC and the sadly now-closed Bar Clarine, this chicken comes paired with wine. The fruity, experimental wine list is designed to pair beautifully with the salty crunch of the fried mains, so don't overthink it (although you can never go wrong with a glass by Domaine Lucci). 84A Little Malop Street, Geelong [caption id="attachment_582798" align="alignnone" width="1280"] @kayceejai[/caption] ARMAGEDDON CAKE There's something oddly comforting about a place that only makes one thing — they know what they're doing and you know you're in for a good time. Armageddon Cake (only a convenient hop, skip and jump away from the Hot Chicken Project) specialises in cake — the kind of warm, gooey, rich cakes that taste homemade because they bloody well were. Hefty cake slices (reminiscent of Bruce Bogtrotter's punishment serving) are served up with cream and your choice of raspberry sauce, butterscotch sauce, lemon curd or chocolate ganache (or a little bit of each). The interior is cosy, eclectically decorated and the perfect spot to decompress after a solid weekend of feasting. Enjoy. Top image: White Rabbit.
"What we don't acknowledge becomes the shadow within ourselves," says Western Australian curator Clothilde Bullen. "And that is what has happened in this country. We have to more openly have these conversations, in order to bring these histories into the light." Pieced together from the Artbank treasure trove and complemented with select loans is a new exhibition curated by Bullen, showcasing the work of contemporary Indigenous artists. Darkness on the Edge of Town will explore narratives of marginalisation and the positioning of the Indigenous Australian. It's a timely exhibition that will excavate hidden histories and reflect on continuing injustices. Bullen was drawn to create an exhibition that responded to the ongoing injustices against Indigenous people. "The works are highly political in nature," she says. "When I started this exhibition, I was looking at the Black Lives Matter movement and SOS Black Australia." What is striking about many of the works on display is their dark aesthetics — shades of black and grey ripple through paintings, photographs and sculptures. "A lot of history is very murky — there are parts people choose not to know about it," says Bullen. In revising the white-washed version of Australian history, Bullen's exhibition is all about restoring and elevating black voices. "I would like there to be an understanding that within these spaces, and within Australia, these are important voices that matter," she says. "Our voices are front and centre — they are embedded within the history of this country. Let's not participate in the great forgetting." Darkness on the Edge of Town runs August 18 to November 12 at Artbank Sydney. Bullen took us into the Artbank store for a peek into the exhibiting artists and what to expect from this complex, highly timely exhibition. [caption id="attachment_582492" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Christopher Pease, Balga resin (2008), Artbank collection[/caption] CHRISTOPHER PEASE — BALGA RESIN Looming large over this exhibition is a painting from Wardandi artist Christopher Pease. This heavily textured work was created through a labour intensive process of collecting resin from the balga or grasstree, which is native to Southwest Australia. Pease then melted the resin onto hessian and canvas, creating a dramatic visual effect. "The resin is actually a living thing," says Bullen. "This work changes every time you look at it and in different lights. It has different personalities." From one angle, the sumptuous and bioluminescent painting looks like purple veins pulsing through black paint. Under a different light, it looks like a red lightning strike cracking open the darkness. "The materiality tells a lot of the story," says Bullen. "In terms of the way the resin is bound to the hessian, the work speaks to a connection to country and how that has changed over time." [caption id="attachment_583651" align="alignnone" width="1280"] James Tylor, (Erased Scenes) From an Untouched Landscape #5 (2014), Artbank collection.[/caption] JAMES TYLOR — ERASED SCENES (FROM AN UNTOUCHED LANDSCAPE) #12 James Tylor is quickly becoming one of Australia's most eminent young photographers. In this series, Erased Scenes (From An Untouched Landscape), his moody and mysterious photographs look like documents from a crime scene investigation. Of course, there is a sophisticated political critique that binds these works together. The geometric black shape imposed onto each image omits the presence of Aboriginal people and culture, paralleling their omission from history and society. "The immediate sense you get when you see these works is that something is missing — the country is incomplete. Alternatively, something has been laid over the top," says Bullen. "So there is either a hidden history or something we want to blank out. What goes on in that blackened space? What has been forgotten? As simple as these works look, they are embedded with multiple levels of meaning." [caption id="attachment_583228" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Lorraine Connelly-Northey, Narrbong (String Bag) (2007), Artbank collection.[/caption] LORRAINE CONNELLY-NORTHEY — NARRBONG (STRING BAG) Lorraine Connelly-Northey's sculptural practice begins with sifting through discarded materials: fencing wire, barbed wire, rusted iron, metal meshing. Salvaged mainly from farming lands, these industrial materials are typically used to demarcate property. In this way, her objects contain a powerful commentary on the territorial impact of colonisation. Connelly-Northey's intricate sculptures are modelled on traditional Aboriginal artefacts. For instance, her reimagined narrbong references the string bag once used to collect water. "We have these traditional objects that we can't necessarily make anymore," says Bullen. "Our culture is dynamic, it's not static. This work is an example of we can utilise whatever we can in order to make something that is going to work for us. This exemplifies the practice of using ideas around traditionalism and manifesting them in completely new and contemporary ways." [caption id="attachment_582495" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Ian Abdulla, Night Boxing (1992), Artbank collection.[/caption] IAN ABDULLA — NIGHT BOXING Rooted in a specific historical phenomenon, Ian Abdulla's work traces the culture of tent-boxing in Aboriginal communities. This bareknuckle sport, which was frequently illegal, arose around 1900 and continued until the late 1980s. "In reference to the title of the exhibition, we're talking about fringe dwellers," says Bullen. "These were people who were kept out of town at night and were asked to exist on the edges." While the history of tent-boxing is a complex one, Abdulla draws attention to a self-sufficient practice, which unfolded outside the control of authorities. In this way, it provided an alternative set of fiscal structures beyond the mainstream. "To me, this work makes a nice comment on what you need to do in order to be economically viable," says Bullen. "Tent-boxing was a meaningful cultural tradition for people all over the country." [caption id="attachment_583229" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Clinton Nain, What are you saying? (2007), Artbank collection.[/caption] CLINTON NAIN — WHAT ARE YOU SAYING? In scrutinising the scars of dispossession, Clinton Nain's practice confronts the darkest elements of Australian history. In particular, his painting, What are you saying? is a sombre take on the linguistic assault on Aboriginal languages. "Nain uses materials that are found in missions and reserves," says Bullen. "Then he turns them around to create strong messages about the colonial history of this country. While this work looks quite abstract, it's a critical statement about families being in missions and the stolen generations." Using bitumen and bleach — an uneasy combination — Nain's painting contains a political message that evokes the attempted conquest of white over black. "The medium is quite expressive and matches the content," says Bullen. Darkness on the Edge of Town runs August 18 to November 12 at Artbank Sydney. Images: Kimberley Low.
Hundreds of years have passed since many of the masterpieces featured in The Greats at the Art Gallery of NSW were made. Botticelli, Boucher, Raeburn, Gauguin, Degas, Monet. Drummed in by high school textbooks, these names are part of the vocabulary of any good art-goer. But what do they mean today? Can they still surprise us? Looking back on the stiff social decorum of the 12th through 19th centuries, it’s easy to underestimate the power of these paintings. However, many of the artists in this exhibition were true game-changers and provocateurs in their heyday. In fact, they were frequently shunned for their boldness. One of Australia’s favourite painters, Archibald Prize-winner Ben Quilty took time to share his thoughts on getting the most out of these artworks and understanding how they resonate with our contemporary era. “All of the works in the show were radical for their time, really,” says Quilty. “Something we tend to do in Australia is lose context of pieces and what they meant at the time of their production. Context is essential in order to get your head around them and to give them the credit they’re due. These paintings were made hundreds and hundreds of years before a camera was invented.” THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF CRAFT One of the striking things about the paintings featured in The Greats is their technical precision. The highly controlled execution of these works is the product of painstaking hours of academic practice rather than a sense of innate genius that blossomed overnight. “Back then, all children left school being able to draw beautifully,” says Quilty. “But drawing wasn’t the true skill. It was how you then contextualised and used drawing to make an image that was radical; an artwork that spoke to the contemporary world and challenged people’s notions.” In many ways, it was the structure and rigour of art education that lifted artists into the annals of history. These masterpieces are the reward reaped by societies who choose to value art. “Absolutely, art was seen to be as important as philosophy, mathematics and Latin,” says Quilty. “And it was the ones who made some sort of symbol or statement or conceptual investigation into their societies that went on to become great artists.” JOHN SINGER SARGENT: BREAKING WITH TRADITION One of the boldest paintings to stir up a sensation toward the end of the nineteenth century was John Singer Sargent’s Lady Agnew of Locknaw (1892), one of the works you shouldn't miss at The Greats. “Looking at that painting, there are works in the Art Gallery of NSW’s collection that were directly inspired by it,” says Quilty. “People tend to think it’s just a funny old thing but it broke with so many traditions of that period.” The subject of the painting, Lady Gertrude Agnew, is depicted in a decadent armchair against a silk tapestry printed with Chinese characters. However, it is her casual posture and piercing gaze that shocked viewers of the time, who condemned the work as indecent. “If you were a young adult when that painting was made, it was totally radical to see a female figure splayed out and laidback rather than very poised,” says Quilty. EL GRECO: PAINTING OR POSTER? Perhaps one of the more ambiguous paintings you will see in The Greats is El Greco’s An Allegory (Fabula) (1580 – 85). A boy, a monkey and a grinning man are huddled around a flame. Unlike other works in the show, this painting is far from the art of religious iconography or the commissioned portraits of aristocrats. Something mysterious is unfolding amid the arresting play of light and shadow. This work is also one of Quilty’s top picks for the exhibition. “This painting strikes me as so contemporary,” says Quilty. “The first time I saw this work, it was like looking at a black and white poster. There is something very graphic about it. It’s very different to the rest of the show and so enigmatic. It’s beautiful and dark and foreboding. I guess this is the painting that makes me want to go to my studio and accelerate my practice.” DIEGO VELAZQUEZ: PERFECT POACHED EGGS The Greats has its share of showstoppers; however Diego Velazquez’s Old Woman Frying Eggs (1618) is all the more impressive knowing the artist was a mere teenager when he painted it. From the metallic shine of kitchen utensils to the gentle mingling of egg and water, the textural precision of this work is truly arresting — making it another of Concrete Playground's artworks you shouldn't miss at the exhibition. “Seeing every piece of that painting — the hands, the fingernails, the shadow of the knife — it’s extraordinarily beautiful," says Quilty. Velazquez would have been mixing his own paint too. The pigment came straight out of the ground and was mixed with oils and binders to create something for us to see more than four hundred years later. It gives me goosebumps. You win, Diego." Above all, this painting highlights the fundamental skills necessary to create a long lasting works of art. "When it comes to painting, you have to be aware of the boring and scientific side of things," says Quilty. "Part of the craft of being an artist is that you have to respect the materials you’re using and their histories. But you know what, if anyone can paint eggs poaching in boiling water like Velazquez can, I’ll do anything for them. It’s an extraordinary feat for an eighteen year old man.” The Greats: Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland runs October 24 to February 14. Tickets are $22 adult, $18 concession and available from the Gallery or the website.
Balmy summer nights in Sydney, bring 'em on. Rooftop wines, twilight beach strolls and a plethora of blockbuster exhibitions opening their doors across the city — not to mention the after-hours parties that come with them. Bringing some of the world's most groundbreaking, celebrated and iconic art to the city for your perusing pleasure, the Sydney International Art Series is currently boasting two world-class exhibitions at the Art Gallery of NSW and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Of course, Sydney galleries don't just shut up shop after you've soaked up The Greats: Masterpieces from the National Galleries of Scotland and Grayson Perry: My Pretty Little Art Career, there's a whole bunch of late-night events to see through the evening. Here's a round-up of the must-do cultural programs to catch over the coming months. UP LATE WITH THE GREATS When the sun goes down every Wednesday, the Art Gallery of NSW decks the halls with jam-packed evenings of talks, guided tours, and live music. A super-charged extension of the Gallery's usual Wednesday night Art After Hours program will run on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights, dubbed Up Late with The Greats. After the Gallery's usual closing time of 5pm, you can take an extended jaunt through The Greats exhibition — featuring the likes of Titian, Botticelli, Gauguin and Degas, all the way from the National Galleries of Scotland — and partake in a ramped up range of activities. On Wednesday nights, celebrated comedian and SERIOUS art nerd Hannah Gadsby will be unveiling her SERIOUS art history chops and treating gallery-goers to a VERY SERIOUS rundown of different eras of Western art history each week. There'll be salon drawing on Thursday nights, and live music by members of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra on Friday nights. On all three nights, Young Henrys will be serving a limited edition masterpiece-inspired brew at the Gallery’s pop-up bar. Up Late With The Greats will run Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays from January 6 – 29. MCA ARTBAR The Museum of Contemporary Art’s monthly ARTBAR has become a firm fixture on Sydney’s after-dark cultural calendar. After knocking off work on Friday, head down to Circular Quay for an extra dose of art, a splash of wine and your choice of fun-filled activities — with the added bonus of panoramic views of the harbour from the Sculpture Terrace. Past curators have included the likes of Pip and Pop, Blak Douglas, Haines and Hinterding, and Rebecca Baumann — each building uniquely flavoured late-night events. Wander in on the last Friday night of the month and you can expect a lively conglomeration of art, music, design and performance. It’s an excuse to let loose alongside some of Sydney’s best artistic talent. The next ARTBAR for 2016 will be curated by the supremely colourful Rosie Deacon. Who knows what’s in store for this one, but knowing Deacon, we will likely see something big, crafty and carnivalesque. MCA ARTBAR curated by Rosie Deacon will take place on Friday, January 29, with the following editions of MCA ARTBAR taking place on February 26, April 1 and April 29. DINE AT CHISWICK AT THE GALLERY It makes perfect sense to conclude an art adventure with a culinary adventure, right? Matt Moran’s Chiswick at the Gallery offers a cool and classy dining experience inside the Art Gallery of NSW. The ethos underpinning this restaurant is all about seasonal produce and inventive creations. Hence this season’s lamb comes from Moran’s family farm in the Central Tablelands, while the locally-grown herbs and vegetables come courtesy of Chiswick’s resident gardener. Head along for a bite to eat during summer and you can take advantage of a special dining package developed to complement The Greats. Take your pick of two mains, two desserts, a glass of Ross Hill Estate wine, plus a ticket to the exhibition for $75 per person — pretty great value. After taking in some old world inspiration, you can retreat to Chiswick for a more contemporary and replenishing experience. It's staying open for dinner on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in January as part of the Up Late with The Greats. For bookings, contact Chiswick at the Gallery on (02) 9225 1819. MCA'S GRAYSON PERRY-INSPIRED GIN GARDEN If you haven’t dabbled in a spot of gin drinking, now is the time. Young Henrys, Archie Rose Distillery and the MCA have joined forces to open a pop-up Gin Garden, coinciding with the blockbuster exhibition Grayson Perry: My Pretty Little Art Career. Ushering in some English charm for the summer — with the added perk of Australian sunshine — this quirky watering hole ought to be the perfect accompaniment to arty afternoons at the MCA. Archie Rose has set forth on a mission to revive Sydney’s once-thriving passion for spirits with their dedicated Rosebery distillery. The team will offer expertly crafted cocktails incorporating native Australian ingredients, such as blood lime, Dorrigo pepperleaf, lemon myrtle and river mint. If beer is your beverage of choice, Sydney’s star boutique brewers Young Henrys will be pulling a few pints too. Once you’ve had your fill of Grayson Perry, this is the leafy little pop-up is ideal for a refreshing sip of gin and a conversation (or debate) about contemporary art. The MCA Pop-Up Gin Garden will be open Thursday to Sunday from 4pm till late, until February 14, 2016. MCA LIGHTS ON LATER The MCA's late-night program is your go-to inner-city art adventure in Sydney, with this summer's program brimming with activity after hours. Every Thursday evening until 9pm, enjoy late-night access to Grayson Perry: My Pretty Little Art Career and other MCA exhibitions. Discover and design your alter ego in a hands-on workshop, listen to MCA curators and guides, watch one of Grayson Perry’s popular TV documentaries, join a Subversive Tour of the exhibition led by a cast of diverse and eclectic guests. Then wind down over a glass of wine, a bit to eat and live music on the MCA’s Sculpture Terrace. Want to go on multiple Sydney art adventures without going broke? You can buy discounted tickets to the Sydney International Art Series by purchasing an Art Pass. It gives you access to both The Greats and Grayson Perry this summer for a discounted rate. Nab one from artpass.com.au.
Celebrate the way of the flip-flop this Australia Day with the annual Thong Challenge down at North Bondi Beach and help break the world record for the longest line of giant inflatable Havaianas in open water. With the challenge intensifying in a state-by-state 'thong off', the stakes seem even higher in this, the challenge's tenth year. Don't let 2014 champions Cottesloe Beach, WA take out the title for the third year running. Further creating a thong-lovin' environment, Havaianas have organised a giant sprinkler and thong, along with a pop-up retail stall and numerous events throughout the day such as a Tug-O-War, Thong Toss and Thong Grab, all with prizes to be won. Online registration is $30, which includes a $10 donation to North Bondi SLSC’s Nippers program as well as your necessary giant Havaianas inflatable.
Convincing people to eat their daily dose of fruit is about to get a whole lot easier. In the single greatest agricultural triumph since Nick Offerman opened that pizza farm back in July, Australian supermarkets will soon be stocking fairy floss flavoured grapes. And who said you can't improve on nature? Officially trademarked as Cotton Candy Grapes, the variety was developed by Californian grape growers Grapery, who created it accidentally while cross-pollinating different breeds. The result is an extra sweet grape that reportedly tastes uncannily like everyone's favourite school fete treat — although Grapery CEO Jim Beagle assured The Huffington Post that they have "basically the same nutritional content as almost any grapes in the grocery store." Cotton candy grapes please never go away.???? I may or may not buy 2 bags at a time whenever I see them at the store.? #tiumeals #tiuteam #fitforfall #charitychallenge @toneitup #cottoncandygrapes A photo posted by Lyndsay (@lyndsayruns) on Sep 14, 2015 at 1:32pm PDT Unsurprisingly, the grapes have proven a major hit in the United States, blowing up on social media and warranting mentions on both The Today Show and Good Morning America. If that wasn't enough, they've also been given the official Ryan Seacreast seal of approval — a sure-fire sign of quality if ever there was one. Cotton candy flavored grapes exist. There is hope http://t.co/qVUXXy3GjJ — Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest) August 9, 2013 Australia, meanwhile, will be getting its first taste of these little miracles come February next year, after Grape Co. Australia secured the license from Grapery to grow and sell the variety down under. Of course, the question on everyone's lips is whether or not you can turn them into fairy floss flavoured goon. Because that would be a gamechanger. Cloudy? Worry not, there's candy cotton grape gelato. I mean, cotton. candy. Grape. Cotton candy grape! (one of those silly saturday today, definitely :D ) A photo posted by Rebecca M (@reblondonfridge) on Sep 12, 2015 at 4:10am PDT Via Good Food and The Huffington Post. Image: Dollar Photo Club.
You might think that during winter Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden takes a little time out to relax, while the greenery lies dormant and Sydneysiders head indoors. But you'd be wrong. Winter hides a hidden trove of activities, exhibitions and delights best enjoyed in the cold, without the summer crowds. Alright, Vivid Sydney brought crowds to the garden, but that's just one. Sydney's 200-year-old public garden is far from dormant in the cooler months. Don't spend your winter staring out the window, pining for summer. Rug up in your woollens and head down to the Garden to discover a whole new world that's a riot of colour and life. EXPLORE THE CALYX Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden turns 200 in 2016 — and it's landed itself one humdinger of a birthday present. Meet The Calyx, the Garden's new world-class horticultural experience. Opened to coincide with the official opening date of the Garden on June 13, 1816, 200 years ago, this dazzling new UFO-shaped public space not only houses thousands and thousands of plants, but gives Sydneysiders an escape from the city's busy streets and relentless traffic. It also provides a new outdoor home for fun, innovative exhibitions. The first, open from June 11, is Sweet Addiction, an interactive adventure through the botanic story of chocolate, from bean to bar. Starting your journey deep in a tropical rainforest, you'll see, touch and smell your way through ancient lands and chocolate plantations, before reaching a tasty pop-up shop — the site for many future chocolate activities and tastings. Also part of the show is a collection of 18,000 plants, which have been arranged as living artworks. Together, they form the biggest contiguous green wall in the Southern Hemisphere, measuring six metres in height and 285 square metres in area. Move over, Patrick Blanc. (Mind you, we can't deny that One Central Park's wall is looking prettier with every passing day. TREECYCLE Treecycle is an exhibition designed for the 200th birthday celebrations of the Royal Botanical Garden (after all, 200 is the new 40). The exhibition, running August 12-21, is an exploration of the amazing skills of Sydney's carpenters, wood carvers and artisans. Curators Leon and Ginny Sadubin will display all the wooden furniture, instruments, jewellery and sculptures that have been produced to honour the trees that once stood in the gardens. All proceeds from sales will go to support conservation, so if you've been meaning to invest in some Australian-made furniture, grab your ticket to the opening night auction and get your bid on. ABORIGINAL HERITAGE TOURS Want to school yourself on Australia's cornucopia of delicious native ingredients and the culture of the Aboriginal People of Australia? An Aboriginal Heritage Tour is the perfect activity for you. The Garden was an important ceremonial site for many of the Sydney Aboriginal Nations, and home to the Cadigal people of the Eora Nation. The tour is designed to clue you in on the culture and artefacts of the Aboriginal People of Australia as well as teach you about traditional bush tucker and where to find it. Your Aboriginal tour guide will lead you around the gardens and open your eyes to the bounty of native food on your doorstep and you'll even get to taste some as well. Book your tour here. STOCK UP ON HONEY MADE RIGHT IN THE GARDEN Our bee populations have been doing it rough lately, worrying scientists and honey-lovers the world over with their dwindling numbers. But the bees living in the Royal Botanical Garden are thriving. They have access to a huge array of healthy native flora and exotic flowering plants, so the raw honey (available in the Garden Shop) produced by the in-house beehives has a unique flavour you won't find in your standard Capilano squeezy bottle. Raw honey has a well documented array of health benefits, so winter is the perfect time to guzzle it down with tea and hope like hell it staves off the sniffles. Plus, all income generated from the honey goes back into plant conservation programs, so you can rest easy knowing Captain Planet is very happy with you. VISIT GLASSHOUSE LATITUDE 23 AND FERNERY If you miss the high humidity of summer or just need to step in from the cold, a visit to a glasshouse may be just what you need. Latitude 23 is a tropical display, housed in two greenhouses next to the Fernery in the southern end of the garden. It's almost otherworldly as you enter, crammed full of exotic plants and flowers that will transport you away from winter to warmer climes. Next door the Fernery is even more impressive, with high vaulted ceilings and over 200 species of ferns in residence making it the perfect place to spend a quiet afternoon.
Since making folk cool again with her debut album, The Milk-Eyed Mender (2004), harp-playing, cocktail-devouring Joanna Newsom has continually surprised us. She's modelled for Giorgio Armani, given acting a spin — in Paul Thomas Anderon's Inherent Vice — and released four subsequent LPs. Her latest, Divers, released in 2015, grapples with travel, metaphysics, love and war. This is her first visit to Australia in six years. Joanna Newsom plays the Sydney Opera House on January 21 at 8pm. $53-99 + bf. This is just one of our ten picks for Sydney Festival's best gigs. Check out the whole list.
We thought it was Photoshopped. Twitter thought it was Photoshopped. The whole damn town thought, nay, could this be true? Hath Cadbury gone truly mad? Creating what could potentially be the most horrific melding of worldly flavours imaginable this side of ox tongue gelato (it's a thing)? Alas, it's true. Cadbury Australia have created a Dairy Milk chocolate variation, which adds a little caramel and a whole lot of Vegemite. That's right. Vegemite. BuzzFeed confirmed the terrible union this afternoon after noticing a sneaky snap on a Reddit feed in April. Cadbury itself confirmed the fusion on Twitter with this dramatic video. Behold. The Vegemite chocolate will be unleashed on the Australian public from June 1 (or sooner, as the Cadbury has mysteriously hinted in the video). Expect "Dairy Milk milk chocolate with smooth flowing caramel and VEGEMITE." Why Cadbury? Why? Was Pineapple Snack not enough tomfoolery for an age? Ah. We'll probably try it. Via BuzzFeed. Image: Reddit.
Eight independent local designers will soon converge on Crown Street for a powerhouse pop-up. From June 9–21, you'll find them at Blank_Space Gallery showcasing their latest creations, from fashion and jewellery to ceramics, furniture and objects. Though their works are diverse, these artists share a commitment to local, ethical and sustainable making and have all spent time in Chippendale's WIP (Work in Progress) Studio. The group is made up of jewellery designers Alexandra Dodds and Pip Stent, who both source Australian materials, from recycled silver and gold to fair-trade diamonds; fashion designers Annie Hamilton, Jillian Boustred and Mimi Holvast, whose high-quality, locally made garments feature hand-illustrated prints and linen; and ceramicists Emily Ellis, Gretel Corrie and Milly Dent. WIP Shop will launch on Saturday, June 9 and will be open 10am–6pm every day until June 21, except the Queen's Birthday public holiday. ANd on Thursdays, the shop will stay open until 9pm. Images: Bel Campbell.
Some drinks never go out of style. And if you've been frequenting Sydney watering holes recently, you might have noticed Sydneysiders are having a bit of a moment with gin. From specialised pop-up bars to limited edition batch releases and independent distilleries, we can't seem to get enough of this humble old spirit. But G&Ts aren't just confined to the realms of bottom shelf liquor and mass-produced tonic water — a really good gin and tonic is all about good ingredients and informed combinations. Those who really know what to taste for, rest assured. We've searched high and low to round up the best G&Ts Sydney has to offer. With top shelf selections of spirits and cracking staff behind the bar, these venues truly stand out — and deliver.
Sydneysiders won’t hesitate to defend their favourite dumpling house or that hole-in-the-wall pho joint; Asian food remains one of Australia's go-to cuisines across the board. While joints like Chat Thai and Misschu make most go-to lists, these mainstream superstars often overshadow Sydney's tinier yet authentic spots. This weekend, instead of playing it safe, try some of the more unusual Asian delicacies that hide in so many storefronts. Not sure where to look? We've planned a full night of the best bizarre yet delectable dishes for the more adventurous among you. These plates won't only shock your Facebook friends, they’ll also give your tastebuds the excitement they've been missing. First Stop: Chinatown Night Markets What to eat: Lamb & Cumin stall — lamb kidney sticks ($9.75 for 5 sticks) This weekly market isn’t just a great way to eat roti but avoid the massive queues at Mamak. The white tents that pop up along Dixon Street every Friday offer a festive way to kick off the weekend and a perfect start to your bizarre foods trail. While the crowd at the Lamb & Cumin stall may gather for their namesake skewers, the more adventurous stomach should try the juicy and spicy lamb kidney. Chilli dry-rubbed and charcoal-grilled to order, these tiny organs are an easy starter since they really just taste like — you guessed it — lamb. Stalls change slightly each week, so be sure to take a good look around for anything unfamiliar, as the uncommon is often hidden among more mainstream dishes. Dixon and Little Hay Streets, Haymarket; Fridays 5pm-10pm; www.chinatownmarkets.com.au Second Stop: Market City What to eat: Taste of Cho — spicy beef shin and pigs ear salads ($2 small; $5 large) It is no surprise that this Asian megacentre houses some of the most unique delicacies in Sydney. For a cheap and easily digestible option, the Taste of Cho stand piles its counter with spicy salads containing meats like beef shin and pig's ear. While ear may not normally be on your to-eat list, the line of eager and hungry patrons should give you a sense of its deliciousness. The bright red chillies and crunchy chives make each bite an explosion of flavour and complement the uniformly tender and thinly sliced meat. These salads should be taken to go and eaten on the way to your next food hop stop. 9-13 Hay Street, Haymarket; Mon – Sun from 10am; www.marketcity.com.au Third Stop: Eating World Food Court What to eat: Red Charcoal — Ox heart ($1.5) and beef tendon ($2); Soya Kitchen – pig's feet ($9.30) Chinatown gourmet served in a food hall; Haymarket's food courts offer some of the most authentic and unusual dishes Sydney has to offer. With options including crocodile, soft chicken bones, pork chittering and Indonesian offal (an organ mash-up), it is impossible to exhaust your bizarre choices here. The most delicious among the peculiar is easily Red Charcoal’s beef tendon, which taste like handmade noodles on a stick. Feeling a little Temple of Doom? Try the spicy ox heart, the tastiest way to sound cool and virile. For a meatier option, the pig's feet at Soya Kitchen is succulent and slow cooked. The fatty feet are mixed in a thick sauce of juicy mushrooms or fermented red bean, both of which add a distinctive richness. It is served with seaweed in clear broth, a perfect palate cleanser before continuing on this food trail. 25-59 Dixon Street, Haymarket; Mon – Sun 10am-10pm Fourth Stop: Restaurants Galore By now, your stomach has been properly coated and is ready for a crazy main course. While you probably can't hit all of these restaurants in a night, a choice of any one will be enough to satisfy both your appetite and your curiosity. Taiwan Ganbei What to eat: salt and pepper crispy pork intestines ($12.80) Dixon Street is lined with restaurants, but Taiwan Ganbei is a clear standout. It's often packed with locals and the menu offers a variety of exceptional organ dishes, among them the shredded pigs ear with chilli ($5.50). A side of warm steamed rice nicely balances the snappy, cold ear. For a truly sensational dish, try the salt and pepper crispy pork intestine; crusted and stuffed with green onions and herbs, the heavily spiced dish cuts through the richness of the organ. Of course, there is no better complement to a plate of intestines than an ice cold can of Taiwanese beer ($4.50). 52 Dixon St, Haymarket; Mon – Thurs 11.30am – 10pm; Fri – Sat 11.30am – 12am; Sun 11.30am – 10pm; (02) 9212 2220 Two Sticks What to eat: pork blood jelly with chives ($4.80) Move away from the Dixon Street bustle at this new George Street favourite. The bright yellow, Yunnan style restaurant has mirrored walls that give the tiny treasure an expansive illusion. The chef’s speciality, rice noodle soup ($13.80 regular; $9.80 mini pot) is the crowd pleaser here, but the entrée menu is what you’re after. For a truly peculiar taste test, the pork blood jelly is one of the most unusual dishes you’re likely to eat in Sydney. The extremely rich jelly melts in your mouth while the spicy, oil based sauce awakens your nasal passages. This starter is appetizing in its oddity and is a must try on this food tour. 694 George Street, Haymarket; Mon – Sun 11.30am – late Chinatown Noodle King What to eat: stir fried pork tripe ($13.80) Don’t let the touristy name fool you, this classic noodle house is cooking up some very authentic Chinese food. The exposed kitchen is known for their huge dumpling portions ($10.80) and handmade noodles ($4 — $14.80), but the menu is home to some bizarre classics like boiled duck giblets ($7.80) and ox tripe with sesame and peanut butter sauce ($10.80). The best among these is the stir-fried pork tripe; shoe string sliced tripe and veggies are doused in soy sauce and served piping hot. A second helping of stomach for your stomach? You’ll be surprised how easily you say "yes please!" 357 Sussex Street, Sydney City; Mon – Sun 11am-10.30pm Last Stop: Dessert Finale What to eat: Old Town — deep fried egg white with durian ($16 for 6 pieces) The only way to end an evening of food curiosity is with some rare dessert. Look no further than this Hong Kong restaurant where their durian desserts will leave an unusual taste in your mouth. Though generally unpleasant to the nostrils, this funky fruit is a staple throughout most Asian cuisines. Old Town's desserts are well conceived with combinations that mask the smell while bringing out that interesting durian flavour — this ranges from durian milkshakes ($6.50) to durian pudding ($8.50) and pancakes ($8). The most bizarre-tasting is the deep fried egg white with durian; a pink peep-like concoction, the slightly off-taste of the durian is balanced by the soft, fluffy egg white. You may not want to go in for the kiss after eating this dessert, but it is the perfect way to conclude your night out with the strange. 10A Dixon Street, Haymarket, Mon – Sun lunch 11am-4pm; dinner 4pm-2am; www.oldtownhongkongcuisine.com.au
Back in 1982, Melbourne played host to one of China's most important ancient artworks: a collection of statues known as The Terracotta Army. Crafted between 221–206 BCE and first discovered in the Shaanxi province in 1974, it made its international debut at the National Gallery of Victoria — and now, 37 years later, it's returning for the NGV's 2019 Melbourne Winter Masterpieces series. Dubbed Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality, the five-month exhibition will feature eight warrior figures and two life-size horses from The Terracotta Army, alongside two half-size replica bronze chariots that are each drawn by four horses. They were created during the reign of China's first emperor Qin Shi Huang and were buried near his tomb more than 2200 years ago. The pieces coming to Melbourne only represent a fraction of the entire work, which numbers more than 8000 figures in total. If you're wondering how big of a deal the statues are, the answer is very. The Terracotta Army is considered one of the most important archaeological finds of the 20th century and has also been described as the 'Eighth' Wonder of the World. Displaying at the NGV from May 24 to October 13, 2019, the selected pieces will be accompanied by more than 150 other ancient Chinese treasures sourced from museums and Shaanxi archaeological sites. Expect to rove your eyes over priceless gold, jade and bronze artefacts that date back more than 3000 years, charting China's artistry across the country's formative period. Looking to the present as well as the past, the NGV's winter season will also celebrate acclaimed Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang. His work is no stranger to Australia — in 2014, Brisbane's Gallery of Modern Art hosted its own showcase — however, his Melbourne exhibition will feature all new pieces. With Cai known for his large-scale installations, The Transient Landscapewill include 10,000 porcelain birds suspended in a spiral formation, in an artwork that links to The Terracotta Army. Specifically, it'll create a 3D version of a calligraphic drawing that depicts Mount Li, which is where Qin Shi Huang and his terracotta warriors were buried. Another of Cai's new works will feature a porcelain sculpture of peonies placed in the middle of a 360-degree gunpowder, with his entire show taking inspiration from Chinese culture and philosophy. The world-renowned talent will also help design Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality, making the two concurrent exhibitions as immersive as possible. 'Terracotta Warriors: Guardians of Immortality' and 'Cai Guo-Qiang: The Transient Landscape' will exhibit as part of the NGV International's Melbourne Winter Masterpieces presentation, running from May 24 to October 13, 2019. For further details or to buy tickets, visit the NGV website. Exhibition images: Sean Fennessy and Tobias Titz photography. Images: The terracotta army, Qin dynasty (221-206 BCE), Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum, Xi'an.
For any Aussie pop-rock band, nabbing a gig in the nation's most sacred temple of opera — the Joan Sutherland Theatre – is an achievement of Goliath-ic proportions. Cloud Control pulled it off in 2013. And now The Preatures are warming up for their Sydney Opera House debut as part of Vivid LIVE. We've surely got the Fleetwood Mac meets INXS vibe of their breakout single 'Is This How You Feel?' to thank. Over the past year, these five Sydneysiders been taking it and the rest of their first album, Blue Planet Eyes, all over the world. Catch them on May 27 at 7pm at the House, maybe stop into the Deep Purple Pool Hall before the show. Tickets are selling out quicker than Izzi Manfredi runs around the stage during a live set. For now, check out The Preatures in a somewhat smaller arena, Bondi Bowling Club, in their video for 'Somebody's Talking' below.
There's a good reason that nearly every tour of Europe stops in Dubrovnik — the city is bloody beautiful. Inside the medieval walls of the Old Town, you almost feel as though you're wandering through a movie set (albeit a sweaty one with a lot of stairs). You can (and should) do the main attractions anyone who's been on a eight-day sailing tour of Croatia can tell you to do — walk around the city walls, have a drink on the cliffs outside the city walls at Buza bar I or II, do a Game of Thrones tour — but there's plenty of ways to do Dubrovnik your own way. We've compiled a list of the best ways to spend your time in the seaside Croatian city to make sure your visit is an unforgettable one. If you've been thinking about booking that European holiday, do it now. Swapping your Australian winter for a European summer is a great way to make your 2017 something to look forward to. In partnership with Topdeck, here is the first instalment of our Less Obvious city guides. Episode two: Dubrovnik. DRINK DINGAC AT D'VINO Unlike France or Italy, you never really hear anyone going on about Croatia's wine — but you should. This little country produces some killer drops, most notably on the Pelješac Peninsula, which just about an hour and a half north of Dubrovnik. Ask anyone who knows even the tiniest bit about wine, and they'll tell you to try some Dingač. Repeatedly. Dingač is the wine region, but generally they're talking about the much-lauded red wine variety Plavac Mali. Best place to try some of the stuff is at D'Vino in the Old Town. You can sit on the stairs, order a cheese platter and try the wine with a Dingač tasting paddle. SWIM IN A HUGE CLEAR BLUE LAKE For this one you'll have to take the ferry over to the island of Mjlet, which takes about an hour and a half. We promise it will take to you the most godly, most serene of waters. A huge chunk of Mljet is taken up by a national park, which includes two lakes. Veliko and Malo Jezero (literally meaning Large and Small Lake) both have incredibly clear blue water which you will definitely want to float around in until infinity. To get there, get the ferry to Polače (not Sobra — it's a big island), buy a ticket to enter the national park, grab a map and hike over to the lake. Once you've made it, you'll probably want to jump into the ridiculously blue water ASAP. Then you can wander around the lake, stopping at suitable nooks to rest under shade and take a dip wherever you please. This one is a day trip, as there's only one ferry (the Nona Ana) in the morning, and one in the afternoon. The timetable is here, but you can only buy tickets at the dock, so best to get there at least half an hour before the ferry departs to do so. SHOOT HOOPS WITH A VIEW OF THE OLD CITY Why pay to walk the city walls when you can shoot hoops from practically the same vantage point? Anyone can wander into this rooftop court — although it's oddly shaped and not at all a regulation-sized basketball court, so you won't be able to hold official competitions. There is, however, a sorta hidden entrance to the Gornji Ugao Tower, a restored medieval fort inside the city walls from the 15th century. EAT CROATIAN BARBECUE ON A ROOFTOP TERRACE If this place existed in Australia, it would get mad hype. It's not trendy by any means, but it's got all the makings of an inner city success: a rooftop, a barbecue and wine by the carafe. They cook basically everything on the charcoal grill here, which (happily for your nose) is located on the open air rooftop terrace overlooking the city you will be dining in. You can't go wrong with seafood, but it's worth trying their ćevapi, which is a minced meat morsel not unlike kofta. There's some epic queues at dinnertime, so it's best to get there really early or really late. Also, the best bit: it's called Lady Pi-Pi because there's a sculpture of a boss lady peeing out the front. See above. [caption id="attachment_590356" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Image: Peter Northall.[/caption] LEARN SOME VITAL LOCAL HISTORY AT THE WAR PHOTO MUSUEM Your lack of knowledge about Yugoslav history will probably never be more apparent than when you visit Dubrovnik. The city still lives with a vivid memory of the Yugoslav People's Army's two-month siege on the city — it only happened in 1991. The best place to get a sense of what happened is to visit War Photo Limited. Their permanent collection includes images of Dubrovnik under siege as well as iconic work from photojournalists covering the breakdown of Yugoslavia and the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. EAT A BREAKFAST BUREK ON THE ROCKS Look, not all burek were created equal — but pretty much all were created insanely delicious and that's all we need to know. Basically every second person is walking around Dubrovnik eating a burek out of a paper bag, and you should definitely be one of them. Best is the breakfast burek (which is only differentiated from lunch and dinner burek by time of day, not contents) because you get to eat cheese encased in pastry and it's a legitimate breakfast. Buy one (or two) from literally anywhere and walk it out of Ploče Gate and down some stone stairs to eat it on the rocks as the sun comes up. TAKE A DIP AT DANCE While our idea of a beach is one with sand, Croatians apply the definition to basically any bit of coastline you can hop into the water from. Dubrovnik's 'beaches' therefore aren't necessarily known as being amazing, but when the temperature rises and the Old Town becomes a hot, sweaty mess, you'll definitely want to find one. Avoid Banje Beach (it's overcrowded and run by a beach club meaning you have to pay for a chair), and head out of Pile gate to fine Danče beach. It's quiet, traversed mostly by locals and has rocks and slabs of concrete so you can lie down and soak up the Croatian sun. Visit Europe (including Dubrovnik) with a Topdeck trip and make 2017 a year to remember. Book early (that means now) and save up to $999. Top Image: Juan Carlos De Martin via Flickr.
Need a bit of a break and love your music? Sure you could leave it all behind and head up to Splendour, if you were lucky enough to get tickets. You didn't? Why not look a little further afield for your music festival fix? Festival season is about to kick into action in the Northern Hemisphere. With a plane ticket in your hand, you need never quit the dancefloor. Take a coffee break and take a scroll through some of the world's most incredible music festivals. We've teamed up with NESCAFÉ to help you take the desk break you, as a hardworking human being, deserve. They're events we'd nab an airfare for just for the festival itself — from big name-driven classics like Glastonbury to boutique gatherings in extraordinary settings, like Japan's mountaintop festival The Labyrinth. The lineups are a bonus. [caption id="attachment_569154" align="alignnone" width="1280"] littlebreadtoast.[/caption] PRIMAVERA SOUND, BARCELONA, SPAIN If you were championing Courtney Barnett before anyone else was listening and spend more than your fair share of hours searching YouTube for undiscovered artists, you'll love Primavera Sound. Just a few of the acts to have made their Spanish festival debut here are LCD Soundsystem, Franz Ferdinand, Wilco, Arcade Fire and Bon Iver. Primavera is all about giving stages to indie and alternative music. When the show's over, hang around for a few days at least to explore Barcelona's winding alleyways, sparkling coastline and late, late (lockout free!) nightlife. This year, Primavera's scheduled for June 1-5. [caption id="attachment_569179" align="alignnone" width="1280"] The Labyrinth.[/caption] THE LABYRINTH, JAPAN Lovers of mountains and electronica, add this one to your bucket list. Held among the spectacular peaks of Japan's Niigata Prefecture, The Labyrinth is famous for its amazing surroundings, as well as its hours and hours of uninterrupted music. DJ sets run back-to-back, so you'll have to bring a deckchair to catch your breath. Acts to have made previous lineups include Peter van Hoesen, Donato Dozzy, Svreca and Petar Dundov. The only catch is that only 5 percent of tickets are sold outside Japan, so you need to get smart to get hold of one. Labyrinth 2016 is yet to be announced, but you can expect it to happen in September. [caption id="attachment_569170" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Love International.[/caption] LOVE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL, CROATIA Started in 2006 as Garden Festival, this event has morphed into the Love International Festival. Lesser known than many listings here, it's a week-long, boutique affair, set in a magical garden in Tisno, Croatia, right on the edge of the Adriatic Sea. In fact, there's even a private beach, so you can cool off after sweating it out on the dancefloor. You have a choice of six stages, including one on the sand, one in an olive grove and two on wooden boats. The program is mainly electronica, with a smattering of live acts. Get to Love International 2016 between June 29 and July 5. [caption id="attachment_569144" align="alignnone" width="1280"] SXSW.[/caption] SXSW (SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST), AUSTIN Back when Bob Hawke was Prime Minister and shoulder pads were boss (we're talking 1986), a bunch of music-loving folks in Austin, Texas, got together to talk about the future. What bothered them most was that so many stupendously talented local musicians were struggling to attract interstate — let alone international — attention. So, they decided that if Austin couldn't get to the world, they'd bring the world to Austin. And in 1987, the first ever South by Southwest Festival was held. 29 years on, the event is one of the planet's most influential tastemaking music happenings, featuring more than 2000 acts, 200+ workshops and over 100 stages. The 30th edition is programmed for 10-19 March, 2017. INTO THE VALLEY, SWEDEN Sweden's Into the Valley might be the only festival in the world held in a limestone quarry, which was formed by a meteorite. Not only does such a setting make for infinite Instagramming opportunities, it's also means cracking acoustics. The organisers get the best out of both, with a solid house and electronic lineup booming through super powerful sound systems, as well as fantastical light shows. Plus, there's a brilliant, turquoise swimming hole. Into the Valley takes place in Rättvik, 280 kilometres north of Stockholm. This year, it'll be on July 29-31. [caption id="attachment_569150" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Douglas Mason/Jazz Fest.[/caption] NEW ORLEANS JAZZ AND HERITAGE FESTIVAL, LOUISIANA Jazz makes up just one chunk of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (aka Jazz Fest). You can also count on blues, soul, R&B, rock, Latin, rap, country and bluegrass. Take 2016's program, for example — it's spearheaded by Stevie Wonder, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Neil Young and Snoop Dogg. Running for eight days, the extravaganza takes over New Orleans' every nook and cranny. To keep you fuelled up between sets, there are more than 70 food stalls, serving up soulful nosh — from crab po' boys and boiled crawfish to fried green tomatoes and oyster patties. 2016's Jazz Fest is running April 22 - May 1. [caption id="attachment_569167" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Meadows in the Mountains.[/caption] MEADOWS IN THE MOUNTAINS, BULGARIA If smaller crowds are more your thing, book a ticket to Bulgaria's Meadows in the Mountains. Set high in the Rhodopes Mountains, this four-day festival offers a blend of live acts and DJs — and loads of time to settle into a hammock and relax. There's also a dedicated 'healing field', where you can partake in yoga lessons, meditation sessions, tantra workshops, cacao ceremonies, sound baths and wholesome food. Stay in a genuine Bulgarian rustic mountain hut or a teepee or carry your own tent with you. Meadows in the Mountains 2016 is on June 10-13. [caption id="attachment_569168" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Nat Urazmetova.[/caption] GLASTONBURY, UK Should Byron Bay's Bluesfest fail to deliver your annual quota of mud, you can always try again at Glastonbury. Held every June on a farm in Somerset, this legendary event often cops a good ol' British deluge — but that only doubles the fun. What's more, if you've just hit sunny Primavera, it's a refreshing sequel. Glastonbury's lineup is always littered with massive names — this year, Muse, Adele, Coldplay, Disclosure, PJ Harvey make up just a sprinkling of them. Needless to say, the tough bit is getting your mitts on a ticket — they sell out faster than Usain Bolt can smash 100 metres. Glastonbury 2016 is coming up June 22-26. [caption id="attachment_569176" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Matias Garabedian.[/caption] MONTREAL JAZZ FESTIVAL, CANADA After Glastonbury and a couple of days at Love International, jump the Atlantic for a change of scene. Like New Orleans Jazz Fest, the Montreal Jazz Festival isn't only about jazz, but also covers its close musical relatives. 2016 headliners include Rufus Wainwright, Ben Harper and Noel Gallagher, alongside jazz stars like Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea and Christian McBride. All in all, you can prepare to see 3000 musicians, representing more than 30 nations, across 650 shows (of which 450 are outdoors and free!). The 35th Montreal Jazz Festival is on June 29 - July 9 2016. [caption id="attachment_568795" align="alignnone" width="1280"] Geoff Stearns.[/caption] BURNING MAN, NEVADA Each year, as the Northern Hemisphere's summer draws to a close, tens and thousands of people gather in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, to take part in Burning Man. It's the only festival on this list to create itself as it happens. In other words, all attendees are participants — rather than followers of a neatly organised, timetabled plan. Over the course of seven days, they build art installations, themed camps, mutant vehicles and performances, thereby creating a temporal and ever-changing metropolis named Black Rock City, which vanishes when the event finishes. If you're travelling solo, you can hook up with others by volunteering. Burning Man 2016 is on August 28 - September 5 (and you'd better go soon before Silicon Valley suits eat it up. Top image: The Labyrinth.
In the latest trend of booze-fuelled yoga, Handpicked Wines is bringing two yoga teachers into their cellar door for a yoga and wine pairing. The event will run every Saturday of Aussie Wine Month, with a one-hour yoga class followed by a half-hour wine tasting with a Handpicked sommelier. Teachers Nicole Lee and Emmie Rae are focused on strengthening mind, body and spirit in a class mixing a healthy workout with meditation and breathing exercises. The exclusive classes are limited to ten people per class, so be sure to purchase tickets in advance and don't forget to bring your yoga mat.
Mosman locals may have noticed the newspaper covering the neighbourhood's Salt Meats Cheese. Never fear, the former deli will reopen next Friday, June 2 as a restaurant and pizzeria with a fully redesign fitout and menu to boot. While Italian-style pizza has been a feature since opening their Alexandria original, the brand's conversion toward pizzeria has continued to expand with the more recent openings of Salt Meats Cheese Broadway and Drummoyne, both of which have had more of a restaurant focus since launching. The brand isn't exclusively repositioning in the restaurant direction, though, and is more tailoring their stores to the local market. In the case of Mosman, the team received feedback from locals that a pizzeria with a family-friendly vibe was more in line with what they are after. So, that's exactly what co-founder Edoardo Perlo has created — in the classic, "if you build it, they will come", Field of Dreams fashion. The existing high seating has been replaced with low tile-top tables to create a casual dining room rather than a delicatessen layout. They'll be hand-tossing up their signature pizzas from a newly installed oven, with the menu including fan favourites like the truffle mushroom ($23) and classic buffalo mozzarella ($17). The pizzas will be accompanied by a selection of entrées, antipasto, salads, pastas and sides — think saffron and provolone arancini ($14), sausage and mushroom lasagne ($17), a salumi board with house-made focaccia ($23) and truffle fries ($9.50). A special pasta and pizza kids menu will also be on offer, further catering to the family feels that seem to suit the local Mosman clientele. The bar has also been given a refurb, featuring a partnership with Regal Rogue, Australia's first native vermouth, who are bringing a series of spritzes to the cocktail menu — including elderflower tonic, ginger beer and bitter lemon varieties ($13 each). The drinks menu will also include Italian and Australian beers, wines and cocktails, so adults can enjoy a drink or two whether or not they're with family. Salt Meats Cheese Mosman will reopen on June 2 at 3/803 Military Road, Mosman; open Monday through Friday from 5pm to 10pm and Saturday through Sunday from 11am to 10pm.
As difficult as is it to name more than a handful of sequels that improve upon their predecessor, it's almost impossible to name a trilogy that gets progressively better from the first film to the third. After much contemplation, only two contenders spring to mind: Richard Linklater's Before trilogy, and Disney Pixar's Toy Story – each of which began from an incredibly strong position and yet somehow built upon and enriched each subsequent experience rather than draw out, repeat or simply ruin that which came before. Now, however, we can add a third series to the list. Beginning in 2011 with Rise of the Planet of the Apes and followed up by Dawn of the Planet of the Apes three years later, this remarkable and consistently surprising franchise has saved its best entry until last with the thoughtful and deeply moving third installment: War for the Planet of the Apes. And it is a war film, although not in the conventional sense. With soldiers' helmets emblazoned with slogans like 'Bye Bye Bonzo' and 'Monkey Killer', there's a definite Full Metal Jacket vibe among the human characters. Yet this is a war film more in the vein of Terrence Malick's The Thin Red Line. Emphasising visuals over dialogue and backed by a sumptuous orchestral score, the movie largely eschews combat sequences in favour of exploring internal conflicts, as well as the absurdity of observing 'rules' to govern the means by which two peoples might slaughter one another. It is at once a summer blockbuster and a poignant tragedy, which is no mean feat given it involves machine-gun wielding apes that can talk and ride on horseback. There's not a moment in this film, from the opening frame to the last, where you question what you're seeing. The very name for what makes that possible, 'special effects', seems entirely insufficient to capture the extraordinary wizardry at play here. Pile all the transforming robots and world-destroying aliens together and you'll still get nothing as remotely impressive as what writer-director Matt Reeves and his team have delivered with this film. "My god, your eyes, they're almost human" exclaims Woody Harrelson's antagonist. Whatever flaw he sees, the audience cannot. These apes aren't simply special effects; they're characters, as real and as complex as any human standing opposite or beside them on screen. This brings us to Andy 'Who Needs A Face To Act?' Serkis. Truly, the man could play a dilapidated gate on an abandoned farm and still imbue it with more pathos than most of his contemporaries. To say he's overdue for an Oscar is an entirely overplayed record, but until it happens or he stops turning in performances of such astounding nuance and tenderness, we'll keep on resetting the needle. Alongside his fellow motion-cap actors Terry Notary, Karen Konoval and Michael Adamthwaite, Serkis's Caesar is the heart of the film. He's the reluctant general; a gentle soul whose only reason for fighting is to save his fellow apes and family from extinction. Like Pacino's Michael Corleone in Godfather Part III, Caesar's efforts to secure peace instead find him drawn further into darkness, imperilling those he loves and condemning his own soul to ruin. On the human front, each film in the Apes trilogy has featured fewer than the one before it, and in War there are only two of note: Harrelson's ruthless Colonel and an orphaned girl named Nova played by the captivating Amiah Miller. They are, in many ways, the best and the worst of us – tormentors and saviours whose interactions with Caesar shape his every decision throughout the film. We are unquestionably compelled to side with the apes in this, the final stage of the trilogy, which is an intriguing sensation given we're barracking for the very creatures responsible for wiping us out. Again, it's down to the remarkable work of the team behind the film, whose storytelling and performances have given us a Shakespearean tale full of heartache, betrayal, courage and redemption. War for the Planet of the Apes is an instant classic and a fine conclusion to a spectacular saga. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDcAlo8i2y8
