When it comes to short-lived pop-up outlets, they're aren't really any official rules. Yet it seems that Poepke must be breaking a few with their Archives pop-up this May. Firstly, the Paddington boutique plans to host the temporary vendor within the four walls of their existing store. "Does that even count as a pop-up?" I hear you cry. "Isn't it just like having the same store, but with a different name?" Well, not quite, since part of the deal is that they'll be selling your stuff for you. That's right, you can submit items for consideration before Sunday, May 12 (dry cleaned, of course), from labels Peopke has carried or is currently carrying. Then they'll sell them on a consignment basis, and you'll pocket the cash. It's like a giant community garage sale, but instead of scoffing neighbours pretending they're from Antiques Roadshow, they'll just be other Poepke fans hungry for that silk shawl you snapped up last winter. It's part op-shop, part stocktake sale, part elusive event. Whatever it actually is, you'll be able to turn up and nab both unworn and pre-loved clothes, shoes and accessories. The pop-up opens on Thursday, May 16, and will continue running over the coming months.
Two beloved venues will join forces on Sunday, February 11, for a one-time event called Ciao Chez (which hilariously translates to 'the home of hi') at our favourite pub in Sydney, The Cricketers Arms in Surry Hills. The boozer's excellent upstairs dining room Chez Crix is welcoming into its kitchen Fabbrica Pasta Shop's head chef Tom Cleland for a delicious lunchtime sesh starring Fabbrica's superb hand-rolled pasta, ricotta-stuffed zucchini flowers and hazelnut tiramisu. DJs will set the mood and, naturally, there will also be very good wine from the Crix's ever changing, always exciting wine list. Walk-ins will be welcome for the downstairs tables but to grab a seat in the dining room we recommend you book immediately. [caption id="attachment_888590" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Fabbrica pasta, Nikki To[/caption] Pasta image by Nikki To for Buffet Digital.
Australia’s leading documentary photography festival, Reportage, have joined forces with Vivid Sydney this May. Developed from impromptu snapshot exchanges in a Bondi apartment, Reportage is now gaining exposure as a national and global photography event worthy of focus. In a flash, it seems, the depth of the photographers fielded at the festival has zoomed to dizzying heights. Shutterbugs such as distinguished Magnum photographer Alex Webb (USA), Contact Press co-founder David Burnett (USA) and Italian camera-king Franceso Zizola (co-founder of NOOR Agency in Amsterdam and 10B Photography in Rome) will grace Sydney with their pictorial prestige for the duration of the snapfest. Reportage will debut works by these (and over fifty other) photographers through large-scale outdoor projections and indoor exhibitions around Sydney from May 25 to June 13. With themes ranging from Cuba to Bob Marley, to the American Presidents and to Peace, Reportage 2013 will inspire tears, laughter, deep thought and people scratching their chin as they pretend to be in deep thought. If that doesn’t make your shutter flutter, though, perhaps the next paragraph will. For their 11th season, with the power of Vivid behind them, the festival will feature intimate workshops, insightful talks and open Q&As for the closet Canon kid and the professional paparazzo alike. In fact, if you’ve never even taken an auto-everythinged snapshot on a friend’s DSLR, Reportage has opened up these free (and ticketed) events to anyone interested in social issues as explored through visual narrative. Title Image: ©Alex Webb, Bombay, India, 1981 from 'The Suffering of Light'
Fast and furious, wet and wild. No, it’s not an ad for a summer roller-coaster ride; it’s the frantic dash in a 12m-long painted boat known as the Dragon Boat Races. Dating back 2000 years, the race was traditionally held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month of the Chinese Calendar to encourage rains for prosperity — the dragon, the symbol of water, was the object of worship for the ancient Chinese. Today, it’s a heart-thumping sport boasting crews of roughly 20 rowers. Grab a waterside seat and watch some of Sydney’s best dragon boat teams battle it out in this highly competitive, thrilling sport.
Synth-driven Sydney duo Bag Raiders cut their club teeth remixing the likes of Cut Copy, Midnight Juggernauts, Kid Sister and Lost Valentinos and, after blasting to widespread acclaim on the back of their production debut in 2007, signed to the legendary Modular records. They have been successfully storming the airwaves ever since. Their still-golden single Shooting Stars cracked 2009's Triple J Hottest 100 and their debut self-titled record was nominated for the 2010 J-Award for Australian Album of the Year. Their self-titled album blends choppy synthesizers, chant-out-loud choruses, blissful filter gems and no-holds barred Hacienda house into a seductive electro pop cocktail. There's more vocal work than in the duos early instrumental releases, including guest spots by Dan Black (Sunlight) and Gisselle Rosselli (Crave You). The record features possibly the only pan-flute club track ever made. Currently in the midst of a sixteen date Australian tour, Bag Raiders take their keyboards, drum-kits, laptops and decks to The Forum this Saturday. Renowned for their remixes and live shows, Bag Raiders were a massive highlight of Harbourlife last year and promise to deliver a panoramic show full of juicy high-tech sweetness. The eighties promised us this would be the future, and they were right. https://youtube.com/watch?v=SMyQg2mQaP0
Sneak in a Sydney Writers' Festival fix before the official launch of the 2011 program on April 1 with an exceptional double bill: Andrew O'Hagan and Annie Proulx. Booker Prize nominated O'Hagan's new novel is the 'memoir' of the Maltese terrier owned by Marilyn Monroe — intrigued yet? — and Pulitzer Prize winner Proulx has written Bird Cloud, a personal study of the stories that comprise a life. Both authors are concerned with genealogies of family or place and the relationship between memory and physical space. O'Hagan insists that The Life and Opinions of Maf the Dog, and of His Friend Marilyn Monroe is not just an act of canine ventriloquism, but a study of modern celebrity and of the American century. Proulx's memoir of building a "poemlike" house examines coolly her own peripatetic nature and the rich history of the Wyoming wetlands and prairie. Turn your mind inward and your ears outward as two brilliant minds discuss our obsessive search for a place in the world on March 10.
The huge clock in front of the Dymocks store chimes into your conversation with a barista to tell you it's almost 9am. The cracked concrete yawns; girders and glass shudder into the waterside. Each deep insuck of the morning swell sends fleshy seaweed seething into view. The water taxis wallow under the weight of office workers; building walls smell of creosote and ants. This is the city that Mark Haslam is talking about — a place of noise and dirt and extraordinary power. A place with a Concrete Heartbeat; a unique rhythm and energy. It could be any city across the world; its name is unimportant. At the Old Fitzroy Theatre, the stage is bare save for some milk crates lightly daubed with paint. Mark Haslam sways in front of a microphone, weighing up his audience. He throws a long weighty loop of words over us, somehow saved to rhythmic subliminal disc. During Concrete Heartbeat, Haslam takes on the identity of eight different city dwellers. He portrays a cubicle worker and a city worker in Def Jam style with equal panache. His deft exploration of urban dwelling, with all its challenges, pleasures and angst, is blended with a bunch of cut up breaks and hip hop beats. Blackly cynical but ultimately redemptive stories reverberate through the intimate space of the Old Fitzroy; the frieze of images emphasises the dynamism of the performance. Somebody who bears heartfelt witness to the symbiotic relationship between people and the city that, without them, is merely concrete and glass is worth checking out. Take the pulse of our urban precinct and play with the possibilities of being an urban individual at the Old Fitzroy Theatre.
The CBD has been given an energising refresh this summer thanks to Sunset Piazza, the pop-up concert series that's transformed Cathedral Square into an outdoor cultural hub. Showcasing artists across cabaret, hip hop, comedy and opera — and located right opposite Hyde Park — the temporary gig space is where you can catch performances from both new and seasoned acts this season. February's lineup has proved popular, with many gigs already sold out. Luckily, Sunset Piazza has just announced some last-minute summer gigs, including a comedy gala on February 26. For March, you can now nab tickets to see the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Choir who are kicking off the Mardi Gras festivities on Friday, March 5; local singer-songwriter Ruby Fields on March 6; the ever-popular Winston Surfshirt on March 13; a mash-up of musical numbers by way of Hayes Theatre Co on March 14; and Josh Pyke on March 18. Be sure to arrive early, too, so you can tuck into some cannoli and sip on a spritz as local DJs settle you into the Italian-themed event under balmy evening skies. Of course, there's the global pandemic to be mindful, so expect COVID-safe practises to be in place. Then, keep the good times going by hitting up local bars or late-night restaurants. Keen to really make a night of it? Book yourself in for a well-deserved staycation at one of the many top hotels around town. For the full lineup — and to secure your spot — check the Sunset Piazza website. For further Sydney CBD inspiration visit whatson.sydney/rediscover, or head over to www.sydney.com.
Tucked away in the south-west of Spain, Marco de Jerez is a bustling wine region that fosters some of the world's most exciting winemakers. Traditionally a sherry region, the region has seen a new wave of boundary-pushing winemakers emerge in the past few years. Sydney's vibrant new Spanish and Catalonian wine bar La Salut is honouring the wave of innovative wines with a night dedicated to Marco de Jerez. The night will consist of 12 tasty Andalusian and Catalonian-inspired dishes from the La Salut kitchen paired with 12 of the best drops from the region. The La Salut team has enlisted the help of Scott Wasley of local wine importer The Spanish Acquisition to run you through each of the wines you'll be trying throughout the night. The organisation has been importing Spanish and Portuguese wines and spirits since 2001 so you best believe Wasley knows what he's talking about. Kicking off the night will be Andalusian vermouth paired with paleta iberica and fresh-baked pan de cristal from Fabbrica Pasta Shop. From there the array of wines will include orange palomino, magnums of fino and an amber fortified nightcap just to name a few. Accompanying these top-notch wines will be dishes like Sydney rock oysters, mussel and guindillas toast and La Salute's fan favourite octopus. The dinner kicks off at 6.30pm and will set you back $195 which includes all of the evening's drinks and all accompanying food. To reserve your place, book a spot at La Salut's website. Images: Nikki To
A sense of nostalgia runs deep in Tracey Moffatt’s Plantation and Other exhibition at Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery. Hand painted in technicolour hues, the vintage-looking diptychs of burning sugar cane and stilted houses conjure up the flavours of the Deep South, despite being shot in Australia’s own sunshine state, Queensland. Moffatt, who took the pictures about 13 years ago, originally discounted the shots for their simplicity and directness, but upon discovering them again knew there was a mysterious story there she could work with. In conjunction with the show is a video collaboration by Moffatt and Gary Hillberg, titled Other. It’s a roller-coaster of a ride and you’ll struggle to guess all the movies in the montage; it’s well worth it for the explosive finale.
Be one of the first to hear Sarah Blasko's fifth album, Eternal Return. On Sunday, October 11, in the Opera House's Concert Hall, she'll be performing the entire record live — before its release. The performance is a commission arranged as part of Graphic 2015 and will feature exclusive visuals created by filmmaker Mike Daly (Griffin Theatre Company, Ballet de Lorraine). It's ten years since Blasko first made airwaves with The Overture & The Underscore. Since then, she's been a relentlessly creative force on the Australian music scene — from launching I Awake at the Opera House accompanied by a full orchestra to collaborating on soundtracks for the likes of Brendan Cowell and the Sydney Dance Company, and recording albums in the US, Sweden and Bulgaria. More recently, she's been spending time here at home, working with producer Burke Reid (Courtney Barnett, Seekae), to create Eternal Return. It's set for release on Friday, November 6.
Edgar Wright must own a killer record collection. Weaving the perfect playlists into his films has ranked high among the British writer/director's trademarks ever since he made such a horror-comedy splash with Shaun of the Dead, and his own love of music is frequently mirrored by his protagonists, too. This is the filmmaker who set a zombie-killing scene to Queen's 'Don't Stop Me Now', and had characters wield vinyl as weapons. He made zoning out the world via iPod — and teeing up exactly the right track for the right moment — a key trait of Baby Driver's eponymous getaway driver. Earlier in 2021, Wright also turned his avid fandom for Sparks into his delightful first documentary The Sparks Brothers, because wearing his love for his favourite songs on his sleeves infiltrates everything he makes. So, the fact that his second film of this year is about a giddy devotee of 60s tunes really doesn't come as the slightest surprise. Last Night in Soho takes its name from an era-appropriate song that gets a spin in the film, naturally. It boasts a cleverly compiled soundtrack teeming with hits from the period, and has one of its central figures — called Sandie, like singer Sandie Shaw, who croons '(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me' on that very soundtrack — seek chanteuse stardom. As Wright is known to do, his latest movie also sports sequences that could double as music videos, and possesses a supple sense of rhythm that makes his picture virtually dance across the screen. It's a feature shaped by music, made better by music, and that recognises that music can make anyone feel like they can do anything. A partly swinging 60s-set thriller that adores the giallo films of the time with equal passion, it also flits between a cinematic banger on par with the glorious tracks it peppers throughout and the movie equivalent of a routine needle drop. Cilla Black, Petula Clark, Dusty Springfield: these are the kind of talents that Eloise (Thomasin McKenzie, The Power of the Dog) can't get enough of, even though she's a Gen Z aspiring fashion designer; they're also the type of stars that aforementioned blonde bombshell Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy, The Queen's Gambit) wants to follow onto London's stages. Last Night in Soho starts with its wannabe fashionista, who's first seen donning her own 60s-inspired designs in her Cornwall bedroom that's plastered with posters and pictures from the period, and also dancing to 'Peter & Gordon's 1964 track 'A World Without Love'. Soon, Eloise is off to college in the big and, hopefully, working towards the fashion world. Then she meets Sandie, but only in her dreams. Actually, as she slumbers, she becomes Sandie — and navigates her chiffon-adorned quest for stardom, her breathy 'Downtown' covers and her thorny relationship with slippery bar manager Jack (Matt Smith, Official Secrets). Some of Last Night in Soho's most dazzling scenes play with these doppelgänger characters, and with the time-travelling dreamscape where they both exist, as if Wright is helming a musical. The choreography — both by McKenzie and Taylor-Joy, playing chalk-and-cheese roles, and by the film's lithe and glossy cinematography — is stunning. The effect is mesmerising, as well as whip-smart in tapping into the feature's ongoing musing on identity. This is also a horror movie and a mystery, however, so exploring what's behind these nocturnal visions is the primary focus. As a mousy girl bullied by her roommate (Synnøve Karlsen, Medici) to the point of leaping into the too-good-to-be-true Soho attic studio leased by the cranky but obliging Ms Collins (Diana Rigg, Game of Thrones), it's easy to see why Eloise flees into her dreams. But the who, what, why and how of it all — when and were clearly being answered already — isn't as simple as pure retro escapism. Eloise and Wright must share another trait, other than being musicophiles: nostalgia for a time neither was alive to see. In charting Eloise's journey from growing up with her gran (Rita Tushingham, The Pale Horse) to being haunted by evening reveries that begin to infect her days, Wright packs Last Night in Soho with Quentin Tarantino-level references to pop culture of the era. The detail, cast, songs, fashion and borrowings from Italian horror cinema's giallo genre — including vivid colours, plenty of blood and a love of yellow hues, because that's what giallo translates as — all nod backwards cannily. Visually, the film is a lavish wonder, in fact; Chung Chung-hoon, who regularly lenses Park Chan-wook's work (see: Oldboy, Lady Vengeance, Thirst, Stoker and The Handmaiden) luxuriates in sights, spaces, textures, mirrors angles, spins and swoops. Wright doesn't shy away from the 60s' sleaze, either, or from nightmarish men, objectified women and the lack of sexual agency for the latter. Scripting with 1917 Oscar nominee Krysty Wilson-Cairns, he confronts the seedier side of the period he otherwise places on a pedestal — but his first film about female protagonists is plodding rather than bold in trying to spin a feminist story. Last Night in Soho's lurid, adrenaline-fuelled shimmy with psychological thrills is still engaging, and gorgeous. Its eagerness to takes cues from Mulholland Drive is ambitious, although trying to emulate David Lynch rarely suits anyone. Still, there's more than a whiff of "is that it?" — and of cliche — to how it all culminates. Even with its sensational sense of style, that underwhelming feeling might've invaded more of Last Night in Soho if Wright hadn't cast his leads so well. The 60s icons he's enlisted, including Rigg in her last role, Tushingham and Terence Stamp (Murder Mystery), all play their parts in the plot, but this is McKenzie and Taylor-Joy's show. Again, the scenes that pose the pair as reflections of each other in 60s nightclubs are spectacular. The performances they provide to match share other echoes, too; one initially innocent and wide-eyed, the other confident and determined at first, they find common ground in their characters' vulnerabilities. Life is definitely making Eloise and Sandie lonely, but as the women behind them linger where the neon signs are pretty, things can be great — for viewers, at least. Their efforts won't make audiences forget Last Night in Soho's troubles, but the film is so much brighter with them in it.
°SOUTH:WAR offers a sobering reflection of what war, in our day and age, has come to mean. Photographers Sean Flynn, Tim Page, Stephen Dupont, David Dare Parker, Jack Picone, Ben Bohane, Michael Coyne and Ashley Gilbertson make up the collective °SOUTH. Since the 1960s, they have been covering was and its effects first hand, often at their own risk. You get a sense of these photographers' tireless dedication to their subject (which must largely be very difficult to persevere with, while also being one that is educational and significant) in the images they make. These are expansive, confronting, at times poetic, and always honest.In my life, and that of many others, war and devastation is someone else's reality. We are fortunate to not know its nature, but for many this is not the case. These images, the photographers' work, show us that war is not as it once was, a distant fact of the battlefield, "now it is streets, alleyways, schools and places of worship" (°SOUTH).Image: Ashley Gilbertson, Polish Peace Keepers sunbathing, Karbala, Iraq, 2008
Gauchito Gil is Argentina's Robin Hood. As such, it seems fitting that Australia's own Malbec World Day has been borrowed from the South American country, where the majority of the world's malbec comes from. If this day is a donation from the grape god, it's one we're happy to accept. After a successful three years in Melbourne, Gauchito Gil is bringing Malbec World Day to Sydney with a five-hour wine bonanza at the National Art School's Cell Block Theatre on Saturday, April 23. The event comes from the organisers of the Pinot Palooza and Game of Rhones, and mirrors the free-reign tasting set up. Your $50 ticket will include a wine glass, and from there you'll be able to move around, sampling over 80 Australian and Argentine Malbec varietals. Other events have been known to get a little boozy, so to soak up all that wine, Porteño will be cooking up an epic Argentinian feast. Think empanadas, think asado, think yum. It really doesn't matter if you know everything there is about malbec or if you don't know much at all, because Malbec World Day is about education and celebration of the Argentine grape. And what better way to celebrate than with an bottomless glass of wine?
Since 1921, the annual Archibald Prize has given Australasian artists the opportunity to showcase their portraiture talents — painting notable members of the arts, political and scientific communities, from famous faces to lesser-known local legends. Thanks to this year's regional tour, you don't have to venture to the Prize's home the Art Gallery of NSW to see the exhibition because all the works are travelling around Australia, taking up residence at Museum of Art and Culture Lake Macquarie, yapang from April 8–May 21. [caption id="attachment_853908" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Winner Archibald Prize 2022, Blak Douglas. Moby Dickens, synthetic polymer paint on linen, 300 x 200 cm © the artist, image © AGNSW, Mim Stirling. Sitter: Karla Dickens.[/caption] The painting by 2022 winner, Blak Douglas (Sydney-based artist with Dhungatti heritage), will take centre stage with his portrait of Wiradjuri artist Karla Dickens who lives on Bundjalung Country in Lismore. The work makes reference to the disastrous floods that hit Northern NSW in early 2022. Among other Archibald highlights: a portrait of Skywhale artist Patricia Piccinini by Natasha Bieniek, Vincent Namatjira's self-portrait with a dingo, Felix von Dallwitz's portrait of Australian of the Year Dylan Alcott, Claus Stangl's 3D-style portrait of Taika Waititi, and Natasha Walsh's Dear Brett (the blue room), which references Brett Whiteley's 1976 Archibald-winning self-portrait. [caption id="attachment_852691" align="alignnone" width="1920"] Archibald Prize 2022 finalist, Vincent Namatjira, Self-portrait with dingo, acrylic on linen, 136.5 x 121.5 cm © the artist, image © AGNSW, Mim Stirling. Sitter: Vincent Namatjira (self-portrait).[/caption] This exhibition is a unique opportunity to see works from some of Australia's finest painters, each telling the story of a notable Australian doing something of significance within their community. It's also a great excuse to visit MAC yapang on the shore of Lake Macquarie — within the leafy surrounds of Sculpture Park. The Archibald Prize exhibition is just one of many high calibre shows and cultural events taking place up here. Head to Museum of Art and Culture Lake Macquarie, yapang from April 8–May 21 to see an eclectic collection of paintings that ranked at the top of 2022's Archibald Prize competition. Top image: Excerpt of winner Archibald Prize 2022, Blak Douglas. Moby Dickens, synthetic polymer paint on linen, 300 x 200 cm © the artist, image © AGNSW, Mim Stirling. Sitter: Karla Dickens.
If someone's trying to tell me to get a move on and they say "on your bike", I feel like popping them one to the jaw. However, if the bike on offer were an Original DM4 from Deus Ex Machina, I'd probably thank them kindly and be on my way. Those similarly reverent about nice bikes can get their fix (ha) at the 4th Deus Bicycle Swap Meet. There will be 10% off all cycle gear in the Deus store, as well as a lot of bike-related entertainment, trading and selling and a roller race.
The Australian Centre for Photography will be hosting two thought-provoking, colourful and daring exhibitions this autumn. On display from Saturday, March 1, until Sunday, May 18, S/M Wonderland and We Are Family are two free exhibitions you won't want to miss from the Oxford Street gallery. Curated by C. Moore Hardy, We Are Family is a series by emerging and established female artists Michele Aboud, Deborah Kelly, Annie Magdalena, r e a, The Twilight Girls and Waded. The works take a varied look at what family means today, challenging our understanding of the GLBTQI community and so-called traditional values. Sounds like somebody should send Cory Bernardi an invite, eh? Loosely based on Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland, Adam Geczy's S/M Wonderland is a video and photography installation that follows a curious girl through an alternative world. Inspired by the developments in music videos, fashion films and sex and gore cinema, Geczy challenges the perception that contemporary fine art is separate from other streams of pop culture.
There's a particular texture to Los Angeles after dark that suits stories of crime and self-interest to a tee. A desolate urban badland of freeways and fast food joints, there's this eeriness; this unnaturalness; this inescapable sense of menace; that seems to creep out of the concrete and set your nerves on edge. You can feel it in Michael Mann's Heat, or in Collateral a decade later. You can feel it in sections of Nicholas Winding Refn's Drive. And you can feel it in Nightcrawler, from writer-director Dan Gilroy, as it glides out of the darkness and seizes you by the throat. Always at his best when playing characters gripped by obsession — Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain, Robert Graysmith in Zodiac, or Detective David Loki in last year's masterful Prisoners — Jake Gyllenhaal is in career-best form as Lou Bloom, Gilroy's unsettled protagonist, and our tour guide through the sordid LA underbelly. Inspired after witnessing a car accident, Lou decides to carve out a career as a 'nightcrawler', videotaping crime scenes and selling them to a local TV station for broadcast on the 6am news. As a portrait of the ratings-driven news industry, Nightcrawler is scathing, and brutally unsubtle. "Think of our newscast as a screaming woman, running down the street with her throat cut." That's the advice of Nina (Rene Russo), Lou's tough-as-nails contact at Channel 6 News. The fact that LA crime stats are actually going down is of little concern to her. In fact if anything, it makes Lou's footage ever more valuable. Watching the two of them negotiate the price of video from a triple homicide scene is so sickeningly callous that you may find yourself driven to laugher. To that end, it's tempting to call Nightcrawler a satire; a pitch black comic exaggeration of reality. And yet you can't help but wonder just how exaggerated it really is. Likewise, it's frightening to consider whether or not people like Lou actually exist. In an era in which film producers and marketing executives stress 'likability' above everything else, Nightcrawler strides boldly in the other direction. It's hard to remember the last film featuring a protagonist as flat-out sociopathic as Mr. Bloom. Hell, even Travis Bickle had good intentions. Full of wisdom cribbed from online self-help guides, Lou's wide grin and friendly demeanour is a bad approximation of humanity; a mask that hides a monster incapable of compassion or remorse.
Art and fashion are coming together for a night of romance with the return of the MCA Australia's late-night takeover Artbar, on Friday, November 8, with a program of artworks, performances and music. This time, the theme is romance, curated by Australian fashion house Romance Was Born, and promises a night of boundary-pushing activations across all kinds of different mediums. [caption id="attachment_976087" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Charlie Villas and Nikita Majajas, Chakita, photograph: Liz Ham[/caption] Artbar has a vibrant history, and the lineup for this spring edition looks primed to continue the colourful track record. The soundscape will come from a few sources: there's multidisciplinary DJ Aunty Jonny, Melbourne-based singer-songwriter Montgomery and a love song dedication offering from musical duo Chakita. There'll also be live performances from two talents: there's the Archibald Prize-finalist performance poet Meagan Pelham, and a recognisable face for any RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under fans, US-born drag model and performer Hollywould Star. And since this is an art museum after all, you'll find textile and sculpture installations from artists Kate Rohde and Troy Emery. [caption id="attachment_976089" align="aligncenter" width="1920"] Troy Emery, photograph: Simon Strong[/caption] MCA Artbar: Romance is an 18+ event taking place on Friday, November 8, from 7–11pm. For more information or to get tickets, visit the website. This event is supported by the MCA's Major Patrons Chloe and Andrew Podgornik, and the Wheen Family Foundation. Header image: Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett, Romance Was Born, photograph: Tanja Bruckner
You know that feeling of unbridled joy and energy you get in the opening scene of The Lion King when you scream "Naaaants een-vwen-yaaaaaaa ma-ba-gee-chi-ba-va" (or some variation thereof) as baby Simba is hoisted up by Rafiki? That's why you should pay to see the Spice World: The Movie at the cinema. Even though you've seen it a million times, you have it on DVD and Blu-ray (for some reason), and on a USB drive that's permanently in the TV, you should still buy a ticket. The sheer thrill that you'll feel when a cinema full of adult women all scream "you gotta, you gotta, you gotta, you gotta SLAM SLAM SLAM SLAM" will be an experience like no other. The joy of sharing, nostalgia, sing-screaming, and choc tops are all rolled into one event for the 20th anniversary sing-a-long screening of Spice World. It all takes place at the Hayden Orpheum, so snap up a ticket while you can.
This two-member Melbourne band brings their brand of indie pop to all of Oz in their Vacation tour this month. Big Scary's album, named one of Richard Kingsmill's Top 10 Albums of 2011, debuted in a string of intimate sold-out performances but has yet to embark on a tour of this scale. "This will be the biggest national tour we've ever done," said lead singer Tom Iansek. We've been practicing hard and we're looking forward to taking the Vacation songs, and a smattering of even newer material on the road." Iansek and drummer Jo Syme will treat audiences to Vacation singles like 'Mix Tape', 'Gladiator' and 'Leaving Home'. You can expect much more, however, from these two; they've been dubbed one of Australia's "most exciting new bands" by Triple J Magazine. https://youtube.com/watch?v=HS3lQSOVEL8
Lead by Orange wine pioneer Philip Shaw himself, this family-owned and operated vineyard has been kicking goals and pouring wines since 1988. And over its 30 years, these wines have won a whole heap of awards. The cool-climate drops — including particularly tasty pinot noirs and chardonnays — are all sourced from the 47-hectare Koomooloo vineyard. A trip to the cellar door's bluestone barn is more akin to visiting a wealthy friend's country house than a bar. The building is distinguished by a stone exterior and interior, with large share tables for tastings and stunning mountain views. Nab a glass (or bottle) of the good stuff and sit by the fireplace, or out among the vines during warmer weather. For eats, there's the requisite nibbles like olives, and cheese and charcuterie boards ($30–35). For more substantial meals, book to come in during one of the cellar door's monthly woodfired pizza nights or regular chef dinners.
Australian superhero fans, your must-see movies over the next few years are going to look very familiar. You won't just spot parts of the Gold Coast and Brisbane in Marvel's Thor: Ragnarok, which is due in cinemas in October 2017 — come 2018, DC Comics' Aquaman will also boast plenty of Queensland scenery. What's good for a a hammer-wielding god is good for a water-dwelling hero, it seems (and, given that the Gold Coast has plenty of water parks, it certainly appears to be a great fit). Aquaman will start shooting in early 2017 at Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast and on location in south-east Queensland. As well as starring Game of Thrones' star and Port Adelaide AFL supporter Jason Momoa, Amber Heard (who we're guessing won't bring any pet pooches with her), Patrick Wilson and Willem Dafoe, it'll mark the homecoming of Saw, Insidious, The Conjuring and Fast & Furious 7 director James Wan. "This is another huge win for our local industry and testament to the international reputation of our people," said Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk. The Federal Government pledged to provide $22 million in tax breaks to entice the production to come to Australia. Indeed, it's shaping up to be a busy time for the local industry, with the just-renamed Pacific Rim: Uprising also resuming filming early in 2017, and the likes of Kong: Skull Island, The Shallows and San Andreas shooting on the Gold Coast in recent years. It's also a great time to be a comic book movie lover in Queensland. After trying to spot Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston running around Brisbane in 2016, superhero aficionados can explore all things Marvel at the Gallery of Modern Art's upcoming Marvel: Creating the Cinematic Universe exhibition come April, and then attempt to catch a glimpse of the next effort in the DC realm.
Texan rockers The Black Angels are bringing their psychedelic music Down Under, fresh off the back of releasing their fourth album, Indigo Meadow. The band that was instrumental in raising the profile of the genre along with heavyweights such as Black Rebel Motorcycle Club were here for Harvest Festival last year, and their fans have demanded a solo show, a cry The Black Angels somehow heard over their pulsating guitars and driving drums. The Velvet Underground-inspired band will be gracing The Enmore on June 15 with their cathartic style and will be supported by Australian rockers The Laurels and Zeahorse. If you are unfamiliar with the band, then take a listen to their most recent single, 'Don’t Play with Guns', which encapsulates their sound. It will be a kaleidoscopic evening that harks back to the much-hyped sound of a decade ago.
In Her's almost certainly near future, Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore Twombly — a gentle, retiring man who works at BeautifulHandwrittenLetters.com penning heartfelt correspondence between people he's never met. In his personal life, his wife (Rooney Mara) has left him and now communicates exclusively via their lawyers. In short, nobody really talks anymore. Then one day he buys and installs a new operating system called 'OS1' — an artificially intelligent construct that names herself, or rather itself, 'Samantha' (voiced to perfection by Scarlett Johansson). At first Samantha simply streamlines Theodore's life, triaging his emails and encouraging him to get out more, but gradually, as she evolves and learns more from their interactions, they begin to fall in love. It seems ridiculous, yes, but thanks to Spike Jonze's masterful script and direction, it never really feels it, and that's what makes HER the first must-see film of 2014. it is a beautiful, imaginative and provocative offering by Jonze that asks some fascinating questions about the direction love is taking in the technological age. Her is in cinemas on January 16, and thanks to Sony Pictures, we have ten double in-season passes to give away. To be in the running, subscribe to the Concrete Playground newsletter (if you haven't already), then email us with your name and address. Read our full review here. Sydney: win.sydney@concreteplayground.com.au Melbourne: win.melbourne@concreteplayground.com.au Brisbane: win.brisbane@concreteplayground.com.au https://youtube.com/watch?v=1awGTPsEmiU
Sydney's last bastion of the super club scene has been through a number of changes in recent years, including a brief flirtation with live indie music. Homeless is their latest offering, treading new ground for the venue and for the Sydney scene. Cleverly catering to the new, educated, left-inclined crowd but with the weight to pull big names, this could finally be an authentic alternative to Subbies. With Lucas Abela AKA Justice Yeldham at the controls, it's no surprise that the debut features such luminaries as No Moa Duramma, a side project of two members of experimental Japanese act the Boredoms, and Zach Hill, a member of Hella who also collaborates with Greg Saunier of Deerhoof, Kid 606 and members of Mars Volta (amongst others). A line up like this one entirely justifies venturing out on a school night.
The warmer months are prime time for weekend markets, with Watsons Bay Summer Market offering a more scenic backdrop to enjoy the sun than most. Held at Robertson Park on Sunday, February 9, you're invited to explore over 150 stalls with Sydney Harbour stretching into the distance. Expect incredible cuisine, fascinating shopping and all-round good times. Food is an undeniable highlight, with an eclectic mix of international cuisine ensuring you can load up on beloved flavours from around the globe. Get down for a Turkish gozleme, a Spanish paella, Vietnamese street food or stacked American barbecue goodness. Don't worry, desserts haven't been overlooked, with Dutch pancakes, Portuguese tarts and handmade gelato just some sweet delights on offer. Between bites to eat, roam a curated collection of local artisans specialising in handcrafted jewellery, designer homewares and sustainable fashion. There's every chance you find the perfect trinket to display at home or an adorable toy to gift your pet. For the kids, there are also a multitude of activities to keep them occupied, from face-painting and sand art to bubble blowing and carnival rides. "Markets like this provide a chance to shop differently – to meet the people behind the products, discover handmade items, and enjoy a relaxed, community vibe," says Madelienne Anderson, founder of Cambridge Markets. "It's all about enjoying the best of Sydney in a way that's fun and meaningful." Images: Jessica Nash.
The call to public action and its shadow, the docile mass of those who will not take part, echo daily in many regions and for many causes across the world. Drawing from these phenomena, 4A Centre for Contemporary Asian Art stages this weekend a continuous 48-hour exhibition of performance art and live actions from Australia, Asia and the Pacific. As a culmination of the five-month long Mass Group Incident curatorial program, 48 Hour Incident features works that the artists have created specifically for 4A. The over-arching context for this exhibition is, as offered by curators Pedro de Almeida, Toby Chapman and Aaron Seeto, "how ephemeral, interdisciplinary and performative artforms embody real social conditions or frictions". Artists participating in the exhibition include Brown Council's Frances Barrett, visual artist BLAK DOUGLAS, body-centred performance artist Latai Taumoepeau, installation artist JD Reforma, and artist-composer Samson Young. Across all of their disciplines, these and other artists point at the power of the individual to spark up a movement.
The Murray River flows right through the heart of Tocumwal, and 24 riverside beaches within close proximity to town ensure you can make the most of every sunny day. With this stretch of Australia's longest river lined with shady red gums and native bushland, there's a quiet patch of shoreline with your name on it. Right near Tocumwal Beach, Apex Beach is the perfect spot for swimming, kayaking and camping. Image: Visit Victoria
This inspired, elegant and artistic florist has been putting together beautiful bouquets and arrangements for more than 20 years. Flower arrangements are divided into categories including sculptural (think eye-catching arrangements with unique flower and color combinations); elegant (classic flowers that are perfect for anniversaries); and preserved (like bone white, dried-out hydrangeas). It also has an extensive range of indoor and outdoor palms and figs, plus potted orchids, which are perfect as a keepsake gift for the home. Image: Arvin Prem Kumar
Would you like the good news or the bad news? The bad news is that the deadline for creative types to enter their work into Lightbulb Lounge Room’s next exhibition has passed. But the good news (and who doesn’t like saving the best for last?) is that they’re opening their doors to the public once again come January 18. Hunt or be Hunted, the title of the North Bondi gallery’s second monthly collaborative exhibition, invited aspiring canvas-based painters, typographers, photographers, designers and illustrators to submit their work for display. Asked to center those works on the exhibition’s title, participants have created either literal interpretations — we’re thinking Robin Hood-inspired works, a hero gallivanting through the woods, that type of thing — or slightly more abstract ones. A pretty encouraging initiative, no? We think it’s wonderful. Even better, all contributing artists/designers are given the opportunity to eventually produce their own solo show at Lightbulb Lounge Room. And selected pieces work off a first come, first served basis so everybody is given a chance to go into the running. Image: Claire Perini
After the year we've had, some relaxation time is just what we all need. And while putting on a face mask or body scrub is a great way unwind, a good skin care routine — with natural, locally sourced and cruelty-free skincare products — can often be hard to come across or too expensive. Body Blendz is an Australian owned skincare company that produces vegan skincare products that are not tested on animals — and it's offering a huge discount on its whole range this week. Its selection of face masks and body scrubs are designed to improve circulation and reduce inflammation and blemishes on your skin. The brand's best seller is its range of coffee scrubs designed for full-body exfoliation. The coffee scrubs come in four varieties: coco luxe, sugar glow, coffee buff and vanilla blush. Up until Tuesday, December 29, you can pick up 30 percent off everything on the Body Blendz store. Just head online, select what you want and then enter the discount code 'END2020' at the checkout to receive the discount. FYI, this story includes some affiliate links. These don't influence any of our recommendations or content, but they may make us a small commission. For more info, see Concrete Playground's editorial policy.
"This interactive waterfall swing won’t make you wish you’re a kid again, it will make you forget you’re an adult,” wrote Techly earlier this year, after Dash 7 Design's Waterfall Swing made waves in Rockefeller Plaza and across the US and Europe. And we wouldn't be Concrete Playground if we didn't get a bit excited by a souped-up piece of play equipment in the middle of the city. Waterfall Swing sends you flying towards a curtain of water that, thanks to the work of sensors, parts just before you hit it. Magic.
Architecture in Helsinki are back, and set to make the folk at the Sydney Opera House dance through their shoes in their first headline tour in three years. To celebrate the release of their fourth album Moment Bends, the band who are renowned for live shows bursting with energy and sweaty fun are coming to Sydney to play exclusively as part of the lineup for Vivid Live. Architecture In Helsinki burst straight out of art school around a decade ago, with albums positively tingling with amazing indie pop songs and a slew of videos featuring trampolines, capes and creepy fluorescent puppets dancing around their necks. They've gone on to become one of Australia's most loved and internationally acclaimed acts, playing national and international tours alongside such luminaries as David Byrne, Belle & Sebastian and Yo La Tengo. Their new album develops the kind of ecstatic pop that makes you want to dance in a cloud of glitter, but with the kind of sophisticated touch that comes from many years of being one of Australia's most acclaimed and innovative bands. But at the end of the day, and most importantly, Architecture In Helsinki make you want to dance. So get your fluoro shirt out, stick something weird in your hair and get yourself a ticket while you can. https://youtube.com/watch?v=IxjcszKEcHE
Vivid Creative Sydney is all lined up for another year of spreading creative energy and inspiring the city. Presented as part of the Vivid Festival, Creative Sydney will see over 50 global and local creative leaders coming together to explore the power of creative industries to transform society. This year Creative Sydney is expanding to include more free sessions and for the first time a presence at the Sydney Opera House, as well as the Museum of Contemporary Art. The program includes short and snappy show and tell presentations, in depth conversation sessions on education, innovation and technology, and creative futures, where artists and entrepreneurs present their vision of the ideas that will shape society in the future. As well as an awesome line-up of speakers, there will also be a range of live music showcases, debates, film screenings, parties and social events. Key speakers include Matthew Stinchcomb, EU director of Etsy, and will mark Etsy's first official engagement with their third largest market, and Fabian Rigall, founder of Future Shorts and Secret Cinema. Also lined up are Murray Bell and Andrew Johnstone, the founders of the internationally successful Semi-Permanent conferences, swimwear brand We Are Handsome and Ben Briand, winner of the Cannes Young Director Award and Best Narrative Video at the 2010 Vimeo Awards. And that's only the beginning. Update: Whilst most sessions have now sold out, some more tickets to Creative Futures sessions will be available from 9am on Friday, May 27 via the Creative Sydney website.
Art Posters: Big Fag Learning to run the Big Fag Press took time. About four years in, they got a commission from the MCA for the cover of the exhibition book Avoiding Myth and Message. They still had their printing press stored in Alexandria, rather than their current Firstdraft-run digs in Woolloomooloo, when they were still learning their craft. According to Big Fag member Lucas Ihlein, when they presented the cover to the printer doing the book's pages he was "just aghast. He was like That's just the worst I've ever seen. And then he said Don't worry, we'll reprint them for you." He seemed to think that he was doing them a favour, but Ihlein thought otherwise. "I had a hunch at the time that, although I wasn't entirely satisfied, the MCA would be really pleased with it." And he was was right. The MCA loved what would ordinarily be seen as errors or mistakes. "In a period of time where even your Kmart catalogue is the most beautifully, clearly, crisply printed thing, perfect printing is no longer something to get excited about. What gets people excited is imperfect printing." The "Fag" in Big Fag is a F.A.G. offset proof press. ("Offset," here, means the plate and paper never touch, while "proof" means it can go from design to a real print quicker than some more complex machines.) The Big Fag Press — before it was formally called that — got its hands on this huge printing press for $50. As luck would have it, that original incarnation of the collective-to-be were living in an Alexandria warehouse big enough to house the thing. But it still cost them $1200 just to move it back home. The press is grey, four tonnes and occupies most of a room. It's a complex beast to run. According to Big Fag member Diego Bonetto, you have to take into account "air humidity, consistency of the paper, some inks react differently than others, fresher than others. So there's lots of variables that need to be taken into account. To master all of that, you need to have worked in the industry 40 years." Given the complexities involved in running the press, it's surprising how much access Big Fag gives artists to the machine. Unlike the Rizzeria, it's Big Fag members who actually run the machine. But visiting artists are still deeply involved at every step of the process. Bonetto says it sets them apart. "We can allow artists to be part of the process, and engage with the whole process of printing. Which, in commercial terms, is something that is unthinkable." For an artist, using the press starts with an image. They bring in a high resolution image of their artwork (at least 300 dpi). Then, as each colour needs its own pass by the printer, the image needs to be separated out into its component colours. If the artist doesn't know how, Big Fag does it for them. The image then gets transferred to a special metal plate — one per colour — at a Marrackville print shop. With the plate made, you're ready to print. Printing is like a relay process. Ink goes from the rollers to the plate, the plate to a rubber "blanket", the "blanket" to the final piece of paper. To start, the ink is put on the top of the rollers, where it rolls down a cascade of rollers, being pressed flatter and flatter by the process until it finally reaches the rollers at the bottom, which presses the ink into rollers second from bottom. These will be the rollers that actually apply the ink onto the printing plate. The day we visited, Big Fag was printing a first green layer of a design by Lucas Ihlein and Ian Millis, so rollers and ink were all green. The rollers then move along the press to apply the ink to the printing plate. The plate has been washed with water first by the press. The plate is specially treated so that water will sit on most of the plate, but not the design. So, after the plate gets wet, and the inked-up rollers roll across, these oil-based inks won't stick to the wet parts. But they do stick to the design. So it's only the design that gets inked up. Also inside the massive moving top part of the press is "the blanket". This is the big rubber cylinder that does the final printing. Once the plate is inked-up, this cylinder rolls over it, picking up the design in ink, then laying it down on the actual paper that the artist wants to print on. It takes one pass per colour, and often multiple passes of each colour until the right amount of colour has been applied. The final result is usually an oversize poster (like this one, for example). Big Fag custom quotes for each job, so fees can vary to cover the cost of running the workshop, having a Big Fag member there to operate the press, paper, the metal plates and other sundry expenses. More detailed information can be found here. < Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Next >
The Paper Mill is a relatively new gallery, studio and zine library specialising in emerging artists who work with paper, which seems almost retro in the current digital climate. Over the next few weeks, the gallery is playing host to a collection of four young and creative Sydney kids: Sean Batchelor, Del Lumanta, Isobel Parker Philip and Daryl Prondoso. Their work features photography, drawing and sculpture, all centering around the many meanings and associations you can make with the word 'incision' — entry points, cuts, meetings of the internal and external and sites of collapse. Like a murderer or a nervous anatomy student the idea is to expose things that are hidden and concealed under the flesh, literal and metaphorical. In their works the paper replaces the body on the operating table, and it's the material itself which becomes punctured, perforated and sliced apart — it's the paper, not the skin, which is wounded. Their world is one of jagged shapes and shadows, thin and unguarded as the paper itself.
The Gum Ball boasts that it is the best bush party around, a pretty big claim for any Australian music festival. The boutique music, arts and camping festival, now in its seventh year and held two and half hours north-west of Sydney in the Hunter Valley, prides itself on being family friendly and features a remarkably diverse line up of Australian acts. The festival stretches over one weekend at the end of April and features 22 acts. Headlined by Maori dub-step/reggae group KORA, the lineup is rounded out with acts as various as C.W Stoneking and his Primitive Horns, The Vasco Era, Lanie Lane, The Bamboos, Space Invadas and Papa Vs Pretty. The live music comes alongside onsite camping, market stalls, a silent disco, fancy dress competition and a children's mega playground. This year, The Gum Ball has teamed up with The Black Dog Institute, an Australian charity helping to fund research and raise awareness about depression and bipolar disorder. Anyone who makes a donation goes into the draw to win prizes including a four-berth camper van for five days over the festival.
Sydney style lovers are in for a treat, as the city is hosting the world's biggest exhibition of men's fashion. Running exclusively at the Powerhouse Museum from May 2 until October 14, the Reigning Men collection trips back through history, shining the spotlight on male style from 1715 through 2015. Co-presented by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and the MAAS Centre for Fashion, the exhibition pulls together over 130 outfits, from 18th century aristocratic get-ups to more recent high-end creations from the world's most famed fashion houses. Get up close and personal with designs from the likes of Burberry, Alexander McQueen, Jean Paul Gaultier, Louis Vuitton and Tom Ford. Alongside the exhibition, there'll be a program of talks and special events, including May 2's panel conversation, Reigning Men: Pomp & Pragmatism. This one will dive deep into the background of LACMA's mind-blowing fashion collection and explore the curation of this landmark style exhibition. Image: Jeremy Scott for Adidas, 'Boots', spring/summer 2013, © Museum Associates/Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Celebrating four years of American-inspired diner nosh, Redfern's Eathouse Diner has introduced all-day dining, seven days a week. Previously only open for dinner sittings, the '50s-style eatery has announced three new different menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner — and you can get amongst those ricotta fritters any time of day. The most exciting endeavour for the Redfern staple is the addition of an 8am - 3pm breakfast menu, meaning Inner West brunch just found itself a new teammate. Eathouse will be brewing up coffee from the Golden Cobra, serving free range eggs the way you like 'em with fresh sourdough toast from Brickfields Bakery. Serious attention needs to be paid to the sides — potato, kumera and bacon hash, Meredith chèvre, smashed broad beans, balsamic glazed mushrooms. Then there's those ricotta fritters with smoky tomato and red pepper sauce, or buttermilk waffles with caramelised banana and raw bush honey. All sounds pretty food coma-inducing. But they're open all day, so we're staying for a second look at the lunch menu. Running 11am - 5pm you can grab a toasted sambo (check the chalkboard for fillings of the day), fresh salads, those ricotta fritters or a casual Wednesday duck liver and pistachio pate lunch (usually only available for fancy dinners). Dinnertime at Eathouse is always a rich escapade, they've kept some old polenta-lovin', southern-style spatchcock favourites and added some new kids on the block (changing seasonally, as always). They're open until late every day but Sunday, so there's plenty of time to make your way through the mains to dessert — an unmissable affair at Eathouse. The new Eathouse Diner has been relaunched and reopened as of Wednesday, July 30. Here's the new trading hours: Monday-Saturday Breakfast menu from 8am – 3pm Lunch menu from 11am – 5pm Dinner menu from 5pm – close Sunday Breakfast menu from 9am – 3pm Lunch menu from 11am – 3pm Check out the (adorably Flash-animated) website for the new menu.
I am forever trying to convince some cynic there is art in fashion: that a runway show is a walking exhibition; that designers make endless, self-reflexive statements on the meaning of the body; that street fashion is innate expression. But I concede there is no art in Fashion Weekend — unless you count the art of the arc my arm will make when I slap that scrag who's gone and grabbed the delicate Fleur Wood bolero that is rightfully mine. Ahem. Fashion Weekend is perhaps the biggest sale you'll see this side of Boxing Day, and certainly the one boasting the most genuinely desirable finds. It features plenty of old- and new-season stock from a wide range of Australian designers, including Ginger & Smart, Camilla, Shakuhachi, Marnie Skillings, Rodeo Show, Milk & Honey, Peep Toe, Life with Bird, Bracewell, the Cassette Society, the Grand Social and many, many more. The organisers have promised to replenish stocks as the (long — starting Thursday) weekend goes on, but opening night is worth a look-in for the promised "extra special finds", free glass of wine and touch of glamour. If you want more than a brush with the clothes racks and a seat at the bar, a gold ticket will get you into the frequent catwalk shows, and a platinum ticket will put you in the front rows. A fashion clinic hosted by Shop Til You Drop mag editors, $10 blowdries in the Tony&Guy style bar, a $20 personal stylist, makeovers in the Napoleon Perdis makeup bar and a wine bar will also feature. You can't have art all the time.
No one does inner turmoil and domestic horror quite like the Japanese. It seems so many of their artists have found that magical space between buttoned-up manners and social graces and unbound anger, anxiety and fear. The secret seems to lie in restrained contradiction. In a major solo show at the MCA, Mekurumeku, Japanese artist Tabaimo has managed to strike this eerie balance perfectly, presenting a body of work spanning just over a decade. The exhibition of six video installations moves from early work to two brand new commissions, and it’s a satisfying progression. Where the early work recalls traditional Edo-period woodcuts in its aesthetic — intricate and rigid line work, rich vivid colours and frequently depictions of everyday life — later work displays a sparser, more monochromatic and restrained eye. Across all, the modern and traditional sit uneasily side-by-side. Despite a visible progression between her work of the early 2000s and today, there are a lot of recurring motifs in Tabaimo’s painstaking videos, each of which is hand-drawn and takes up to a year to produce. There is a sense of quiet menace, a disconnect between our interior and public lives, constantly shifting perspective and repeated visual cues — tentacles, water, disembodied or metamorphic limbs and hands all recur. Itching is another recurring feature, an artistic representation of a real-life affliction; Tabaimo has long suffered a painful and persistent dermatitis. There is a lot to be gleaned from Mekuremeku, and a lot to like. It’s surreal visual language is both metaphoric — of contemporary Japanese life, of our submerged interior lives, of the terror that waits in the home — and aesthetically sublime. The images themselves, their soundtracks and environments all combine to immerse audiences in a giddy world where your footing is never sure. Walls curve, inside becomes out, and subaquatic noises bleed from one work to the next. Ten points for install. Mekuremeku is a good move by the MCA. Coming off the back of the behemoth Biennale, it’s refreshing to see the space devoted to a singular and logical solo show, especially of an artist from the Asia-Pacific. Tabaimo’s work is accessible and appealing without losing its aesthetic or conceptual value, and it strikes me as a show that will hold up under repeat visits. The best show from a Japanese artist at the MCA this year *winky face*.
With his Edward Scissorhands hair and big staring eyes enlarged with his wife's eyeliner, Tim Minchin has made a name for himself as Australia's most ridiculously talented comedian and musician. In what seems like a surprising, but genius, move, he's taking to the road again, but this time he's bringing a 55-piece orchestra with him. Tim Minchin's most well-known songs include the 'Peace Anthem For Palestine,' which implores "if you don't eat pigs and we don't eat pigs why not not eat pigs together," 'Inflatable You,' about a man's love for his inflatable, anatomically correct lady friend, and 'If You Really Loved Me,' which outlines the reasons why real love is letting someone videotape you while you pee. The Sydney Symphony, on the other hand, is generally associated with more civilized fare, and seen by most of us at the free events they put on in the Domain during the summer. So surely, the combination of the two has to be a glorious thing. The show will combine new material that Minchin has specifically written with his orchestra in mind, as well as his more familiar songs. Tickets have been selling fast, and while the Opera House has added some extra dates it's probably a good idea to get in while you can for what will surely be an awesomely funny show. https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZGzhutyOMSk
In a land where medieval magicks matter-of-factly smush with select modern technology and Amelia Earhart marks the gap in space-time by voyaging fatefully overhead throughout, a young girl rallies a village to slaughter a beast. They corner it in the forest, tear its young from the womb and feast on its flesh. Unbeknown to them, one orphaned youngster escapes down the canals to mature into bitter, lonely, vengeful adolescence at the bottom of the sea. It believes it's misunderstood and alone, but there may be someone unexpected out there yet who empathises with its plight. In the village, a curse has turned the waters septic, driven the chickens to eat their own eggs and brought misery to all, and all blame Emmeline, the now-outcast girl who slew the monster and turned the tides towards misfortune. There's whimsy, and then there's Nick Coyle. The Pig Island player, Some Film Museums I Have Known hologram and Rommy scribe, so breezily wanders into the bizarre to bring out gems of startling poignancy that he must be a native of that otherworld. This is his smallest of shows — it's just him telling you a story for an hour with fun voices and few props — but it's a great tale and a precious hour. Go on a school night and it'll be the best bedtime story you've had.
Do not rush to judge this blasphemous heathen, good believers; the last person to lie claim to being bigger than Jesus was John Lennon, and, well, he had a point. Bigger Than Jesus is a self-labelled 'multimedia mass' that uses one man and a high-tech toolbox to explore the role religion plays in our lives. Devised by performer Rick Miller and director Daniel Brooks, it is funny while thoughtful, challenging without giving total offence, and even has an eye on stirring interfaith dialogue, having already been performed in five countries and four languages. (You can catch two of these additional languages, French and German, during the Sydney Festival.) Regardless of the traditionally not-suitable-for-convivial-dinner material, you can trust Miller to keep the evening fun. Last seen here in MacHomer, the theatrical marriage of Shakespeare and The Simpsons, he has a singular talent for slipping from character to character and creating a high-octane atmosphere on an otherwise unpeopled stage. This time around, he'll be a sceptical New York Jew, a southern evangelist and, of course, Jesus Christ himself, while a supporting cast of action figures will come to his aid to re-create the Last Supper.
A world-weary aunt cautions her young niece on the power and misuse of her currently profligate shows of affection. A young man letting off steam on a tropical Darwin night holds his best friend's life in his hands. A nobleman's polite courtship of a maiden is upset when a bold ruffian swings through the doors and sweeps her into his arms. A quiet and round-shouldered Russian soldier discovers a world of obsessive fantasy after experiencing his first, accidental moment of intimacy with a woman. Each of these is a short story with the title of The Kiss, written by Guy de Maupassant in 1882, Kate Chopin in 1894, Anton Chekov in 1887 or Peter Goldsworthy in 1999. With its sweet, flirtatious and emotionally charged connotations, the kiss is a subject that can pull a theatre audience close for hours, and Belvoir's The Kiss does for more than two. Director Susanna Dowling has preserved the pieces' original prose, which the performers recite verbatim as they take on its characters (sometimes, with intended farce, more than one in each scene) or stand back as detached narrators. The approach allows the poetry and distinct styles of the four writers to be observed, making this a celebration of authorial idiosyncrasy and bringing a spark that helps sustain the performance. If anything, the reading is a little too flat, with none of the flights of irony or licences with subtext that so distinguish I Only Came to Use the Phone, a concurrent production using the same rare tack. It's also not an ideal curation; you're looking for meaning in the divergences of these texts and their interpretations, but three of the four bear a similar tone and setting (late 19th-century parlour comedy), while Goldsworthy's is wildly different (modern rural Australian drama). Still, the four actors (Catherine Davies, Rita Kalnejais, Yalin Ozucelik and Steve Rodgers) put in strong performances imbibed with their own charms, and although you do start to feel its two-plus hours of narration, this is consistently fun to watch.
Vivid LIVE, the 10-day musical extravaganza that sits under the Vivid Sydney umbrella, is back from from May 25 to June 11 in 2012. Beginning in 2009, each successive instalment of Vivid has seen the sails of the Opera House lit up like a psychadelic rainbow and one super-special person or two curating the festival's musical component. Past curators have included Brian Eno, Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson, and Stephen Pavlovic. This year, however, the idea of musical curator has been done away with, and in 2012 Vivid LIVE will be overseen by Fergus Linehan, head of contemporary music at the Sydney Opera House for the past two years. This year's Vivid LIVE will showcase a specially commissioned new work from Sufjan Stevens (pictured), Bryce Denner of The National and Nico Muhly, a composer who's worked with the likes of Bjork, Grizzly Bear and Anthony & The Johnsons. Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs will perform her 'psycho opera' Stop the Virgens with Yeah Yeah Yeahs bandmates, while Florence and the Machine, The Temper Trap, Janelle Monae and Amon Tobin also grace the House. There'll be a special night for the pop and progressive Modular people and a screening of the LCD Soundsystem doco, Shut Up and Play the Hits, in conjunction with the Sydney Film Festival. See our picks for Vivid Light and Vivid Ideas. https://youtube.com/watch?v=miCbEZt5-18
China sometimes feels a lot further away than geography implies — which makes visiting the White Rabbit a voyage of discovery and viewing its artworks a decoding of foreign communiques. Gallery owners Kerr and Judith Nielson, billionaires who believe art is for sharing, collect Chinese art post-2000 — an era of renaissance without contemporary peer. The Beijing they showcase is full of creatives with immaculate technical training, abundant resources and plenty to say. The Nielsons' handpicked treasures have broad appeal. From the grit and clarity of Wang Jiuliang's Beijing Besieged By Waste photo series, depicting landfills whose effects aren't buried, to the bright neosurrealism of Chen Fei's Beyond Satisfaction 2006 No.2, a stab at the consumer revolution, and He Jia's party of Happy Balloon Men (much like what they sound), the works represent an extraordinary range. They share no one theme, besides their having once called out to their collector, but you'll be struck again and again by the reflections on daily life and identity, the pop culture imagery, the sense of play and the purpose behind even the most abstracted forms. It's art that grabs you and that makes you want to grab it, art that makes you understand the omnipresence of the 'no touching' signs. (Although hover inquisitively and the nice attendant may offer you a feel of a sample of one of Ai Weiwei's individually handcrafted porcelain Sunflower Seeds from a pot beside the 500-kilogram installation.) The third of White Rabbit's six-month-long exhibitions, Big Bang goes to show that its owners' collection, and the creative engine that feeds it, will not idle anytime soon. The art isn't the only attraction, either; this is a slick converted warehouse space that makes the most of its four storeys, whether through the whirlwind of plastic refuse that reaches to the third landing (Wang Zhiyuan's Thrown to the Wind) or the musky, ethereal parchment man that, stretched out, snakes through the roof (Li Hongbo's Paper). The space also boasts a tearoom, a theatrette, some inspired events and generous staff who'll contextualise the work you're viewing without being pesky.
Anything set in the 1960s will draw the inevitable comparison with Mad Men, so let's get it done with in the first sentence: Made in Dagenham shares none of the glamour of that particular zeitgeist-definer, although it does have a charm all of its own. The movie charts the days when if you wanted to stay cool on the factory floor, you stripped down to your drawers, if you wanted to make an announcement, you stood on a chair, and if you wanted to get paid the same amount as a man, you faced derision. It's May 28, 1968, and Rita O'Grady (Sally Hawkins from Happy Go Lucky) is about to get pushed into the sexy, man's world of picketing, negotiating, speechifying and out-quoting Marx in the fight to get equal pay for Britain's women. It's all based on real events in which a group of female sewing machinists began a Ford factory-specific strike to be recognised as skilled workers that turned into a nationwide fight to pass legislation guaranteeing equal pay for equal work. Within a few years, similar laws were being made around the world. To get to that point, Rita and her friends have to outmanoeuvre the Ford bosses (including The West Wing's Richard Schiff) and some easily bought union leaders and get financially strained male and female workers on their side. Fortunately, Rita finds allies across both gender (Bob Hoskins' Albert, her union mentor) and class (Rosamund Pike's Lisa, the privileged but trapped wife of a Ford manager) and potentially in Secretary of State Barbara Castle (Miranda Richardson). Nigel Cole's picture captures the drab honesty of British working-class life in the tradition of Monty Python, although it's nicely pastel-rendered and floral-printed to allow for plenty of nostalgia, comedy and some well-played sentimentality. The movie has a great cast of characters (and actors to fill them) and contains touching moments of solidarity that will leave you longing to stand shoulder to shoulder with something. It's a subject worth documenting and a document worth watching. https://youtube.com/watch?v=Nc20m1JoDsw
If you haven’t been to a famed Pecha Kucha Night yet — title from the Japanese for ‘chitchat’ — Saturday night is your night. Saturday we are Pecha Kucha-ing not just for the symbiotic development of ideas and love-in of aesthetic wonderment, but also for Haiti. You’ve heard it said time and again that what the earthquake-levelled country needs now is money. Even in the midst of uselessness, creepy child-grabbers, and post D–Day horror stories that rob you of naiveté, money still helps. Pecha Kucha’s goal is US$1 million to go to Architecture for Humanity and their efforts to rebuild schools, hospitals, public buildings, and homes. To raise awareness of the ongoing disaster, this adrenalised slide night (featuring presentations by various artists and thought-provokers of 20 images each lasting 20 seconds) is going global. For the first time, all participating cities will join in on the same day, and organisers plan for them to “be connected by a 24-hour PechaKucha presentation WAVE that will gradually move westward city by city, circumnavigating the globe.” Many presentations will directly address the themes of disaster relief; others will be more tangential. It should be Pecha Kucha’s finest night yet.
