5Pointz
July 26, 2010
Without trying to turn all my posts into street-art/graffiti posts, I couldn’t not share some of the recent pics I took of 5Pointz, a massive graffiti-covered warehouse building in Long Island City, Queens. I have never ventured inside, and couldn’t find anyone to ask (there was a sign), however I have been told that it houses a few artist studios. Hopefully I can get in there at some point as I have heard there is talk of tearing it down.
Waste Land – a must see
July 26, 2010
I’m suffering from that famous MIFF-overload daze. It’s a five-films-in-three-days kind of stupor, and this happy exhaustion shows no signs of letting up any time soon.
My pick of the festival so far has been an excellent documentary called Waste Land. I hadn’t heard of Brazilian artist Vik Muniz prior to seeing this film, so don’t look here for a well-informed critique of his work. Maybe look here instead. But his photographs will probably be familiar to you – his shtick is to create images, particularly portraits, out of wacky stuff – in this film it’s recyclable materials salvaged from Brazil’s (and possibly the world’s?) largest tip – and then photograph the end result. Anyway, this dude is Brazil’s most successful artistic export and the doco sees him conceive a new project that will give back to some of the poorest peeps in his homeland.
Vik is not the star of the film though.
Vik involves an incredible bunch of ‘pickers’ to help him create the images he is after – the pickers are people who pick through the rubbish in the landfill to find recyclable plastics, papers, bottles, cans, etc. Could better ‘talent’ be found for a doco? I doubt it. They guys are warm, intelligent, beautiful, funny, endearing and full of spunk. The journey they go on as they participate in Vik’s project is simply remarkable. The doco is an exploration of art as a life-changing experience, and it gives me goose-bumps just thinking about it.
I loved every minute of this film. I wanted to applaud all the way through the second half. I highly recommend that you get along to the second MIFF screening – 7 August at 2:30pm. It will sell out, so get onto it.
Australian Made
July 24, 2010
My sketches from the Australian Made exhibition
Happy times for me this week in the shapely form of Australian made, the new fashion exhibition at the Ian Potter Center, Melbourne. I am the original, un-killable fashion victim and anything that promises to be pretty, frilly, flounced or in any way fabulous has me tripping over my mock Manolo’s to get first look. I must admit it all seems so long ago, now that I’m at home sick with my tracksuit pants on backwards and am zipped into stained yellow polar fleece, but I’ll try to remember the good times…
Melbournians – Welcome to Melbourne!
July 16, 2010
Russell Place substation
For two incredible days Melbournians can push past security and discover the city’s secret places and spaces as part of the Melbourne Open House event. Visit private rooftop gardens, bunker down in underground substations and discover the secret laboratories you never knew existed. The event, now in its second year, showcases the buildings and architecture that makes Melbourne so darn fab. Some of the sites on offer are running guided tours, others let you roam free and take your time to settle in. The Open House is coordinated by a not-for-profit group that is all about getting people to explore and appreciate the city they live in. I just think it’s an awesome idea. Get amongst it!
Donkey Wheel House - REALLY!
Melbourne Open House runs 24th & 25th July 2010!
On the spot
July 7, 2010
Warning: you will now be fined $550 on the spot for carrying a spray paint can.
Spotted in Little Charles St, Fitzroy.
The wonder of Timmy B
July 5, 2010
A cold winter night in Melbourne was not sufficient to deter THESE YGTST clubbers from an en masse expedition to see the unparrelled genius of Timmy B.
Fuelled (to the arguable detriment of some in terms of subsequent artistic analysis) by free vodka shots courtesy of the Guildford Lane Gallery, we wandered into a truly mind boggling array of sketches, models, paintings, photos, costumes, puppets and movie shorts – many from Burton’s own personal collection!
The retrospective, first shown at MOMA in New York, paints a picture of a young man struggling to escape the drudgery of suburban life through to a stint at Disney and beyond. His talents, whilst recognised at Disney were not always appreciated – in fact Burton prepared a mammoth 200 concept drawings for the Black Cauldron and not-a-one was used!
The exhibition warrants a repeat visit in my humble opinion (sans vodka). There was no photography allowed (devastating!) but there was the opportunity to be inspired and try your own Burton style artwork piece. So we had no option but to sit down on the tiny chairs with the tiny people and to try to create our own crazy crazy worlds with crayon. If nothing else, Beetlejuice is getting a re-visit!
Two nightmarish concept drawings from YGTST members inspired by the Timmy B exhi;
Devil's Twister - by EmilyK
Enormohead - jocurtin
