eX de Medici’s work can be like a slap in the face, or a punch to the gut. At first you don’t expect it. The colour, the ornate beauty, the familiar forms, and the incredible detail draw you into these exquisite watercolours. Then bam! Slapped in the face. It’s the intense imagery of these…
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A dancework that explores ‘connections to place, landscape and origins’. This is how performance maker and designer Paula van Beek describes Opal Vapour. The formidable piece combines elements of traditional Javanese arts with contemporary dance, music and design. I spoke with van Beek as she and her talented collaborators, dancer and choreographer Jade Dewi…
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Renata Buziak’s series Afterimage, which was recently exhibited at ANCA Gallery, Canberra, demands to be looked at. No passing glances on your way to the wine here; these are images which grab you and won’t let go. They are vivid, surreal works that draw in the viewer, who curious to explore these alien-like landscapes created by Buziak’s highly detailed imagery….
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Ethereal, floaty and lyrically complex, Cromwell’s debut LP, Lobotany proves that this band has promise. Coming out of Canberra, Cromwell comprises of Becki Whitton (vocals), SSSDDDGGG (guitars and pedals) and Dave Flutsch (drums). Their music is difficult to describe – intricate melodies mingle with Whitton’s incredible voice to create soundscapes that are unique and delicate….
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‘Kids and adults alike will be taken on a journey’ promises Cathy Petocz, the star of Pea. This inventive interpretation of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale The Princess and the Pea is premiering at the Street Theatre, Canberra this month. I had a chat to Petocz to find out all about the show, from…
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I have been nostalgic about the past for as long as I can remember. The clothing, technology and society of bygone eras have always seemed far more interesting to me than the present day. This interest in mind, I found myself drawn to the new exhibition at the National Museum of Australia, Canberra, which…
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The Sex Pistols meet William Shakespeare. It isn’t often that these two British cultural icons are grouped together. Yet Bell Shakespeare’s new production of Henry 4 does just this, and much more, to present a punk-inspired interpretation of the classic play. The production debuted a few weeks ago in Canberra, and will soon open…
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Age columnist Martin McKenzie-Murray was quite shocked after writing an article about Canberra, only to find himself publicly and personally attacked by the people of the nation’s capital. Was their reaction over the top? Probably. Was it justifiable? I argue yes. Yes, yes, a thousand times yes. Because McKenzie’s article isn’t a one-off. It…
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Prostitutes, drunkards and erotic dancers. These were amongst the favourite subjects of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864-1901), whose art is the subject of a major retrospective at the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra. Toulouse-Lautrec: Paris and the Moulin Rouge is composed of more than 100 works spanning his brief yet celebrated career. This includes…
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Threads is a new series profiling emerging designers in Australia. Whether your work is classic, avant-garde or just plain cool, we want to hear about it. Get yourself out there! Send an e-mail to [email protected]. We’d love to get to know you and your work. First in the Threads series is Zoe Brown, a young designer who’s…
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‘I found her a woman of few words, not very friendly, a bit pouty, almost defiant.’ These are the initial impressions Diana had of the student-photographer who approached her at a gig at the Melbourne University’s student union. The photographer was Carol Jerrems and the year was 1968. Little did either young woman know…
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The Invisible Thread is an anthology of one hundred years of writing by those with an association to Canberra. Its launch in November will also mark the launch of Canberra’s official Centenary celebrations. Further, it is an official publication of The National Year of Reading 2012. The Invisible Thread will include short stories, essays, poetry,…
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Look, I’ll admit it from the get-go – I’ve always had a profound love of The Darkness. With the hair, and the outfits, and that fantastic falsetto – frankly who doesn’t love them? So it was with some excitement that I rocked up to their gig at ANU Bar on a cool Thursday evening. The…
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I have a confession: This morning I woke up in a cold sweat when I remembered that I was reviewing the first day of the Paste-Up Project (a You Are Here festival event that involves turning the outside wall of the Canberra Museum and Gallery into an open-air gallery). I called myself a variety of…
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