Art galleries are closed, in this year of 2020-Covid-19. It has presented opportunities to visit virtual exhibitions at galleries and museums around the world. Bendigo Art Gallery and Beinart Gallery are two I've had a peek at online. In less plague-ridden times, I visit art as often as I can, usually in spaces designed for … Continue reading Labyrinth of shadows
NGV
Remnants of paradise
The National Gallery of Victoria is currently exhibiting their collection of Felton Bequest images of scenes from Rajput courts. They are intimate and symbolic, and from 2019 there is something timeless about them, even though many of the paintings depict historical events and individuals. I think this has to do with context, some of the … Continue reading Remnants of paradise
Review: Compare the pear
I left it a bit late to see Baldessin / Whiteley Parallel Visions at the National Gallery of Victoria but I made it at the last minute and was pleasantly surprised. I won't go into a huge amount of detail about every work. Nor will I deliver much on the background of George Baldessin or … Continue reading Review: Compare the pear
Seen one, haven’t seen them all
Wandering around the Art Gallery of New South Wales was weirdly disorienting. It was a new building to me, but it was filled with familiar artists: Australians like John Brack and Grace Cossington Smith in addition to the usual Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood painters. Obviously, the individual works were different to those in the NGV or anywhere … Continue reading Seen one, haven’t seen them all
Arting about
I had so many profound reflections to detail after seeing Colony at the NGV, and then going to Sydney to see the Lady and the Unicorn tapestries at the Art Gallery of NSW, and the 21st Biennale, SUPERPOSITION: Equilibrium & Engagement at the Museum of Contemporary Art, also in Sydney. Oh, and an exhibition of contemporary Mexican art … Continue reading Arting about
Blessed Day for persistence
You know the painting Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali? Yes, the one with the limp watches. It's coming to the National Gallery of Victoria soon. I will visit it because I never noticed the ants crawling over the watch on the table like it was food. Midway through the second series, and I feel … Continue reading Blessed Day for persistence
Under a spell
There is a final sentence in one of Tim Winton's short stories in his intertwined anthology The Turning that winded me with its beauty, poise and connectedness to what had gone before. I can't remember the story exactly, it was one of those grim seaside slices of life he is an expert at crafting, but … Continue reading Under a spell
UnReview: Triennial
I've visited the National Gallery of Victoria's Triennial twice now and I can firmly say I've not experienced everything. There is so much to see some art is skipped, but on the other hand, the scale of many works means that much is simply unmissable. So yes, reclining Buddha, check. Giant skulls filling a gallery, … Continue reading UnReview: Triennial
Review: Aboria
A week ago I had never heard of it, but that's how Melbourne and my social media feeds work these days. Huge art installations appear for a month in Federation Square and we flock to them like moths to glowing bulbs, while they loom in the city-scape like dawn hot air balloons over the inner … Continue reading Review: Aboria
December’s cheer
If you are a regular reader then you'll recall the previous post about the magic of Christmas. However, given yesterday's events in Melbourne with another vehicle incident, this December will be harder than usual for some. The reckless abandon with which some strive to hurt others, as usual, saddens and mystifies me. If you can … Continue reading December’s cheer
Writing Bec 