Ballarat International Foto Biennale Fringe 2

Ballarat International Foto Biennale Fringe 2013  No:2

G’day Possums,

Shane reporting

last Sunday Darron Davies and I met up to wander the BIFB’s Fringe circuit  for the day. 

Darron’s stuff “Immingle” is at Venue 59, Blue Artz Gallery about half way along the Howitt St block from Burnbank St.

Darron Davies

 From here we drove to Venue 57 for Alison Spence and Denise Regan  “Square Route” at Eclectic Tastes in Burnbank St

 

“Square Route” at Eclectic Tastes

Alison Spence is also exhibiting at Venue 47 (see last post) 

Anthony Baxter

Anthony Baxter’s “Old Boys” is at Venue 56 The Lakeview Hotel, a short walk from Bob Munro’s “A Traveller’s Eye” at Racers Bar and Café at Venue 54.

Bob Munro

 A walk around the Lake took us to Sails on the Lake and Ross Thompson’s “The Pooling of our Coastline” at Venue 55.

Ross Thompson

 We then crossed the city to see Cheney/Hart/Dennett et al at Venue 67 The Ballarat Observatory.

Ballarat Observatory

 

Ballarat Observatory

Peter Ward’s “Tonal Reality” was seen next at Her Majesty’s Theatre (upstairs) at Venue 15 

Peter Ward’s “Tonal Reality”

 

Her Majesty's

Then over the road to The Known World Bookshop, Venue 11 and  Lucie Akers “Heidelberg – a Tribute to the Heidelberg School”.

The Known World Bookshop

 

“Heidelberg – a Tribute to the Heidelberg School”.

Venue 7, Phoenix Brewery was the site for Bec Walton’s “Jewel of Lights”.

 

Bec Walton’s

The Forge Pizzeria, Venue 39 is showing John Smallman and Aldona Kmiec. 

The Forge Pizzeria

There was some very good work in amongst these shows and even though some were too small for the ideas presented, the opposite was also true.

Footpath by Shane W

 Interesting landscape work where you can see that line between the literal and the sublime. 

Art Nouveau, Her Majesty's Theatre

Some required more rigour and less use of twee irritating photoshop “edges” and when your brochure is more interesting than the show …..hmmmmm.

Ways of seeing?

I commented in the last post of not liking HDR very much but Peter Ward’s are really worth a look as I think he uses it really subject-appropriately.  The stuff at Venue 57 was a fun presentation and Venue 56’s “Old Boys” was a heartfelt documentation that needed a quieter more reflective space.

BFAG

I particularly like “Immingle” and the poetic terrarium abstracts at venue 59 and must add Sandra Elms from the “Adelaide Photographic Artists” which I missed the last post.

Four of my works are being re-printed and re-mounted as they are delaminating and are full of bubbles as they separate from the background…. should be ready Monday or Tuesday…as “Effie” would say, “How embarrassment!”

More in a few days, another mid-week wander to catch those Biennale Fringe shows not open on Sunday. 

Wombat Droppings or Politics in Oz

Rooty Hill is a perfectly named place for a debate between the main contenders in this election campaign.

All the commentators have been saying it was an even debate…Hmmmm, I think not.

“Rabbott” under-performed and under-delivered except for his three line slogans and looking curiously gray-green in pallor made me wonder if he really is Voldemort but it was his haltingly poor answers to specific questions, the pathological reliance on pushing the “message” and allied with a frightening inability to answer in detail showed the inherent and devious weakness in his arguments. For all his waffle about "Pillars and Plans" there was no vision and no engagement with the audience and even though Kev 07 +6, I think had more probing questions, his ability to answer with detail, seemed to receive more positive audience response.

An over-strident, bullying Michael Kroger in later interview was a fine example of  “they-protest-too-much” to be believed … they don’t like close and detailed scrutiny and lash out when cornered.

This makes me wonder if the wheels are beginning to fall off the Liarbril rabble’s cart. They are being almost Stalinist-Revisionist in their versions of recent history and insanely funny in blaming Labor for negative and bullying tactics. Ex-Independent Tony Windsor noted in interview their strategic policy to destroy Gillard and said that he couldn’t support “Rabbott’ as leader in the minority government because of ”Rabbott’s” lack of a stable personality.

The conservatives have also made much of just how angry Windsor’s constituents were with his support for the Labor minority government. Windsor said with a smile, “I had 14 actual complaints in three years”.

Sophie “Pit-Bull” Mirabella is preferencing first, a candidate who believes that the last tragic bushfires were god’s punishment for women having abortions!  Mirabella has managed to take a safe Liarbril seat to one that an independent might wrest from her clammy grip.

10 days to go before the Age of The Aspirational Bogan putridly flowers.

Cheers,

Shane

The Australian Index

..to B.I.F.B '13: Fringe

 

to see the Ballarat International Foto Biennale: Fringe

G’day Possums,

Shane Wombat reporting...

I and later, we ( Mrs Wombat), had a 5 hour amble though some of the “Fringe” exhibitions t’other day.

Works, mostly of good quality and fair ‘eye’ though I’ll only give some general comments at the end of this list. I hope that readers find this informative re: the works and venues and that it stimulates you to visit  Ballarat for this big show.

Starting at the Bridge Mall, (East end): venue 48, Boah Organic and Shae Rooke’s Double Landscapes

Shae Rooke

To venue 49, Open Pantry and Heather Griffiths “Through my Lens -Then and Now”

Heather Griffiths

Venue 50,  Wilson Yeung “Flower Piece” at Cake Bakeshop

Wilson Yeung

2 poppets

Susan Nicol "Brolga" at Wen and Ware Living Venue 45

Susan Nicol

Then back to

Venue 47,  “Milkshakes and Mixed Lollies” by Alison Spence at  Savoy Coffee.

Alison Spence

Venue 44, Hudsons Coffee Shop, Fiona Brookes, Syria

Fiona Brookes

Don’t ignore the shipping containers in the Mall itself ….

Bridge Mall

bastards abound

Heading further West to the Mechanics Institute (South side of Sturt St) and Venue “E” to see

John Tozer, “Favourite Places”

John Tozer

Don’t miss JT’s stuff in the wall niches in the entrance vestibule.

And ..Adelaide Photographic Artists, “Dark”… through the glass doors and to your right

Adelaide Photo Arts...

 

Also

Jeff Moorfoot, “Elephant Stamp”, up the stairs toward the Minerva Hall

Jeff Moorfoot

Venue 19, Café Bibo and Damon Hunter’s “A Wall of Colour”

Damon Hunter, Bibo

And a step or two to

Venue 20, Nibble and Natter for the Ballarat Secondary College East Campus’s “Captured”

(No Pic, they’re on the window …. and …great, old fashioned, genuine, ridgy-dij sandwiches)

Another two steps to the Bean Barn, Venue 21 for my stuff, “Meditations on RD” (Best coffee in B’rat IMHO)

Lawrence Winder, Bean Barn

Still travelling West on the South side of Sturt St we continued on to L’ Espresso, Venue 24 and

Darren James, “Soliloquies”

Add caption

L'Espresso

Eric Algra ( Richmond by Night), Gillian Turner ( Transfigured Places) and Patricia Gabb (Reflections) and Simon Peterswald (Lindifarne) are at Venue 25, Gallery on Sturt.

Eric Algra

Patricia Gabb

Simon Peterswald

Crossing Sturt St to its North side you can find Emma Stoneman’s  “Architectonic” at Morton Dunn Architects

Emma Stoneman

And not far away to the East is Clare Lapworth at Azeno with her “Vintage Expressions”. Venue32

Clare Lapworth

At Sweet Decadence @ Locantro is Venue 37 and Lucia Andrusova’s “Ego and I”

Lucia Ondrusova, Sweet Decadence@ locantro

And finishing off the perambulations for the day we arrived at Venue 43 The George Hotel.

Upstairs are Paul Stoney and Trudy Shuringa: “Stark Contrasts”, whilst down in the Laneway of the hotel (just off the lydiard St or through the gaming area is Kristin Diemer’s “Views from Paradise” (which is not as noted in the program an adult concept show) 

Paul Stoney

Trudy Shuringa

Kristen Diemer

What to say about all this? Generally all were worth viewing but I suppose my main loss of words is with some of the language used as description that does not seem to dovetail with the works: What the owner of MONA delightfully calls  “Artwank”.

For example “…. the process of capturing that image was almost meditative.”  Which looks very odd with extremely strident, viciously over-processed imagery that was presented. What is said is not what the viewer sees.

And what is “… the tension between will and representation.” (?)…. and what is the value of an artwork pinned together when it is not an amalgam but just the one work chopped into bits and re-assembled the same way? I kept thinking, Butterflies are pinned as specimens…and why was the program illo different from the works presented?

There were some nice “takes” in the images on the environment exhibited in which could well become a future theme in itself.

Most print quality was OK, though I’m not a fan of the over-processed HDR-lets-scream-at-you-image, but that’s a personal bias and it is again, the venues that can really clutter the viewing experience by background, visual busy-ness or difficulty in just moving around that you really miss seeing  the work and in one case, I missed it altogether.

Most presentations were good although the “Flying Duck” arrangement seems to be making a comeback and one show was so spaced out as to be a not very readable narrative.
There were some good ideas not fully explored or exploited (including my own stuff) as well.

At the Town Hall  (next to my show plug, plug, shameless self promotion) was the “Head-Up” portrait show from Sydney; it’s really worth a look but at one stage when visiting I had this overwhelming feeling of viewing a plethora of clichés. Good, solid, professional clichés and I’m including all that I had seen prior to the “Head-Up”, clichés ...and very little in genuine “ridgy-dij”, enquiring imagination.

Best in show at this early stage….

Eric Algra’s “Richmond by Night”, beautiful, solid evocations of nocturnal, people-less places.

Jeff Moorfoot’s “Elephant Stamp”, seriously elegant and innovative.

And “Dark” The Adelaide Photographers, particularly Danica McLean’s Rothko-esque, “Flood-Light.

More soon…..  but I'll finish with some pics from the opening night..

Winsome the Dog from Gallery on Sturt

partisan comment

Darren and Kristen

recording the event.

Opening Night, Mining Exchange BIFB '13

Wombat Droppings or politics in Oz

Chagrined at being gazumped in the cruelty-to-refugees competition by Kev 07 +6, “The Mad Monk”, Tony “Rabbott” and his loyal lieutenant Scott “Drone” Morrison have decided to make retrospective laws that will force refugees to re-apply for a temporary residents visa every three years. They have also accepted Eric “I’m-not-really-a-Fascist” Abetz’s idea of refugees living in the community having their addresses given to the police so they can “check up on them” when required. Furthering theirsurreal notions of nationalism the "Mad Monk" has just announced a You-Beaut-Boat-Buy-Back Scheme. I can see the Indonesian fishermen lining up now with inflated prices..they also intend to help the Indonesians get more patrol boats ....I would have thought that as they have 3 times as many as we do that they don't really need more 

Is this rabble who want to lead us Sane?

John Birmingham has reported that 400 students at “Rabbott’s old Alma Mater, St Ignatius College have sent him a missive querying his mis-application of Catholic ethics over this matter.

http://www.theage.com.au/comment/blogs/blunt-instrument/what-would-a-jesuit-do-about-refugees-20130821-2sbul.html

They can’t send one to Kev 07 +6: he’s a Protestant.

“Rabbott’s” reliance on quoting “Little Johnny” Howard is disturbing as it would seem to indicate that “The Mad Monk” not only lives in a fantasy past but also has no concrete idea about a future that he cares to extrapolate on….. somewhat similar to his reticence to discuss overall policy and costings and a National direction, apart from it having 5 legs that are better turned than theirs.

His “Me-too-ism” got another outing a few days ago when he announced in a café in upper-middle-class Malvern (where large fruit cakes only cost $70.00 each) that his Paid Parental Maternity Leave scheme will be bigger, better, more munificent and glorious than Kev 07 +6’s offering of a basic wage.

TAAAA…DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA….. and without letting a “suppository” slip…he exuberantly announces.. Full salary, including superannuation, for six months, capped at $150,000.00…price-tag: $5.5 Billions per annum…. although according to “The Mad Monk”, as the economy is in crisis as he couldn’t give them more.

One young mum opined that it would “let her continue her lifestyle”. Just like the one who claims the Child Care Allowance whilst her kid is in Ski-School!

Welfare for lifestyle … now there’s a new concept.

Sorry Petals, that’s the politics of class and envy sneaking in!

At least the insanity of this “policy” clouded the announcement of yet another conservative candidate biting the dust by yet another self-inflicted wound.

Liarbril, Kevin Baker’s website used to espouse; “Talk about anything you want - no censorship, no stress!" It contained sexist titty-humour and racist boyo rubbish. Just the sort of thing you need in a candidate for public office. That no-one in the Liarbril party seemed to notice during pre-selection might indicate: they didn’t know, didn’t care, were OK with it or thought he wouldn’t win anyway.

“The Mad Monk” in ruling out taking money-puffs from the tobacco industry (Kev07 +6’s mob did that 10 years ago), has not said if his thought-bubble team, “the Coots with Queer Ideas from a Parallel Universe”, The Institute of Public Affairs, would do the same. IPA Spokes-person Tim “How dare-you-criticize-me-you-bitch” Wilson said they will take donations from any legal entity…. Polish Land-mine manufacturers, Diabetes inducing fast food purveyors and genetically modified seed salesmen would all be welcome to their version of a Limited News democracy.

Here in the State of Tardis “Where-all-goes-Backward” mis-planning Minister Matty “What’s-a-Green-Wedge” Guy has driven another nail into the “We-are-the-most responsible-economic-managers” coffin by costing the taxpayer, what has been estimated by some to be $3,000,000.00, for his re-zoning frolic two years ago on Phillip Island. The day before proceedings hit the court, settlement was reached so that all could be kept secret from the people footing the bill.

Another own-goal by an acolyte of Jeff ”Bully-Boy” Kennett, The “Dorian Gray” of Tardis State politics.

Still no news on the police investigation into Geoff  “What’s–a-Car-Allowance” Shaw…ZZZ…ZZZZZZ.

Pretend Premier, Dennis “Inutilus Rusticus” Napthine has ruled out lack of funding and staff in the corrections and parole services as being the likely cause of the murders of six women by under-supervised early release parolees in recent years. He says he will speak very firmly to them and that we must all be good, tighten our belts and save hard to be able to pay for the $8 Billion concrete renovation of Royal Park so that he can have a vote winner in the Eastern suburbs… paraphrasing  “The Mad Monk”…. You Ambo’s, Nurses, Firies, Teachers, Legal Aid workers, Conservation Officers and Emergency Dept Doctors can all shut-up, too.

Cheers Possums,

Shane
 

The Australian Index