...reflecting on Sophie M.

…..reflecting on Sophie M

Hello Possums,

Recent events here in the Tardis State (where all goes backwards) led me to remember again our visit to Musee Rodin last May.

Les Invalides behind Contemporary Sculpture, Musee Rodin

Iris, Messanger of the gods... still so modern.

I have already mentioned a delightful experience there in a previous post, “…on a tangent”.

On the day we visited, Musee Rodin was quite crowded with tourists, a couple of groups of school children, a film documentary crew and seemingly littered with bits of Rodin’s work:  maquettes, plaster casts of limbs, bronzes, marble, waxes and some really quite weird work by Rodin’s tragic mistress, Camille Claudel. 

Narrator and Film Crew, Musee` Rodin

The complexity of visual stimulation and the cultural contexts in this place can be seen in the shot of the narrator and film crew. To the left is the early masterpiece, The Age of Bronze its front reflected in the mirror, then La Defense, a work for a competition Rodin didn’t win but later bought by the Dutch Government as a memorial to those who died at the battle of Verdun. Near the narrators hand, a bronze portrait bust of Jean Paul Laurens, (painter and sculptor) behind the narrator a marble bust of a female, possibly English beauty, Miss Eve Fairfax and between the camera-men a bronze portrait of the painter Jules Dalou. And then there is the chandelier, the reflections, parquetry, panelling and Rococco paintings above the doors of this C18th house. We moved outside to wander amongst the works in the garden…. a visual sorbet if you like….

Young Woman in Hat, Terra-Cotta, Garden

…and  found The Burghers of Calais, The Three Shades and the Gates of Hell…and there….

Burghers of Calais

…fell into conversation with a French woman. We were both looking very intently at some “putti-like” figures on the extreme right of the “Gates” and began to discuss their possible meaning, the turmoil of death and the intensity of humanity being expressed in this tumultuous work and perhaps prosaically, why actual ropes were cast into the edges as well….?

Gates of Hell, Musee Rodin

Gates of Hel,l Rodin. Musee` Rodin,Paris

Three Shades, Musee` Rodin

Wandering further into the garden our conversations with this lovely urbane French woman led to what the Wombats’ did and where they came from etc. The French woman told us she had been doing studies into refugee immigration to France. 

Seems the French allocate places for 80,000 a year but double that actually arrive.

(Italy has 2-3 times that number)

She made no comments like “TURNBACKTHEBOATS” but expressed concern at the refugees plight, future and the stretching of the French economy that was happening in providing services to the refugees.

“But”, she said “…..we have to look after these people …it’s our responsibility”.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Wombat Droppings

Fast forward to Q and A t’other night…. Sophie (Pit-Bull) Mirabella honestly expressed her true worth when Simon Sheikh, director of “Get-Up” collapsed on-camera ….she seemed to be the last to be aware of his state sitting next to him...  and then later, Graeme Morris, Liarbril "strategist " expressed sincere belief that gloabal warming is a myth and possibly in a flat earth, too!

Carbon Pricing has been set in place and to Mr Rabbit’s Henny-Penny surprise, the sky didn’t fall in but Brumby’s Bakery boss sent an email to franchisee's suggesting they “up” their prices anyway and blame the Carbon Price.

Professor Ross Garnautt shakes his head in dis-belief at the “trivialisation of the debate on climate change.”

Shock-Jock from Sydney with a loose grasp on facts and allegedly a penchant for London Toilets, Alan (Bondi) Jones, came to Melbourne to ginger-up the angry masses with his queer views on carbon pricing. 99.96% of Victorians stayed away.

Compensation for price increases is being given to all except those on $90,000 p.a. or more… so there were a flurry of talk-back calls by people on more than 90,000 complaining as to how unfair it all is “After all” said one, “I try to do the right thing and send my kids to Private schools. What compensation do I get”? 

Uhhhh, perhaps a warm inner glow for thinking you doing the Nation a favour?

Aspirational, selfish, blinkered, nasty, perfect Liarbril individualism in action. 

I once had a neighbour who sat in on classes in three schools to see if they came up to his expectations of a good education for his daughter. They were for Grade 1 in State Primary Schools!

Queensland Liarbrils are fighting over spoils that have yet to be delivered.

sendbacktheboats ! sendbacktheboats ! sendbacktheboats ! sendbacktheboats ! sendbacktheboats !

Australia has given the Indonesians 3 or 4  C-130 transport aircraft.

Why? They already have around 520 aircraft and we….380.

To transport materials filched from occupied West Timor and West Papua?

Refugee boats can’t be sorted out by them either .. they only have 31 patrol vessels. We have 14!

This country has lost its way.

In The Tardis State (Where-All-Goes-Backward)

UnPlanning Minister, Matthew Guy is in court defending his backflip on the re-zoning of land from agricultural to residential for one Liarbril mate because other Liarbrils mates started bitching about it.

How much is this going to cost the Tardis State?

Sniff, sniff… a whiff of corruption here?

He’s also being noted for ignoring his departments’ advice and just signing off with a “ I want this!”

Man bashed by transport security people refuses $120,000 hush money… wants his day in court.

And he had a ticket…

Big Bird Baillieu (Silvertail-Incompetens) is being sneaky about extending tolls on existing roads.

FOI is not within his ken.

Noblesse Oblige is NOT  Democracy Ted

Cardinal George Pell’s comments re: abuse of children by Catholic religious makes Henry 2’s campaign in the C12th for one law for church and state look positively modern and now very, very necessary.

Seeya, petals.

Shane

...in a general fashion.

G'day fellow marsupials,

there's a new book on the shelves....here's the link

http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/3340776

Started thinking about work for the new show in September .... ballet images... well let's say ballet based works. Will start shooting in a couple of weeks time once ideas have been clarified.

 ... a friend posted a portrait image she found attractive from the "Head-On" show in Sydney. It was fine except that it was a copy of a Scandinavian photographer's work.
This seems to be happenning more and more...which led me to think about the image above that has been "ripped-off" even to the extent of being used to advertise the thiefs website. It's not that you can't be influenced or practise the technique or adapt the lighting but to present a concept that is literally a plagairised image says a lot about your morality.

 From a fairly recent portrait session with Greta B.

 

And a couple of images from Paris 

The Winged Victory of Samothrace being a "still-point" amongst the lemmings in the Louvre .... and the delightful St Martin's Canal just awakening for the party... that was a good place....

Politics in The Tardis State 

 

Tim Smith Q.C. (Judge,Supreme Court) rolls his eyes and seems to shudder when asked in interview about IBAC’s  potential success in limiting corruption. 

Wonders why A/, Baillieu (Silvertail Incompetens) and a Premier of truly Lilliputian stature, didn’t just institute the NSW model and B/, how the Tardis model that will not investigate minor corruption; allows no further investigation of a suspect who says “I didn’t do it!” and shall not be coercive, can possibly work.

Penny Armitage (30 years, Dept of Justice) walks plank to swim with sharks at KPMG. Says she is very sad to go (?) 

Why go? 

Oh, she didn’t say it was to keep her quiet about who told her to ignore advice that Carl William’s life would be in danger in prison.

Sniff, sniff… smell a rodent called Peter (I-know-Nuffin) Ryan?

Sniff, sniff… did the Tardis Govt. pay off the woman mis-Planning Minister, Matthew Guy allegedly dudded over the re-zoning of her land at Phillip Island?

Sniff, sniff is Matthew Guy going to close down the Waubra wind farm?
Will he accede to the side issue demands from those who think that there is "...potential ill health..(effects) from windfarms and use their complaints "...to make the VC82 Amendment retrospective.." ?

And if so, how much will it cost the State for this creative vandalism? And is all electrical power in The Tardis State to come from Brown Coal?

Sniff, sniff… did the Attorney General of Tardis State, Robert Clarke interfere with the integrity and independence of the Equal Opportunity Commission by refusing the boards choice of chairman? He says not! The three board members (from four) who resigned in protest say he did!

And Big Bird Ted (Silvertail Incompetens) reckons teachers should be paid according to results?

Perhaps implementation from Premier level down might be a good way to see if it works.

In other likely but un-healthy realities, BIG Gina, the Miner-with-the-Most, stamps her foot in a hissie-fit with the Fairfax board…. says she’ll take her toys home if they don’t play by her rules.

Clive (Titanic2) Palmer gives a ROFL performance as a “stand-up” playing a democrat and upsets Mr Rabbit in the process.

The Slippery Pete “Affaire” is to be officially re-named “Godwin Grech2 The Sequel”.

Script by Pyne the Whyne (in lieu of policy development), ‘ghosted’ by “The Australian’s” journo’s, acted by staffers and asst. directed by Mal Brough. This reality/melodrama makes “Desperate Housewives” look Shakespearean in comparison and content.

Gillard and Rabbit are bickering over how best to treat people who are dying to come to Australia.

Indonesians give twenty years jail to Bali bomber assistant… Geez, Schapelle... wadderya reckon?

Cheers Petals,

Shane

...to the Dance

Shane as a Wili

G'day Possums,

we recently attended and photographed a ballet performance.... so thought I'd dress up.... gives you the "willies", eh?

Suffice to say it was a very good performance and congratulations to all: performers, choreogrphers and particularly the Director of Ballet Theatre Australia, Leeanne Rutherford.

There were a selection of excerpts on the program with Giselle Act 2 as a major piece and without writing much more I'll let some of the images taken speak for themselves.

For those interested in tech details
I used a 5D, and 5D mk2, 70-200 f2.8, 50mm f1.8 and 85mm f1.8 @ 3200 and 6400 ISO.

Suite en Blanc

Suite en Blanc

Suite en Blanc

The Talisman

Corsaire

Diana and Acteon

Diana and Acteon

Diana and Acteon

Giselle, Wilis

Mrytah

Giselle, Wilis

Myrtah

Giselle, Wilis

Giselle, Albrecht

Myrtah

Albrecht and Giselle

Hilarion

Satanella

Gypsy Suite

Wombat Droppings

The Premier, Baillieu (Genus: Sivertail Incompetens)  has had a bit on his plate this week.

Although handing generous bonuses to Liarbril Party supporters who just happen to be property developers is nothing new, I suppose it was a vain hope that the six new suburbs in “Green Wedge” and agricultural areas get at least sufficient developmental infrastructure to offset, to some extent, the loss of farmland. No such hope. 

All are going to rely on existing public transport. Some new development is “proposed” but the track record of this government in following through on promises is bad and as they wouldn’t want to interfere in the developer’s profits, I wouldn’t be holding my breath on that proposition.

“Silvertail” irritated a few when it was discovered that, in his words, “a hiccup” caused the overcharging the public $300,000,000 on water accounts and that it had been determined that it will only be paid back when the water companies are ready.

Nothing to do with the government’s dividend of $117,000,000, is it?

Ummm, isn't that close to fraud, Ted?

Only in The Tardis State

Police Minister Peter(I-know-nuffin)Ryan, has been in the news again for all the wrong reasons. It seems that colleague, Bill Tilley secretly recorded a phone conversation with Ryan as an insurance policy because he felt that the Police Minister was “verballing” him over evidence given to the Office of Police Integrity concerning the pushing out of Police Commissioner, Simon Overland.

Ryan said “..it’s much ado over nothing.”

Yeah, right!

Federally, things are looking very interesting in the “Slippery Pete” saga….

It seems to be shaping as another Liarbril “dirty tricks” concoction a’la Godwin Grech that may turn on the accusers and “bite ‘em on the bum.”

Messers Rabbit & Whyne, to deflect some of the heat, attempted, (hypocritically) to scamper for what they thought the “high ground” of moral indignation and criticised a report that PM Gillard has set up a “dirt unit” in her office. So there!

Apparently staff  are being instructed on how to use Goggle to dig info on opposition pollies!

Given their planning ability in other areas they will probably discover the NSW “right’ of their own party in less friendly than the Liarbrils.

Gina Rinehart (the biggest, wealthiest miner in Australia) now has nearly a 20% share of Fairfax .... and is demanding three board seats.....

Imagine, she's in charge of national newspapers and Clive Palmer (another big miner) is the new Treasurer...ahhh.... democracy in action, well at least till they get the jobs. 

Then, who knows?

cheers Petals

Shane.

...on Exposition

G’day Possums,

We recently spent some time manning the Ballarat International Foto Biennale stand at the Digital Photographic Expo at  “Jeff’s Shed” (also known as the Melbourne Conference and Convention Centre).

Hence the “old-bling” shot as a header.

The BIFB Stand with a bit of "Twilight Zone" about it

 

There also works from the last,(2011) biennale from Carolyn Buckley, Jeff Moorfoot (Director), Zenga Peckham, Eric Algra, Kristin Deimer and myself.  These were things from the ”fringe”. 

What was interesting was how much better they looked in the more neutral setting of a dedicated exhibition space than I recall them looking in their original “fringe” exhibition spaces. Eric agreed with that point and it was something I mentioned in one of my missives on the “fringe”a few entries back  so it will be instructive to see if  we alter our manner of exhibiting or our way of looking in the 2013 Biennale.

Three Graces of BIFB

 

Many people came though and signed up either as volunteers or to receive info about the 2013 Biennale which was good and with some startling results:

 “Do you know about the Ballarat Biennale?

Woman, “Yes”

Did you attend?

 “No, I was otherwise occupied”

For a full month?

“Yes, my husband had been diagnosed with cancer”.

He’s fine now.

Or Ms Gass from Ballarat who proudly announced that she attended every core and fringe show but one.

“Which one did you miss”?

“The one at the Bean Barn”

“Well, Madam, come this way and you can see it now”. (It was my show)

And it turned out the Ms Gass had seen it ( twice in fact) and had been thinking of Kirrily Bailey’s show which had been “gazumped” by her first venue. (Was seen later at Portico). So this lady made a supreme effort.

As we did a little tour through a fraction of the “fringe” Ms Gass and her companion made some very interesting points as to the time it takes to perambulate 140 shows and opined as to the value of guided tours and regular talks by photographers etc.

Which is one of the reasons why we attended the expo.

Serious Bling

There was plenty of good equipment “bling” on show too, I was particularly taken with the new LED 1000W (equivalent) studio lights made by Pinewood Studios in Britain… and the PhaseOne digital backs on a Horseman were drool-worthy.

Very good expositions and promo stuff; I liked the Nik software demo and the exhibitions were good to see also.

.....more serious Bling

Hmmmm….. a Mamiya 645 w/ 50MP back, a w/a, a standard and tele, a new Mac system to handle it all….hmmmmm certainly not on my present moolah.  Ohhhh well… we can dream….

News:  exhibition coming up; Bean Barn September to October 2012.  Ballet stuff to co-incide with South Street Dance Comps…. More later…..

Nikon Exposition

 

Politics

A $20,000,000 a counting ”error” by management has closed down ¾ of Hastie group with the possible loss of 4000 jobs, Australia wide.
Will Mr Rabbit and his minions pursue this with the same “Henny Penny” obsessiveness they've exhibited with Mr Thomson?

Or are 4000 jobs and corporate bungling insignificant in comparison?

Mr Bowen (Labor) guzumped his leader over temporary work visas for 1700 Chinese…much embarrassment.. made Gina Rinehart laugh for once though.

Joel Fitzgibbon (Labor) leaves meeting  with female staffer looking like she’s dressed in black leather. 

Govt. “Whip” and Madam Lash?

In the Tardis State of Victoria where all goes backwards the Baillieu Liarbrils have slashed $19,000,000 from the most dis-advantaged of schoollies in State Education. Martin Dixon the Minister blithely said, “….parents…often enter into payment plans with their schools to spread the cost.”

“.. often enter into payment plans…”          and does that not suggest that those parents are doing it tough already?

$2,000,000 has already been re-allocated to private schools.

Slasher Baillieu would probably consider himself a Christian but hasn’t heard of his Saviours’ admonishment of  “…suffer the little children….” He’s cutting off free Whooping Cough vaccinations just when the scheme is reaching a critical mass of cocooning all from this awful malady.

Ex Liarbril Premier Jeff “foot-in-mouth” Kennett has been offered a board position at the casino… no conflict of interest with his sinecure at “Beyond Blue” (a depression and suicide prevention organization)  nahhhh…. ‘course not!  Problem gamblers don’t get depressed.

Cheers, Petals.

Shane