Arguably the most recognizable building in the world, The Sydney Opera House, was designed by architect Jorn Utzon in 1957. The inspirational series of roof shapes create a monolithic form that draws visitors toward it from land and sea. The view of the sail-like roof forms from the Manly ferry is undeniably beautiful as the building appears to float on water. It is approximately 185 m (611 ft) long and 120m (380 ft) wide at its widest point. The highest roof vault (above the Concert Hall) is 67m (221 ft) above sea level. Approaching the Opera House by foot is just as rewarding. The stairs cascade down the front of the building are faced with pink aggregate granite which was quarried at Tarana in New South Wales.
There are a number of restaurants on the bridge side of the Quay with a view of the Sydney Opera House, however Aria has an amazing, sweeping view of The Opera House and the Harbour Bridge from their main dining room.
About 6 years ago I stopped by Chiodo to see what was new. I was thinking about their classically tailored business shirts mutated with unusual Chiodo design twists. On this trip, one of the shirts stuck out for me – it had a large number 22 on the back. For some reason it didn’t click at the time, and I let it go.
Fast forward to March 2008. I was sauntering down the stairs to Chiodo while thinking about the 22 shirt … it stuck with me for years … I wondered if they would ever create that shirt design again. Poking around the shirt rack, what do I see. A large black numeral 22. I ask for my size. Response: no longer in stock, all they have is a 3.
Panic. Please, not another 6 year wait.
I explain the saga-story to my salesperson. I’m from Seattle, I get to Melbourne once a year. He is really great and asks if I’d like one made. Today. While I wait. Yes please. I’m told to go have lunch, come back and the shirt will be ready. Go eat lunch at Myer food court. Return for shirt. Thanks for the custom shirt Chiodo.
Every time I wear it, people ask me, “Why the 22?”
Chiodo
114 Russell St
Melbourne
3000
Victoria
Australia
Melbourne based photographer, Andrew Curtis, uses the light emitted by mobile phones to illuminate his subjects face in a new series called ‘Cell’. C-type color photograph prints available at Christine Abrahams Gallery.
Artist website here.
My last post featured a significant modernist house, available for hire, located about 45 minutes outside of Melbourne.
Here’s another interesting hideaway: The Japanese Mountain Retreat
The retreat is only 45 minutes outside of Melbourne in the foothills of the Dandenong Ranges. The optional Japanese set banquet looks like a must; the miso is making my mouth water.
I’ve been meaning to stay here, but sadly I haven’t found the time, -yet! See their website for rates and reservation.
Seclusion. Room to breathe. All you’d hear are the Cockatoos and Rosellas. All you’d smell are the Eucalyptus trees searing in the summer sun. Robin Boyd’s architectural response to the secluded site presented to him by University of Melbourne mathematician, Dr. Michael Baker. Located in Bacchus Marsh about 45 minutes west of Melbourne. Three separate building comprise the site, Boyd Baker House, Boyd Dower House and Grounds Baker Library.
Each of the homes is available for short term hire. Baker House is $3000 per week or $1800 for three days and Dower House is $1500 per week or $1000 for three days.
Boyd Baker House
Quilty offers up full-on skullduggery at GrantPirrie through August 30. The work is just < ok > for me however I’m looking forward to what follows the menacing skull imagery and portraits. See his next exhibition at Jan Murphy Gallery.
AOI is saying < domo arigato gozaimasu > by giving customers a little taste of Japan by making a tenugui, a traditional thank you gift, available in a limited supply with a purchase of a tee. From September 1 while supplies last.
Check out their updated website too!
Textile artist Stewart Russell and Donna O’Brien collaborate on the designs for densely packed silkscreen fabrics. they create a range of products including sheets, pillows, fashion and more.
There are a number of shops I like to visit in GPO Melbourne, one of them is Spacecraft. They’ve done a nice job with their retail space by creating vignettes and smallish environments within the store. Nice detail: some of the prices appear written on the ground in chalk.
Russell has collaborated with the innovative designer of the Zaishu, Matthew Butler.
Spacecraft
City Store
Shop F03 on Level 1 (next door to Akira)
GPO Melbourne
Cnr Bourke & Elizabeth St.
Melbourne VIC 3000
Dale Frank exhibition, Some Boring Paintings, 2008, at Roslyn Oxley9 from June 26 – July 12, 2008.
It seemed of little wonder anecdotally, 2008 varnish on canvas 200 x 260 cm
Petrina Hicks exhibition at Stills Gallery from June 18 – July 19, 2008.
Lambswool, 2008 from The Descendants
Chiodo is updating their website. I can’t wait to see what the finished product looks like!
I had a radio just like this growing up.
Ricky Swallow is exhibiting at Darren Knight Gallery from May 17 – June 7, 2008.
Official artist site here.
Noël Skrzypczak had an exhibition titled Twelve Disasters, at Neon Parc in March. Her work reminds me of Dale Frank + Katharina Grosse.
Official artist website here.
The other day I wrote about Chiodo, a menswear shop located in Melbourne. They’ve been doing the reusable shopping-bag-thing for a while. When you make a purchase, they send you out the door with a reusable shopper, handmade with suit/shirt fabric. A nice touch and a great alternative to a paper or plastic bag. I’ve kept all my chiodo-bags from past purchases. Brighter colors were from Spring/Summer season, darker were from Autumn/Winter.
Chiodo
Basement
114 Russel Steet
Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia
03 9663 0044
I wrote about a bracelet I bought from Love & Hatred last time I was in Sydney. I wanted to follow up with another post showing two additional Love & Hatred pieces.
L&H is one of my favorite retail haunts in Sydney. I like to visit the store a few times over a week or two because there is so much to take in, it’s nice to return and see something I previously overlooked or hadn’t thought about. First visit I tried on a white gold ring with an intricate filigree; beautiful and chunky. Nice heavy weight on the finger. Next time I was in the mood for something less formal. Giovanni D’Ercole always displays a variety of silver rings with interesting construction details and unique twists on the brand name. I liked a couple designs.
One of the rings has a dark lattice that wraps nearly the entire circumference and the other has a gothic type treatment of the words ‘Love’ and ‘Hatred’.
Sam Leach is exhibiting at Nellie Castan from May 8-31, 2008.
peacock and sputnik
2008
oil on linen
135 x 95cm
paradisaeidae
2008
oil & resin on copper
30 x 20cm
Official artist website here.
“The opening night of an exhibition by the photographer Bill Henson featuring images of naked children was dramatically cancelled after police visited the Paddington gallery to investigate child pornography claims.”
Read the full story at the Sydney Morning Herald website.
The Roslyn Oxley9 website was offline for a number of hours during the gallery shutdown. The site went back online last night without access to the Bill Henson artist portfolio section. Soon afterward they submitted a Media Statement which was sent out via email and available at their website.
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Media Statement
Friday 23 May 2008
Statement on behalf of Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery and Bill Henson
After much consideration we have decided to withdraw a number of works from the current Bill Henson exhibition that have attracted controversy. The current show, without the said works, will be re-opened for viewing in coming days.
Bill Henson is one of Australia’s leading contemporary artists and is internationally respected. His works are held in every leading art institution in Australia and are included in the collections of a number of the world’s most prestigious art museums. The Art Gallery of New South Wales and the National Gallery of Victoria have both recently held a retrospective of 30 years of the artist’s work.
Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery will remain closed while the current exhibition is re-hung.
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Melbourne based photographer Simon Obarzanek’s series of portraits titled 80 Faces was shown at IMA@TCB (The Institute of Modern Art at TCB Building), April 11 – May 11, 2008.
Each black and white image features a portrait of a young persons face, neck and shoulder, similar to a passport photo. At first glance the styling seems minimal, but that changes when you see a number of the images grouped together. All the photographs resonate with an otherness which comes from a stylized process of selecting ‘interesting’ faces and shooting every model in a rigorous manner. The artist’s focus is on shape, scale and proportion of features. Attributes like freckles, lips and ears become isolated and take on a surreal emphasis. Juxtaposition of the images heightens this sublime effect.
Simon Obarzanek is represented by Karen Woodbury Gallery. You can see work from 2007 here, and the images from his 2006 exhibition here.
New Bill Henson exhibition opens at Roslyn Oxley9, May 23, 2008.
