NIDA Play Season and Design Exhibition - till Oct 23

Plays: Who's Afraid of the Working Class, The Grapes of Wrath, The Clink, and Thark.

DESIGN EXHIBITION 2004.
NIDA Events
The Design Exhibition is a collection of works by graduating NIDA Design and Crafts students, in the Nancy Fairfax Foyer from 13 October 2004. The official opening, by John Bell AM Artistic Director, Bell Shakespeare Company, will occur on Friday 15 October at 6:30pm..

W: http://www.nida.unsw.edu.au/whatson/whatson.aspx

Inside Australia series: Everyone Loves a Wedding - starts tonight on SBS at 7.30pm

Inside Australia returns with Everyone Loves A Wedding, an engaging new eight-part documentary series that explores how 16 culturally diverse couples cope with their 'big day'. As the melting pot bubbles away, many more Australians are choosing to marry outside their ethic background and customs, family and culture become entwined as people fall in love with others from different backgrounds. Wedding customs are as mixed as our cultural makeup. At no other time are cultural traditions celebrated with such passion as at a wedding. While a wedding is a milestone for the bride and groom, it also provides a context in which their families and communities can share in celebrations. In Everyone Loves A Wedding, red-brick houses in Aussie suburbia provide the backdrop for these colourful celebrations of love and emotion. (An SBS Production, in English)

WOW International Film Festival - Oct 23

The WOW International Film Festival today confirmed that award-winning films from Festival International de Films de Femmes de Creteil 2004 will be screened at this years film festival, on the 23rd October, 2004, at the Chauvel Cinema.

WOW, now in its 13th year, is the only festival in Australia showcasing the latest and best cinema created by female directors, producers and screenwriters from Australia and overseas. The one-day event will showcase a unique selection of short films and documentaries, with six short films from Creteil a festival highlight.

“Creteil is one of the most prestigious women’s film festivals in the world. We’re ecstatic that the Australian premiere of award-winning dramas from the latest Creteil Festival will occur at WOW 2004,” Elena Fauris, Festival Director said. “We are especially thrilled to be screening the Agnes Varda recent short film, ‘Le lion volatil.’” she added.

For more info: www.wift.org

Time to go John - premieres Sep 29

Rod Quantock - on the Time To Go John set

Filmmakers present a feature film about life under the Howard government - screening at over 50 venues nationwide.

With absolutely no budget and in less than seven weeks a group of experienced and award-winning Australian filmmakers have pooled together to create a feature length film about the effect of Howard’s government on Australia.

The filmmakers undertook to self-distribute the film so that it could be seen as many people as possible. According to the TIME TO GO JOHN national screening coordinator, Carmela Baranowska, the concept of house parties as a screening outlet is a relatively new one and the success of the technique demonstrates it is a legitimate way to get films out to a wide audience. House parties for the film have already been booked from Townsville in Queensland to St. Helens in Tasmania, from Corangamite in Victoria to Guildford in Western Australia, as well as internationally in Baghdad, Dili, Amsterdam and London.

TIME TO GO JOHN is a compilation of fifteen short films documenting pivotal moments throughout Australia's recent local and international history, from the GST to reconciliation. Made by some of Australia's best filmmakers and presented by comedian Rod Quantock, the film promises to pack all the punches and encourage voters to think carefully about their choice at polling time.

Mixed in with more serious documentary analysis of issues are some hilarious short clips. The film is diverse in subject matter and medium, showcasing a rich array of media disciplines and styles; it’s a multi-media feast of many talents. There’s everything from documentaries to music videos and even a fictitious advertisement to keep you on your toes. You will laugh and cry.

The film will screen at capital city cinemas including the Lumiere (Melbourne), Chauvel (Sydney), Schonnel (Brisbane), Mercury (Adelaide), Deckckair (Darwin), FTI (Perth), State Cinema (Hobart).

Check out the website for more details, screening times, and how you can host your own 'house party' screening: http://www.timetogojohn.com

Download, Peel and Stick, and All the World's a Gallery

Article in the New York Times about the emerging popularity of stickers. People can design stickers easily, put them up onto the web, then others download and print off the stickers and start sticking them all over the city, anywhere in the world, on telegraph poles, walls, anywhere. It's a quick, efficient and cost-effective way to get a message across.

W: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/26/arts/design/26STOR.html
Source: link first sighted on jeansnow.net

Speaking words of wisdom

Article in the SMH about Sir Timothy Berners-Lee's proposal for a standard for Speech Synthesis Mark-up Language. "SSML will bring high-quality synthesised speech to web interactions," says Sir Timothy. "Application designers for mobile phones, PDAs and a host of emerging technologies will be able to use it to gain control of important aspects of speech synthesis, including pronunciation, volume and pitch."

"W3C's Speech Interface Framework - a collection of specifications for building voice applications for the web - will allow an unprecedented number of people to use any telephone to interact with appropriately designed web-based services via keypads or spoken commands, and by listening to pre-recorded speech, synthetic speech and music," says Sir Timothy.

Full article at: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/20/1095651237218.html

Boyfriend Arm Pillow

"The Boyfriend Arm Pillow is a Japanese product aimed at Japanese who like sleeping with their head on their partner's chest but don't have a partner to do it with, or have given up on the standard model and are trying to reconstruct a better boyfriend.

So far they've got the shape right and have it padded appropriately for comfort, they've eliminated all the sounds and smells of the standard boyfriend and have even added an alarm clock which gently shakes the arm when it's time to get up.

The synthetic boyfriend is not a full body pillow, only offering half length."

Sighted on Gizmo.com.au. 3 Sep 2004.
W: http://www.gizmo.com.au/public/News/news.asp?articleid=3123

Young Practitioners in Big Practices talk - 29 Nov

Young Practitioners in Big Practices: Elizabeth Carpenter, Anna Power and Ben Hewett.
Intro: Olivia Hyde. How does a rising architect distinguish themselves amongst a sea of talent? Three rising stars discuss the imperative to sink or swim.

RSVP: nsw@raia.com.au or 9356 2955. Student Members free, Student Non-Members $7, Members $11, Non-Members $15.
Time 6:00pm - 8:00pm. Monday 29 November 2004. At Tusculum, 3 Manning St, Potts Point

Young Architects talk - 27 Sep

The talk on Monday 27 September at Tusculum, 3 Manning St, Potts Point is '3 in 1 - Matthew Gribben, Catherine Lassen and Eva-Marie Prineas'. Young architects tell the stories that have flavoured their architectural lives. Introduction by Celia Carroll. There will be no talk on Monday 4 October due to the Labour Day public holiday.

RSVP: nsw@raia.com.au or 9356 2955. Student Members free, Student Non-Members $7, Members $11, Non-Members $15. Time 6:00pm - 8:00pm.

W: http://www.architecture.com.au

Square One research

Came across the Square One research website. Looks interesting. Blurb says: "Welcome to the Square One - Environmental Design Website, compiled by Dr. Andrew Marsh and Caroline Raines of Square One research and the Welsh School of Architecture at Cardiff University. This site provides free information for architects, building designers, students and anyone else interested in energy efficient and sustainable design."

W: http://www.squ1.com

The Bureau of Ideas

"The Bureau of Ideas is a network of people engaged with provocative intellectual activity across Australia and worldwide.

The Bureau of Ideas targets multi-disciplinary ideas and thinkers drawn from the arts and theory (visual arts, performing arts, architecture, photography, film, design, music, philosophy and science).

The Bureau of Ideas is an incorporated body and a non-profit organization located in Perth, Australia, with consultants and associates across Australia, Europe and the USA."

W: http://www.thebureauofideas.com

This is Not Art Festival - Newcastle 30 Sep - 4 Oct

The This is Not Art Festival takes place from September 30th until October 4th showcasing the talents of over 300 young digital artists, writers, media makers and electronic musicians from around Australia. This is Not Art is an umbrella term for six different festivals and this year will offer over 250 free panels, presentations and workshops, four concerts and a huge festival club in and around City Hall, the Honeysuckle Precinct and the Civic Arcade, Newcastle. This is Not Art is organised by the Newcastle based non-profit arts collective Octapod.

This year the festival incorporates,
The National Young Writers' Festival (NYWF) – Not just writing, but writing in new forms such as poetry, hip-hop, writing for performance, comics, journalism and spoken word.

The National Student Media Conference – brings together student media producers, editors, journalists and writers for five days of learning, collaborating, skills sharing and networking.

Sound Summit – New and experimental independent electronic music, encompassing artists, record labels, producers, musicians, and industry types.

Electrofringe – Investigating new ways of using electronic and digital technologies to facilitate new types of art and music, from sound, video, gaming, online performances and audio visual integrations.

Critical Animals – Post graduates working in fields of creativity and critical thought get together for a rowdy discussion.

EAR (Environment Awareness Raising) Festival – For the first time, EAR joins TINA. to raise the bar on environmental thinking and activism.

W: http://www.thisisnotart.org

30 Events to Celebrate 30 Years of the ACP Gallery

There are still a number of events still to take place at the Australian Centre of Photography's 30 year celebration. These include:

Tue 21/9: 13.00 Lunchtime Screening - InSight: Robyn Stacey
InSight: Robyn Stacey. Melding art and design, computer imaging and photography, Robyn Stacey makes visually arresting imagery. She talks about her developing career and how she 'discovered' she was an artist. Film and discussion with the artist.

Fri 24/9: 19.00 Courting Rebellion
doingbird magazine's Max Doyle, Malcolm Watt and Rachael Cassells present some of the hottest names in contemporary photography worldwide. These are the image-makers that operate at the creative interface between art and fashion, setting the pace for the world's leading style publications: COLORS, Dazed & Confused, Dutch, The Face, Index, i-D, Interview, V, Self Service, Purple, Vogue…

Sat 25/9: 14.00 Talking Shop - The Language of Lifestyle
Broadcaster Lee Lin Chin hosts a panel discussion on the synthesis of art and popular culture in contemporary magazine publishing. Her guests are Catherine Caines (editor of newly launched The Insider magazine), Karen-Jane Eyre (editor-in-chief of Studio Magazines: not only Black & White, not only Sport, Blue etc.) Chris Searl (editor of Monster Children magazine).

Sat: 25/9: 15.30 Talking Shop - Self-Published Art
Artist and critic Peter Hill talks with artists and gallerists about the making and marketing of multiples and art books. His guests are gallerist Conny Dietzschold who specialises in the sale of multiples, photographer Ingvar Kenne and artist Jim Singline.

Check out the website for full listing and descriptions of the events taking place!
W: http://www.acp.au.com/30events/

Promoting Your Blog

Article in the Blogger Knowledge website on Promoting Your Blog.
W: http://www.blogger.com/knowledge/2004/09/promoting-your-blog.pyra

Place and Cyberspace - Slidenight talk tonight

Jack Barton and Viveka Weiley present their past and current work involving three-dimensional urban modelling, visualisation and mapping. The work explores the junction between technology, community, place and cyberspace. 18.30. 14 September. The Spanish Club

W: http://www.sydneyarchitecture.org/slidepages/opening.html

Small Business September 2004

Throughout the month of September 2004 you are invited to New South Wales’ premier small business event! Small Business September brings together 150 partners from State, Commonwealth and Local Governments, Chambers of Commerce, industry associations, private and community sectors to celebrate and recognise the achievements of small businesses in NSW.

The goal is to encourage business owners to attend business development activities that are outside their normal routine with the aim to enhancing business skills and knowledge, generating ideas and offering the opportunity for business owners to take time out to increase their network of business Contacts.

http://www.smallbiz.nsw.gov.au/sbmonth/index.asp

No drain pain

Article on industrial designer Peter Kenchington's Smart Shower invention. "It recycles hot water that would ordinarily go down the drain" and save about 12 litres of hot water a minute.

W: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/11/1094789736513.html

National Solar House Day

Self-guided tours of more than 100 passive solar homes in Capital Citiesand Regional Centres around Australia and New Zealand today. Tix: $20 per person, $30 family, $15 concession. Goes from 11am-4pm.

For more info: http://www.solarhouseday.com

Primavera 2004: 2 Sep - 7 Nov - FREE exhibition

Exhibition by young Australian artists. 2 September - 7 November 2004.
Where: Museum of Contemporary Art

"Primavera is the MCA’s annual exhibition presenting work by Australian artists 35 years of age and under. Since its inauguration in 1992 Primavera has become one of the longest running and most successful exhibitions on the MCA calendar. Over its history this exhibition has profiled new generations of artists in fresh and innovative contexts.

Curator of the 2004 exhibition, Vivienne Webb, based her selection of artists around those working with materials in novel or challenging ways. Artists to be included in Primavera 2004 are Nick Mangan (VIC); Sandra Selig (QLD); Sangeeta Sandrasegar (VIC); Neal Smith (NSW); Roy Ananda and Julia Robinson (SA); Natasha Johns-Messenger (VIC); Tim Sterling (SA); Huseyin Sami (NSW); and PVI Collective (WA).

While many of the artists explore the ability of everyday objects and materials to convey and disrupt meaning, others utilise traditional artistic materials such as paint and paper. This exhibition offers the opportunity to examine the presence of three-dimensional work in current artistic and cultural contexts in the light of artistic precedents such as Minimalism, in which objects are presented devoid of cultural references; Pop Art, which engages popular culture with 'high art'; and Arte Povera, which addresses the intrinsic nature and poetic possibilitiesof materials.

Primavera was founded in 1991 through the generous benefaction of Ted and Cynthia Jackson, and the Jackson family, in memory of their late daughter Belinda."

ADMISSION: FREE

Myluka

Myluka is the website of Lisa M Blainey. She's makes beautiful, colourful bags, shawls and artworks out of the felt she creates.

"I create both beautiful merino wool, silk and alpaca felt and artworks from my studio on the Coral Coast at the base of the Great Barrier Reef. I like to think of the creation process as a bit of magic. You never really know what you are getting until the felt is dry..."

http://www.myluka.com

Weekend

Went to Paddington on Saturday. Came across the Alicia Hollen store on Oxford St. Alicia is in the store on Saturdays. Her clothes are gorgeous - they look feminine, funky, vibrant, and beautiful. Plus they also fit the more curvy figures as well.

Then went to see Before Sunset at the Dendy, Newtown. Absolutely, totally loved the film!! The dialogue was great! Just as well too as it's a dialogue film basically for those who didn't know this. Maybe there's some 30 something consciousness or shared experience out there. I felt like a number of my Gen X friends would've related to it or been through similar experiences. It was written by Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy.

Then on Sunday had a couple of hours spare in the morning so went and had a look through the Space Furniture showroom in Alexandria. I'd seen a few of the fernando + humberto campana pieces in design talks and magazines etc but Space actually had their chair made out of bits of wood on display as well as their chair made of strips of fabric coming out from the centre on display. There were so many designer items on display! Kind of like a contemporary furniture museum - except everything was available to buy.

Then spent time with the family - Father's Day!

In the afternoon, it suddenly hailed. I've never seen the ground totally covered in little white ice bits before - not in metro Sydney anyway. It looked like it was snowing. It was so exciting! So I rushed out and took some photos. of the grass, the driveway, the trees covered in white. What a sight! Will try and post a photo or two up later.

Then went to the Peter Zumthor's 'The Magic of the Real' talk at the City Recital Hall, Angel Place. The talk was organised by the Australian Architecture Association. It was pretty much a full house. Zumthor was introduced by Glen Murcutt. He spoke for 2 hours. He showed some very beautiful images of his work, talked about various projects, what he was trying to achieve, the materials used and more.

Then picked up some Thai takeaway on the way back and watched some of Australian Idol. It's only fun if you vote so I put in a vote for quite a number of the contestants. Must be hard going through the competition. Looks like it's a very intense time for the contestants.

Cheapskate's guide to Sydney

Article in the SMH outlining some of the good deals around Sydney for an entertaining cheap night out. These include movie and theatre cheap nights, where to listen to free or cheap gigs and more. W: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/09/02/1093939051881.html

COFA Spring Fair 2004

On 11 September 2004, COFA hosts its annual Spring Fair.

Come and join in the free and fun festivities:WORKSHOPS – for adults and kids in ceramics, digital video, felting, batik and Shibori, illustration and 3D rendering, weaving, and colour experimentation.

SEMINARS – a unique series that aims, through involvement of well-known designers, artists, cartoonists, theorists, politicians, etc to uncover interesting issues and foster lively debate for all audience participants.

MARKET STALLS – with a wide range of hand-crafted goods made by emerging artists and designers including jewellery, clothing, paintings, ceramics, sculpture, bags, purses, slippers, children’s toys, belts, and other fashion accessories.

EXHIBITIONS – of painting, drawing, jewellery, ceramics, photography, printmaking, sculpture, animation and more.Use the links on the right to view the programme.

W: http://www.cofa.unsw.edu.au/springfair

Sydney Talks

The Sydney Talks guide to events is back! The new website has been launched. The events are now listed online as well as being available in selected venues around Sydney.

"SydneyTalks is an independent guide telling you where to find the most interesting public talks and debates in Sydney. We feature events across a number of topics, including politics, science, history and the Arts. A shortened version of SydneyTalks is available in hardcopy from selected outlets."

W: http://www.sydneytalks.com.au

When it comes to life, less is more

Short piece in the SMH on why less is more.
W: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/08/31/1093938920517.html