Basketmakers of Victoria Drift Exhibition
Basketmakers of Victoria present Drift Exhibitionas part of the Herring Island Summer Arts Festival
The Basketmakers of Victoria create an amazing variety of functional and sculptural pieces from plant fibres, such as reeds and prunings, as well as man-made materials and found objects. There will be demonstrations and interactive sessions each day, as well as an opportunity to meet the basket makers.
When: From 4-19 February 2012 – Saturdays and Sundays only from 12noon until 4.45pm
Where: The Herring Island Environmental Sculpture Park on the Yarra river is easily reached by the punt from Como landing, adjacent to Alexandra Avenue. It runs on demand between 11am and 5pm. Pensioners, unemployed persons and children under 12 travel free, family fare is $5, or $2 per person. BBQ and picnic facilities in a grand setting.
Contact: 9857 8318 or 0407 098 022
9551 3554
War and cows: an interview with poet Susan Hawthorne
GIVEAWAYS: Thanks to @spinifexpress we have copies of Susan Hawthorne’s latest & second latest poetry collections to give away. Send us a message on Facebook or Twitter and tell us why you love poetry to go in the draw.
Susan Hawthorne is a poet, publisher and academic. Her book, Earth’s Breath, was shortlisted for the 2010 Judith Wright Poetry Award. She is Adjunct Professor in the Writing Program at James Cook University and the author of books of poetry, fiction and non-fiction, including co-editing (with Bronwyn Winter) the classic anthology, September 11, 2001: Feminist perspectives. Her latest collections of poetry are Valence and Cow.
Tonight (Friday 2 December) Susan Hawthorne will be reading from Valence at a special event at Collected Works from 6pm. We asked Susan some questions about Valence and her other recent collection Cow.
With Valence, Susan commits to words the horrors of war that have been left unspoken. She shatters the conspiracy of silence and dares to draw links between militarism, fundamentalism and the sex industry. She rails against the violence of war and contemplates the link between place and the history of war that is infused into the earth. With a fresh examination of her surroundings, she considers the endless cycle of war that survives on the persistence of hope—hope of an end to war, hope of an end to suffering.
How did you come up with the title Valence for the collection?
The word Valence was in one of the poems and then although I knew its meaning, I chased it up in the dictionary and found out that it had multiple meanings all of which seemed to work with the poem in different ways (grab a copy and check out the back cover for meanings).
Tell us about your personal connections with war? How did that influence the poetry?
My connections with war are once removed – my father was a pilot in WWII; my mother a secretary to an army man in WWII; my uncle a prisoner in Changi; my grandmother a nurse in WWI. I also know friends living in other countries who have had first hand experience of war; I’ve heard first hand accounts of those wars; I have written about war and protested wars. I began to understand more about war while working on the anthology (with Bronwyn Winter) September 11, 2001: Feminist Perspectives. Growing up with stories of the war also seeps into one – and it is the mix of these experiences that come out in the poems.
Can you explain the links between militarism, fundamentalism and the sex industry?
Militarism, fundamentalism and the sex industry share the same ideology. Traumatised and vulnerable individuals become fodder for war and religion and pornography and prostitution.
What’s your favourite poem from the collection?
At the moment it is probably poem 6 about Sabra and Shatila, but these things change.
What do you hope people will take away from the collection?
I hope they feel the horror of war. That you don’t need to have been shot at to feel empathy with others who have been in wars. If we think about it, nearly all of us know someone directly affected by war. This could be the basis of collective action if only we can draw on that to energise our protests and critiques.
Now let’s talk about your previous collection, Cow. Cow leaps and flies into imaginative realms carrying mythology and language. Cow creates the universe, the galaxies and travels through the sky as a herd of stars. Cow writes love poetry and ponders lost histories.
How did your time at the University of Madras, India influence your writing of this collection of poetry?
Being in India, specifically being in Chennai had a profound affect on the collection. It would have been much shorter had I not gone to India. In Chennai, you see cows in temples, on roadways; you see them depicted in all kinds of art; Indian religion and culture is full of stories about cows.
Which is your favourite poem? And what’s the significance?
The three poems from pp. 12 –16 were originally a single poem. The story behind this poem was told to me by a friend V Geetha just a couple of weeks into my stay in Chennai. When I wrote it, I knew that I had the beginning of a structure for the book. Up until then, I had been writing but didn’t understand how what I was writing would hold together. I asked permission to use the story and read a semi-final version to her and some other friends on my second last day in India. Once Queenie appeared, she took over the manuscript – and then her friends just kept coming to the party!
How long did it take you to produce this collection?
I started thinking about this collection in early 2006. I began collecting – mentally – stories, ideas, images. I think I started writing it in late 2008 – although some poems were written from 2007 onwards. I worked continuously on it throughout 2009. Four months of that time was in India. 2010 was spent rewriting; finding a shape; throwing out the first structure; rewriting; finding another structure; rewriting and close editing. About 41/2 to 5 years.
What was the biggest difference between this collection and your previous collections?
Writing from the persona of a cow was a great pleasure. It allowed me all kinds of freedoms I hadn’t experienced before. It also forced me to think differently. It’s the only time I have had the chance to immerse myself for a whole year in writing.
What’s the best place to write?
The best place to write is somewhere that gives you mental space. An exploratory space. Sometimes that is in my study at home; Being in Chennai consolidated my explorations.
Can you describe the collection in 10 words?
From p. 149: I am…just a cow who wants to change the world
Q&A with the author of ‘The Abbotsford Mysteries’
We chat with Patricia Sykes for Spinifex Press about her new book of poetry: The Abbotsford Mysteries
Read more information http://www.spinifexpress.com.au/Events/event/eid=23/
Tell us a little about you?
I’m a poet and librettist
What will people experience when they come to the reading?
Pleasure I hope! And some idea of what it was like to live at the Convent. Kavisha Mazzella will also be singing at the launch.
How long have you been working on this book? And what’s been involved?
I’ve been researching this collection for a number of years and have interviewed 70 ex residents of the Convent as well as consulting my sisters and my own memories.
Where did you draw your inspiration from?
Personal experience and the stories of the women.
In 10 words or less why should people get moving and check it out?
The Convent – once an institution, now an arts precinct – oozes stories.
What was your biggest challenge along the way?
Juggling the amount of material I gathered without losing sight of the poetic impulse.
Where will we see you next?
At the launch!
Launch details:
Date: Saturday 5 November, 10 for 10.30 am
Venue: Abbotsford Convent Foundation,1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford VIC 3067 (look for signs). Ample parking in car park ($4 in gold coins) or free street parking.
RSVP: RSVP by 28th October to 9329-6088 or
What’s the best way to get to the venue?
By train: Victoria Park station on the Epping and Hurstbridge lines is the closest railway station to the Abbotsford Convent. Please note that some services express past Victoria Park station. Once out of the station and on Johnston St, walk east (away from the City) down Johnston St for around 12 minutes to Clarke St. Turn right into Clarke Street (the last right before the Yarra) and left into St Heliers St. The main entrance to Abbotsford Convent is on the right of St Heliers St before you reach the Collingwood Children’s farm.
Alternatively, the bus can be caught from Victoria Park Station down Johnston St rather than walk down Johnston St from the station. The bus details are below.
By tram: Catch any tram down Victoria St Abbotsford/Richmond and get off at Nicholson St Abbotsford (or Lennox St Richmond). Walk north up Nicholson St all the way to Abbotsford St and turn right. At the end of Abbotsford St turn left into Clarke St and then right into St Heliers St. This is a 20-25 minute walk.
By bus: From the City- the 200 City to Doncaster Shoppingtown/ Bulleen, The 201 City to Doncaster Shoppingtown/ Bulleen, and the 207 City to Doncaster Shoppingtown/ Donvale depart from Melbourne Central/ Lonsdale St in the city, run along Lygon St, Elgin St then Johnston St. Alight at Clarke Street bus stop (before Johnston Street crosses the Yarra). Turn right at Clarke St then turn left into St Heliers St. The 205 Melbourne University to Doncaster Shoppingtown begins at Melbourne University then proceeds down Elgin and Johnston St and pasts Clarke St.
Moreland Public Art Show
Michelle Robinson and Lani Fender’s art collective “andeverythinginbetween” has had two pieces selected for the City of Moreland’s ‘MoreArt Public Art Show’, an annual temporary public art show which showcases contemporary art in the unexpected nooks and crannies along the Upfield Train Line Precinct.
There are 18 works and their pieces are “Affinity” and “Fugitive Piano”.
“Affinity” is a large scale, site specific, placemaking installation consisting of an array of filaments that form an undulating canopy across a 45m x 15m, otherwise empty, landscape. The topographical remapping of the space subverts the viewers understanding and preconceptions by injecting a new reading and experience into a ‘forgotten space’.
“Affinity” is located in Brunswick and accessed from a pedestrian/bicycle path (parallel to the Upfield railway line), just north of Anstey Train Station. Tinning Street is the closest street crossing - head north from here. Refer to map in the photos section below.
A 350m stroll along the bike path south from here just past Anstey train Station takes you to our other piece, “Fugitive Piano”. An upright piano sits as a foreign object in an outdoor space. A series of performances by high profile pianists is scheduled during the month long exhibition, but for the most part the piano will stand out of context in the space, creating a feeling of intrigue and anticipation.
Read more about ‘andeverythinginbetween’
Read more about the art exhibition
Visit the exhibition Facebook page
Pop up gallery arrives at the show
After visiting Flinders Street Station and 530 Collins Street, Moving Galleries has arrived at its next destination, the Royal Melbourne Show.
Our pop up gallery will be at the show until Tuesday 4 October with a number of poets, artists and volunteers dropping in to talk about art and poetry.
Drop in and check out the 18 pieces of art from Arts Project Australia and the 30 poems by Victorian poets.
Pick up your favourite postcard and vote in the ‘Observance’ People’s Choice Awards for your chance to win a $500 prize.
You can also share a rooku about the Royal Melbourne Show by tweeting us @MovingGalleries or adding it to our Facebook page.
Want to be a volunteer art/poetry guide?
Want to talk about art and poetry at the Royal Melbourne Show?
Can you spare a few hours to help take our latest exhibition of art and poetry, Observance, to the Royal Melbourne Show from Saturday 24 September until 5 October.
The exhibition features artwork from Arts Project Australia and 30 poems from Victorian novice and professional poets.
We need people to tell visitors to our pop up gallery about the art and poetry on show, hand out postcards and encourage people to vote in the People’s Choice Awards.
We will provide you with FREE entry to the show & all the information you need to know about Moving Galleries. Plus you will become a part of our exciting Melbourne project.
If you’re interested, please email your preferred date and time to
Visit our pop up gallery at 530 Collins Street
After a month at Metro’s Flinders Street Station, Moving Galleries latest exhibition of art and poetry has moved into the busy foyer at 530 Collins Street thanks to the support of The GPT Group.You can view the entire collection at 530 Collins Street until Thursday 22 September and then at the Royal Melbourne Show from Saturday 24 September until Tuesday 4 October.
You can also vote for your favourite artwork and poem in the People’s Choice Awards by completing a voting slip at the pop up gallery. If you can’t vote in person, view the entire collection online and vote there. By voting you go into the draw to win a prize valued at $500.
The exhibition features 18 pieces of art from Arts Project Australia alongside 30 poems from Victorian poets. The art and poetry is showcased in a purpose-built pop up gallery designed by Daniel Dalla Riva at 6 Hats and built by ISIS Group Australia.
Thanks to all of our partners for their assistance in bringing this exhibition to Melbourne commuters.
Stay up to date with all exhibition news on Twitter and Facebook. And don’t forget to check out the pop up gallery at 530 Collins Street before it departs on 22 September.
Chapbook launch at Overload Poetry Festival
We chat with Emilie Collyer who will be launching ‘Your Looking Eyes’ during the 2011 Overload Poetry Festival.
When?
Wednesday 14 September from 5pm – 7pm
Where?
c3 contemporary art space
Abbotsford Convent
1 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford
What’s the best train or tram to catch?
Victoria Park Station on the Epping and Hurstbridge Line
Any Victoria Street tram get off at Nicholson Street, Abbotsford
Tell us a little about you or your group
I’m a Melbourne writer of poetry, fiction and performance works. Overload Poetry Festival is a grass roots poetry festival, started in 2002, and is one of the major annual poetry festivals in Australia.
What will people experience when they come to the reading?
It’s in the beautiful c3 gallery, open especially for the occasion, so they can check out the art work. I’ll read a few poems from the book. Writer, editor and publisher Chris Flynn will be launching it. We’ll have some good wine to drink and the book will be for sale (it’s really beautiful and Eirian’s illustrations are amazing).
How long have you been working on this event? And what’s been involved?
I started a residency at c3 gallery through the Australian Poetry Café Poet Program in June 2010. I went in about once a week fir nine months and wrote and talked and listened. I decided to put together a collection of poetry and wanted it to be visual as well as literal. So I collaborated with illustrator and designer Eirian Chapman to create an illustrated book of poems.
Where did you draw your inspiration from?
The artwork at c3 (they have a different range of exhibitions in there every 3 weeks), talking to the artists, talking to and observing the public who came into the gallery, talking to Jon Butt, the director of the gallery. The poems are all about what happens when we look at visual art, the memories it sparks off, the inspiration and those funny feelings you can’t quite name.
In 10 words or less why should people get moving and check it out?
Words and images brought together in a unique way.
What was your biggest challenge along the way?
Making decisions about what to put in and what to leave out.
Where will we see you next?
Just before the festival I’m reading at La Mama Poetica (Monday 5 September). And in November, I’m co-creator and performer in ‘Maybe we’re never together’ – a new theatre work premiering at Big West Festival.
Frankston hosts poetry workshop and poetry slam
Poetry Workshop
Tuesday, 30 August from 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Frankston Library
Free poetry workshop hosted by Benjamin “IQ” Sanders, poet, educator, publisher, international slam champion and Melbourne’s very own 2008 Slam Champion.
This workshop is open to all ages interested in progressing their poetry with the chance to demonstrate their work at our upcoming Library Slam in September.
Bookings required on 9784 1020.
Poetry Slam
Thursday, 8 September from 7:00pm – 8:30pm
Frankston Library
Calling all poets, this is your chance to showcase your original work with two minutes to slam and the chance to win cash prizes.
Entry is free for participants and audience members. Content to be family friendly. Registrations open at 6:30pm, first 20 people registered will compete.
Visit the Frankston City Library webpage for further details.
Moving Galleries departs Flinders Street Station
After a four week stay at Flinders Street Station, Moving Galleries pop up gallery has departed for its next destination.
During its stay at the iconic station, more than 600 people voted in the People’s Choice Awards, more than 2,000 postcards were collected and more than 100,000 people passed the gallery each day.
The pop up gallery, designed by Daniel Dalla Riva at 6 Hats and built by ISIS Group Australia, showcased 18 pieces of art and 30 poems.
Many of the artists from Arts Project Australia and poets from across Victoria brought their friends and family to the station to see the pop up gallery. There were also many fans of Moving Galleries and past contributors popping by for a visit.
The next destination will be revealed in coming weeks, but you will be able to see the pop up gallery at the Royal Melbourne Show from 24 September until 4 October and then at Federation Square from 14-28 February.
In the meantime, view the entire collection of art and poetry and vote for your favourite pieces.
Moving Galleries extends its stay at Flinders Street Station until 14 August
Our latest exhibition, Observance, has extended its stay at Flinders Street Station for another week.
You have until Sunday 14 August to view the entire collection of 30 poems and 18 artworks in the pop up gallery next to the Police Station on the main concourse of Metro’s Flinders Street Station.
The art from Arts Project Australia and the poetry submitted by Victorian poets has already been viewed by thousands of Melbourne commuters with hundreds of votes in the People’s Choice Awards being cast.
Vote for your favourite artwork and poem in the People’s Choice Awards and go into the draw to win a $500 prize.
Moving Galleries’ “Observance” exhibition is proudly supported by the Victorian Government’s Department of Transport, Metro, ISIS Group Australia, Committee for Melbourne, Arts Project Australia, 6 Hats, housemouse, Liquid Ink, Allens Arthur Robinson, the c word, Royal Melbourne Show, Federation Square, The Melbourne Review, and the State of Design Festival.
Moving Galleries sixth exhibition at Flinders Street Station until 1 August
Yesterday Moving Galleries launched its latest exhibition of art and poetry, “Observance”, at Flinders Street Station. The exhibition is on show until 1 August and is part of the 2011 State of Design Festival.
The exhibition will then move to a number of public places around Melbourne including the Royal Melbourne Show in September and Federation Square in February 2012.
More than 60 people attended yesterday’s launch including many of the artists and poets, our partners, and representatives from government, business, art and literature organisations. You can check out photos from the launch on our Facebook page.
Thank you to Michelle Leber and John Holton for reading their poems during the launch. It was a wonderful way to launch the exhibition.
Thank you also to the artists and poets for sharing their work with the Victorian public. The exhibition features 18 pieces of art from Arts Project Australia alongside 30 poems from Victorian poets. The art and poetry is showcased in a purpose-built pop up gallery designed by Daniel Dalla Riva at 6 Hats and built by ISIS Group Australia.
Thanks to all of our partners for their assistance in bringing this exhibition to Melbourne commuters. Particular thanks to the Department of Transport for helping fund this exhibition, to Metro for providing Moving Galleries with a highly visible space and to the Committee for Melbourne for their ongoing support.
You can vote for your favourite artwork and poem in the People’s Choice Awards by completing a voting slip at the exhibition or you can view the entire collection online and vote there. By voting you go into the draw to win a prize valued at $500.
Stay up to date with all exhibition news on Twitter and Facebook. And don’t forget to check out the pop up gallery at Flinders Street Station before it departs on 1 August.
PS. Check out the article in The Age today on page 20 and let us know if you see other coverage.
Get moving to … Stopping all stations poetry readings
Poetry event
Carole Poustie and Helen Boettcher present Stopping all Stations
Date and time
Third Saturday of the month (except July)
Venue
Station Street Cafe
26 Station Street
Nunawading (across from Nunawading Station)
Entry fee
$5 and $3 concession
Best train or tram stop
Nunawading station – Belgrave/Lilydale line
Tell us a little about you or your group
We meet at the Station Street Cafe which is licensed and has yummy food and a great vibe. We try to make everybody feel welcome – especially if they’ve come on their own – and encourage both experienced and emerging writers to the microphone. It’s a very supportive and friendly environment and we have a great line-up of featured readers.
What will people experience when they come to the reading?
We kick off at 2pm with an open section with a limit of five minutes per person. We have one of our featured readers next before a break so that people can socialise and order food and drink. After drawing the lucky door prizes we have another open section and finish with our second featured reader. We usually finish around 4.30 to 5pm.
The featured readers coming up are
May: Marian Spires/Andy Jackson
June: John Jenkins/Ray Liversidge
August: Roby Rowland
September: Vicki Thorton/Michele Leber
October: Philip Salom/Shari Kosher
November: Matt Hetherington
How long have you been working on this event? And what’s been involved?
Helen Boettcher and I are next-door neighbours who both happen to be poets. We’d spoken about the dearth of spoken word events in the eastern suburbs, so when I toyed with the idea of establishing one in our neighbourhood, Helen was keen to help get it off the ground. We had a very successful inaugural year in 2010.
Where did you draw your inspiration from?
The inspiration came very much from our experience of other spoken word events ‘around the traps’. I was determined to provide a quality event with high-profile featured readers that was both inviting and friendly. I wanted to give people who may not be in a position to attend readings in and around the city the opportunity to enjoy the spoken word in their own neighbourhood.
(The interesting thing is we’ve attracted not only the locals but poets from all over Melbourne!)
In 10 words or less why should people get moving and check it out?
It’s a friendly and supportive vibe with fantastic featured readers.
What was your biggest challenge along the way?
Publicity – getting the word around and establishing ourselves.
Where will we see you next?
Station Street Cafe
26 Station Street
Nunawading
Saturday May 21
2pm
And then every third Saturday of the month.
Check out - Six Years Later Magazine Launch & Exhibition
Six Years Later Magazine Launch & Exhibition
Dates and Times
Opening Night
Friday, 15th April 2011
7pm – 10pm (Doors open at 6.30pm)
Exhibition 16th -18th April 2011
10am – 4pm
Venue
1000 Pound Bend
361 Lt Lonsdale St
Melbourne
Entry fee and booking details (if any)
Free entry
Best train or tram stop
Get off at Melbourne Central or catch any tram along Elizabeth Street
http://www.sixyearslater.com.au
Who are you?
The Six Years Later magazine is an artwork-only magazine. Each issue we explore a particular theme and where it may lead society in six years through artwork only.
What will people see when they come to your show?
On show at our very first magazine launch and exhibition is a variety of work from contributors of Issue One; including original artwork, prints and pages from the magazine. We also have some artwork from other emerging artists who have jumped onto the Six Years Later iniative. And last but not least, we are proud to be hosting The Hungry Workshop’s “Queenslake” Exhibition. The Hungry Workshop had set up this exhibition in Brisbane to raise money for the Premier’s Disaster Relief Appeal – and now we’ve convinced them to come down to Melbourne so us Victorians, can show some support for our Queensland neighbours.
How long have you been working on this show? And what’s been involved?
This show has been in the works for about 3 months, working together with contributors from around the world and artists and designers interstate to put together an amazing show.
Where did you draw your inspiration from for this show?
The Six Years Later Magazine Launch & Exhibition is first and foremost a celebration of what this little magazine has accomplished.
In 10 words or less why should people get moving and check out your work?
Amazing opportunity to see things they’ve never seen before. Really.
What was your biggest challenge along the way?
The Australian Customs and Border Protection Service withholding some of our paintings! We’re not dangerous!!
Where will we see you next or what are you next working on?
Call out to artists have begun already for Issue Two. Artists and designers – get on it.
Exhibition profile - Irene Amorosi’s Beyond the Grey
Irene Amorosi presents Beyond The Grey
Irene has been inspired by her daily visits to the Docklands. Irene’s art exhibition, Beyond The Grey depicts the metamorphous of the Docklands precinct. With a progressive and evolving landscape including construction development, cosmetic improvement of surrounding structures and the gradual increase of population, its public profile continues to grow.
Dates and Times
Until 24 April 2011: Monday to Sunday,12-5pm
Venue
Shed 4, Dock 4, North Wharf Road, Victoria Harbour, DOCKLANDS Vic 3008
Best train or tram stop
Southern Cross Station
Who are you?
A visual artist who enjoys life and being immersed in the arts.
What will people see when they come to your show?
Beyond The Grey is an exhibition of mixed media depicting the metamorphous of the Docklands precinct.
How long have you been working on this show? And what’s been involved?
The idea has been in the making for approximately two years and developing the artwork in the last eight months. I have to do some research and have used different mediums. Beyond The Grey is supported by the City of Melbourne through the Arts Grants Program.
Where did you draw your inspiration from for this show?
Foremost, the Docklands precinct. With so many changes the Docklands is alive.
In 10 words or less why should people get moving and check out your work?
It is different, humourous, set in the Docklands precinct.
What was your biggest challenge along the way?
Developing my artwork whilst having my foot in a plaster cast.
Where will we see you next or what are you next working on?
I will be exploring architecture and artwork from the ancient Roman era.
Art exhibition: Peter Burke presents ‘Findings (Glove Series)’
Artist Peter Burke has completed 74 drawings of the gloves which are on display at Trocadero Artspace until March 19.
We asked Peter Burke, a former Moving Galleries artist, about his latest exhibition Findings (Gloves series)
Dates:
Wed-Sat
11am-5pm
Until Saturday 19 March
Venue:
Trocadero Artspace
Level 1 / 119 Hopkins Street
Footscray
Best train station:
Footscray Station
What will people see when they come to your show?
Findings is an exhibition of drawing of hand gloves gleaned from footpaths, roads and fence posts in the inner city of Melbourne over the last year.
Lost, discarded or left behind, the gloves speak of human ownership – remnants of routines and actions, and marked with creases, stains and deterioration – each with their own story to tell.
Where will we see you next or what are you next working on?
The artist is now collecting lost socks.
Event - Help keep Collected Works alive - Wednesday 8 December
What’s happening?
Friends of Collected Works Raffle Draw and Party
When?
Pre Christmas Shopping until 8 December, $25+ purchase qualifies for raffle drawn on 8 December
Where?
Collected Works Bookshop
Level 1, Nicholas Building, 37 Swanston St., Melbourne CBD, 3000
Tel 9654 8873
How much?
Buy a book!
What’s the best train/tram?
Flinders Street Station, up Swanston St to Flinders Lane intersection; the Nicholas Building cannot be missed
Where can we get more information?
Collected Works bookshop Facebook page
Tell us about the group:
Friends of Collected Works are different sets of supporters who have come together to assist the Shop through a tricky commercial time. They’re mostly readers and writers who’ve followed the fortunes of the Shop since the 80s, 90s, 00s…
What will people experience?
The buzz of being at Melbourne Poetry HQ with numerous like minded people!
What’s your favourite memory at current address?
The big launches eg, the Dorothy Porter Memorial reading in 2009; the relocation reading for the shop in 2003.... And Barry Humphreys sweeping into the shop with film crew in train declaring in inimitable voice, This is my favourite bookshop!
Why should people check it out?
To help keep a unique readers and writers bookshop in the black
What makes your bookshop unique?
Originally a collective of writers, editors, small press publishers, its speciality in poetry & related literature is unequalled in Australasia… It’s a cultural hub as well as a bookshop… It is independent!
What’s a book launch like at Collected Works?
Book launches are very collaborative with poets &/or presses we know. They usually include the poet reading and responding to the launcher’s speech. It’s a free gig, and catered. Because it is a bookshop and not a theatre the supporters stand and sit around the shop. Friendly but respectful, attentive.
How often do you have launches?
Average one a month
When can people come into the store?
Usual business hours, 9-30 til 5.30. For a launch door stays open…
Usual function time is 6 for 6.30
What’s your favourite memory of the current location?
The big functions which are celebrations of the shop’s existence as a readers’ & writers’ bookstore as well as the event itself : eg, the relocation ‘buy a book’ benefit arranged by Messers Smeaton & McBryde in 2003; the launch of Best Australian Poetry organised by Messers Downey & McKimmie ; the Dorothy Porter memorial reading in 2009 organised by Jenny Harrison & Gig Ryan.... But also such a happening as Barry Humphreys sweeping into the shop with the media in train, declaring Collected Works his favourite bookshop and holding court for an hour!
The raffle/ party on Wednesday 8 December will be the conclusion of the pre-Christmas shopping week for which every purchase of $25 or more qualifies! It’s an opportunity for all friends of the shop to come together and celebrate the shop and its Future!
LAUNCH: Tiggy Johnson’s debut poetry collection
This week we ask Tiggy Johnson a few questions ahead of the launch of ‘First taste’ and Going Away Party this Sunday!
What’s happening?
The launch of Tiggy Johnson’s debut poetry collection, ‘First taste’ is her last Melbourne appearance before moving interstate.
When’s it happening?
Sunday 28th November 2010 at 3pm
Where’s it happening?
Caffe Sospeso
428 Burwood Road
Hawthorn, Vic
Where’s the closest train, tram or bus?
Glenferrie Train Station
Where can we get more information?
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170056003012024
Tell us a little about you
I’m an editor of Page Seventeen. I’m also a parent, a student, a teacher, a quilter and a writer. My short stories, poetry and articles have appeared in various Australian magazines including Cordite, Island, Blue Dog and Verandah and I was awarded second prize in the Herald-Sun/Collins Short Story Competition 2004. And I blog at www.tiggyjohnson.blogspot.com .
What will people experience when they come to the reading?
‘First Taste’ is brimming with domestic luminosity. These poems explore the terrain of love and desire, parent and child, ecstasy and death and reveal the depth of Johnson’s voice. Her poems teach us not only to accept, but to feel blessed by the complexity of humanity, the terrible mysteries of life. You will not forget ‘The facts’ nor that ‘first taste of butterscotch sauce’. Johnson renders her secrets in language vivid and strong. - Graham Nunn
How long have you been working on this event? And what’s been involved?
The poems in ‘First taste’ were written between 2006 and 2010, inclusive.
Where did you draw your inspiration from?
From my general surrounds, including society, my children, my role as a parent and from other Melbourne poets who I admire.
In 10 words or less why should people get moving and check it out?
This is Tiggy’s last official Melbourne appearance before she moves interstate.
What was your biggest challenge along the way?
In going from writing fiction to writing poetry, which is mostly inspired by my own personal experience, the biggest challenge was believing I had something to say that others would want to hear, but after performing some of the poems in this collection just once or twice, it became apparent that indeed, that was the case.
Where will we see you next?
Brisbane.
Get moving to Flying Home, wherever that is (Free Poetry Event)
Melbourne Poets Union presents ‘Flying Home, wherever that is’
When is it on?
Sunday 31 October 2010 from 2 pm to 4 pm.
Where is it on at?
Immigration Museum, Flinders Street
How much and how do we book?
FREE EVENT
What’s the best train or tram stop?
Flinders St Station
Where can we get more information?
Melbourne Poets Union’s website
Tell us a little about Melbourne Poets Union
Melbourne Poets Union is a voluntary organisation promoting poets and poetry in Melbourne through monthly events: workshops, readings, panel discussions. We publish a bi-monthly newsletter and occasional poets’ chapbooks.
What will people experience when they come to the reading?
October is our annual bilingual event, which has been held at the Immigration Museum for the last 2 years. This year it is a panel discussion focusing on the concept of ‘home’, particularly but not exclusively in the case of immigrants revisiting their home country. Panellists will include readings from their texts and discussion will be followed by an open section, in which reading in languages other than English (with translation) is encouraged. Panellists include: Lella Cariddi, Robyn Rowland, Maria Tumarkin, Ouyang Yu and Arnold Zable.
How long have you been working on this event? And what’s been involved?
We have been working on this event for over a year. This included obtaining funding from the Victorian Multicultural Commission, the co-operation of the Immigration Museum in providing the venue (and their publicity) free of charge and inviting the guest panellists.
Where did you draw your inspiration from?
I (Marietta Elliott-Kleerkoper) drew inspiration from my own experience as an immigrant. In 2008, I went back to Amsterdam, city of my birth, for 3 months. I found this a painful and confusing experience, from which I have not quite recovered, which led me to question where ‘home’ was, or whether I was condemned to feel home was ‘elsewhere’, no matter where I was. I talked to a lot of people, not only immigrants, who, when visiting the place where they grew up, had similar experiences.
In 10 words or less why should people get moving and check it out?
Great topic, great writers, opportunity to read your work and get involved.
What was your biggest challenge along the way?
The biggest challenge is ahead of us in running the actual event!
What’s next for Melbourne Poets Union?
Our final event for the year is the announcement of prize winners of the MPU International Poetry Competition (there’s still time to enter!) and judge’s report, and, of course our Christmas party! November 26 at the Wheeler Centre, 176 Little Lonsdale St.
Get moving and check out People’s Choice Award Winning Poet, Sean M Whelan
We asked the winner of the 2010 poetry award for the Moving Galleries’ People’s Choice Awards a few questions in the lead up to his album launch this Sunday.
What’s happening?
Sean M Whelan & The Interim Lovers are launching their Softly & Suddenly Album
When’s it happening?
Sunday 24 October at 8pm
Where’s it happening?
The Toff In Town. Level 2. 252 Swanston Street.
How much does it cost?
$12/$20 with CD.
What’s the best train or tram stop to get off at?
Any tram stopping at the corner of Swanston and Lonsdale. Or Melbourne Central train station.
Where can we get more information?
Head to our website.
Now for some questions about the launch and the works!
Tell us a little about you or your group
A collaboration between poet Sean M Whelan and post-rock outfit The Interim Lovers. Softly & Suddenly was written in response to Lewis Carroll’s ‘Hunting of the Snark’ poem, but re-imagining it as a love poem.
What will people experience when they come to the reading?
A night of storytelling and music. A tale of two lost souls, Betsy & Ballard, falling down the rabbit hole of love.
How long have you been working on this event? And what’s been involved?
Over a year. The show was first performed at the 2009 Overload Poetry Festival for which it recently won the Shelton Lea award for Best Group Performance.
Where did you draw your inspiration from?
Lewis Carroll mostly for this show, but also the work of the Magical Realism and Dirty Realism novelists. Isabelle Allende, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Raymond Carver, Richard Ford.
In 10 words or less why should people get moving and check it out?
Haunting, award winning, melancholy, moving, magical, contemporary myth, mesmerising, unique.
What was your biggest challenge along the way?
Recording the album on a tiny budget, using a friend’s house as a studio.
Where will we see you next?
Writing new material to be performed in 2011!
Interview with Sweet Streets Curator, Tessa Yee
We asked Tessa Yee, the curator of the Sweet Streets Festival Award Show a few questions.
When is the festival running until?
It’s on until 24 October from 8am-7pm weekdays and 11am-7pm weekends. The works start coming down Sunday 24 October.
Where can we see it?
1000 Pound Bend, 361 little Lonsdale Street
How much does it cost and how do we book?
It’s free!
What’s the best train or tram stop to get off at?
Melbourne Central Station, or Tram on cnr Elizabeth and La Trobe Street
Where can we get more information?
Head to our website
Now for some questions about creating the show and what’s next.
What will people see when they come to your show?
The Sweet Streets Award show represents a plethora of urban and street-styled art such as stencil works, free hand graffiti, yarn bombing, stickers, sculptures, toys, paste-ups, collage, and illustration. With artists from the US, Finland, NZ, Asia and Australia featured in the show. Well-known local artists Drewfunk, Deb, Tom Civil and Beastman have done large-scale murals decorating the space, while other household street-art names such as Haha, Max Berry, Rehgan de Mather and Ears have contributed some beautiful works on canvas and paper.
How long have you been working on this show? And what’s been involved?
Since the start of this year. I started putting together the call-out and getting in touch with artists, forums, blogs etc to try to spread the word that I was looking for artists for this show. I also did a lot of research and talking to people about their work and how it fits into the broad definitions of ‘urban art’ and compares to works you see on the street.
After the submissions closed in August – a panel from the Sweet Streets helped me choose the best works for the show, which would sit alongside a number of invited artists. This was extremely difficult due to the number of excellent entries and the comparatively limited space we had at 1000 pound bend. I had to make some tough decisions based on my aim to make the show as diverse as possible and representative of not just the typical styles of street-art, but also artworks that are on the fringe of this definition as well.
Where did you draw your inspiration from for this show?
Having curated the Melbourne Stencil Festival last year, I was eager to take on the challenge again this year and was really excited to have the expansion of the show to all ‘urban and street-styled’ art. This obviously meant I could encompass many styles of works and go much further beyond purely stencil works.
Most of my inspiration was drawn simply from talking to, and meeting artists, and exploring their different styles of art both on and off the street. I wanted to see ways in which I could represent street styles in the gallery without the works seeming too out of context.
As I discovered new styles such as knit graffiti which uses practically any 3D object as a basis for a knit piece, and met artists who explored a lot of mixed media such as recycled wood, felt, and cardboard, I became more and more concerned with trying to include these kinds of pieces in the show to represent the way street art has evolved far beyond the typical methods of creating work.
Of course, I also knew it was important to represent traditional graffiti, characters and letters, stencil art, paste-ups etc as well, but I was just really inspired by the way street artists explore so many different surfaces, textures, and objects for their work, because this is what they have to do if they want to create free artwork that is site specific – they have to adapt to the materials at hand.
In 10 words or less why should people get moving and check out your work?
On or Off the Street – this art IS MELBOURNE CULTURE.
What was your biggest challenge along the way?
Having to limit the number of works to fit in the space – because there is just so much good stuff out there!! It was a painful process….
Where will we see you next or what are you next working on?
After a short break when the festival ends – I’ll be back to working at Brunswick Street Gallery and thinking about my next major curatorial project there (no doubt it will be street art related). I will also continue to be on the Sweet Streets Committee and can hopefully contribute more to next year’s events!
E-newsletter - October 2010
Welcome
The past two months have been filled with literature and art!
Literary fans were spoilt for choice in September with the Melbourne Writers Festival and the Overload Poetry Festival. At the same time, art fans enjoyed the Melbourne Art Fair and a spectucular range of exhibition openings across the city.
And if that wasn’t enough, Melbourne Fringe has just ended and the Melbourne Festival runs until 23 October.
It has also been a busy period for the Moving Galleries Poetry Selection Committee reviewing more than 700 poems.
We hope you enjoy the remainder of the festival season as well as the regular art and poetry events around Victoria.
Cheers, Jack Walden and the Moving Galleries Advisory Board
PS. Don’t forget, you can join us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter
Moving Galleries News
Work continues on establishing a separate entity for Moving Galleries
As you may be aware, Moving Galleries is an initiative of the Committee for Melbourne and until now has been managed by the Committee. In order to ensure the ongoing success of Moving Galleries, it’s necessary to establish a separate entity to manage future exhibitions, partnerships and operations.
While we’ve been selecting poetry for the next exhibition, the Advisory Board has been doing the paperwork to set Moving Galleries up as a separate legal entity.
The new structure is almost ready to be established and we will provide you with the full details in our next e-newsletter.
At the same time, we have been talking with other arts, literature and public transport organisations to find new ways of bringing Moving Galleries to you. We’ll share more details about these exciting plans once we’ve confirmed them with our partners.
Poetry Selection Finalised
Thank you to Victoria’s poets for contributing haikus, rookus, long and short poems to the 700 plus poetry submissions we received.
The extremely high quality of poems made it very difficult to narrow the selection down to 30. With themes from loneliness, grieving, gardening and insects to spelling errors and a child’s first taste of passionfruit, we’re sure you’ll find the final selection entertaining and thought-provoking.
Congratulations to the poets who made it through to the final selection, and thanks to everyone for your wonderful submissions.
Commuting with ….Daniel Donahoo
In each e-newsletter, we ask someone involved with Moving Galleries to share their thoughts on the project.
Daniel was the lucky winner of the People’s Choice Award Public Prize. He won $500 for casting his vote for his favourite poem.
How did you find out about Moving Galleries?
Through friends who are writers and poets and have had their work published and presented by Moving Galleries. I have had an obsession with public transport and poetry for sometime. When I was performing spoken word in Melbourne myself (a lifetime ago), I produced a series called "The City Loop Poems" – the concept of words and stories presented in overtly public spaces is a very good one.
Why did you vote?
To support fine words and ideas. And, because of the great respect I have for the work of the individual I voted for. His words hit my core.
What is your favourite part about Moving Galleries?
The fact that poetry and art is taken into such a public space, to be appreciated and read by an audience who might otherwise not think to engage with these art forms. I get a kick when I step onto a carriage with Moving Galleries taking the space where advertising used to be. It must be expanded and take over other public spaces – how much more pleasant would it be with billboards or cinema advertising sharing poetry and art.
Which is your train line?
This shouldn’t be such a difficult question. But it is. For a long time it has been the Bendigo line as I’ve been living in Castlemaine, which means in city terms, any train line to the west that stops at North Melbourne has been my line – Craigieburn, Werribee, Upfield...but, I am in the process of landing back in Melbourne and will be making my way into town on the Belgrave or Lilydale line...depending.
What is your favourite poem/artwork? (outside of MG works)
My favourite poem is local poet Phil Norton’s "This is not a love poem". I heard him read it years ago. I am a tragic romantic.
If you were a book, what would you be?
Anything by Tim Winton...in fact aspects of my life are slightly too similar to some of Winton’s work.
Favourite bookstore/gallery?
Stoneman’s Bookroom in Castlemaine.
If there were one thing you would like to see on Melbourne’s public transport, what would it be?
Public performance of poetry and music. When I was a teenager there was this bloke who used to ride the Hurstbridge line, usually got on at Heidelberg and he would play the violin. When he boarded he would politely ask if anyone minded and if there were no objections he would play – he did not ask for any money, he wasn’t busking, just providing a community service, a music appreciation service if you will. The response from commuters was in most part overwhelmingly positive. It was always a joy when he’d get on and make the 20 minute run from Heidelberg into the city an experience, rather than a journey.
As well as a Moving Galleries appreciator, Daniel Donahoo writes and works with words. You can find his work at http://www.danieldonahoo.com and his recent music/spoken word collaboration at http://www.inbflat.net
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Get moving and check out …
Catch a train or a tram to Northcote and check out:
Arts Project Australia’s Portrait Exchange
24 High Street, Northcote until 16 October
Every portrait tells a story of a relationship and it is these stories that are the focus of Portrait Exchange. This exhibition is the result of a project which has fostered existing relationships and initiated new ones. It translates shared experiences and visual dialogues between not only sitter and portrait painter, but also between studio artist and non Arts Project Australia artist. This visual exchange between artists builds on the popular genre of portraiture, whilst connecting to a broader dialogue of artists who have used portraiture throughout history.
Catch a train/tram to the countless locations across Melbourne to catch a show at:
Melbourne Festival
Various venues until 23 October
Celebrating its 25th year, the Melbourne Festival is one of Australia’s flagship international arts festivals and one of the major multi-arts festivals of the world, in terms of quality of work, innovation of vision, and scale and breadth of program.
Each Festival brings an unparalleled feast of dance, theatre, music, visual arts, multimedia and outdoor events from renowned and upcoming Australian and International companies and artists to Melbourne.
Check out more arts and literate events you can head along to at www.movinggalleries.org/getmoving
And in other arts and literature news
Melbourne Poetry Map
Melbourne has one of the most exciting and diverse spoken word and poetry scenes in the world – and now there’s a map to prove it. Audio Graffiti is a free series of self-guided audio walks through Melbourne’s CBD.
To create the walks, 21 of Melbourne’s finest spoken word performers have mapped the city’s epic architecture and dirty laneways, creating audio paste-ups of tragic loves lost, recording their hearts and leaving their stories like invisible murals against the city walls.
Supported by the City of Melbourne, the maps were launched as a part of the Overload Poetry Festival 2010.
Download the audio tour and map from www.melbournepoetrymap.com and hit the streets.
MG Sponsors
Moving Galleries thanks our sponsors and partners for their generous support:
Thanks to Lou Weis and Jan van Schaik for their permission to use their work OverLogo as our e-newsletter header.
Contact
Moving Galleries
PO Box 640
South Melbourne Victoria 3205 Australia
t: +61 3 9676 9040
e: movinggalleries@melbourne.org.au
Get moving and check out - Black Face/White Mask: A Play About Transforming Identity
We chatted with the team at Western Edge Youth Arts and The Flemington Theatre Group who are presenting Black Face/White Mask: A Play About Transforming Identity next Thursday at 8pm. It’s a free production in Flemington, which should be both entertaining and confronting.
Here are the main details.
What
Black Face/White Mask: A Play About Transforming Identity
When
Thursday 14 October at 8pm
Where
Flemington Community Centre, 25 Mount Alexander Road, Flemington.
How much and bookings
Tickets are free on the door
Best train or tram stop:
Flemington Bridge Train Station
Now here are some questions we asked them about the show.
Tell us a bit about your organisation?
Western Edge is a non-profit organisation established in 1993 to provide positive arts and performance experiences for young people from diverse cultural and social backgrounds living in the western suburbs of Melbourne. The Flemington Theatre Group is an emerging company of young, predominantly African theatre makers.
What will people see when they come to your show?
Black Face, White Mask is a fast-paced and confronting play by a new theatre company - The Flemington Theatre Group - whose members are predominantly from Horn of Africa backgrounds. Directed by Dave Kelman and Cuong Nguyen, it showcases a new cultural voice from Melbourne’s Inner West. The play focuses on the lives of eight young people and what it means to be Afro-Australian as they confront casual racism and family tensions. It is fast, funny and in your face, exploring the complexity of contemporary Australian society from an Afro-Australian perspective with a direct, challenging blend of drama and comedy.
How long have you been working on this show? And what’s been involved?
The show is the culmination of six years of theatre in education programs Western Edge Artistic Director Dave Kelman has run at Debney Park Secondary College with culturally diverse, recently arrived and ‘at risk’ young people from the Flemington community. Following their graduation from high-school in 2009, a group of these young people from predominantly African backgrounds decided to start their own theatre company (The Flemington Theatre Group, or FTG) with Western Edge’s support. Black Face, White Mask was originally performed in July 2010 to capacity audiences at the Incinerator in Moonee Ponds. Following the show Western Edge and the FTG were approached by Arts Victoria, the Department of Planning and Community Development and Flemington Neighbourhood Renewal to restage the production as a means of engaging Flemington youth in contemporary issues associated with the renewal program in 2011.
Where did you draw your inspiration from for this show?
The show blends the FTG’s own life stories and experiences as Afro-Australians with their reading of post-colonial theory (particularly Franz Fanon) and love of soccer.
In 10 words or less why should people get moving and check out your work?
The most exciting, challenging new performance group in Melbourne.
What was your biggest challenge along the way?
The FTG have faced a myriad of challenges along the way, however the biggest challenge at present is bringing culturally diverse youth theatre to the attention of the mainstream Australian art world.
Where will we see you next?
Western Edge and the FTG are currently planning Identity Tales, a large scale, big budget theatrical and multi-media production scheduled to premier in mid-2011.
Get moving and check out - Cold Light: Photographic series
Exhibition Title
Cold Light: Photographic series
Artist’s name
Tara Gilbee
Dates and Times
15 September to 24 October 2010
10am-5pm, Wednesday to Sunday
Venue
Latrobe Visual Arts Centre, 121 View Street, Bendigo Vic 3550
Entry fee and booking details (if any)
n/a
Best train or tram stop
Bendigo train station is a 20 minute walk down View Street. The gallery is opposite Bendigo Art Gallery and The Bendigo Capital Theatre.
Tell us about yourself
I am a visual artist who has been practising for 14 years since graduating from VCA. I have curated, collaborated and exhibited nationally and internationally. My work is mainly installation or photography.
What will people see when they come to your show?
‘Cold Light’ is a series of photographic images that utilise the refractive qualities of light, manipulated through lens and mirrors, to distort and transform the materials at hand.
The shadowy imprints explore a psychological landscape. Traversing the beauty of dark looming shapes while seeping into watery fields of the unconscious. Dream like visual fields mesmerize and draw the viewer into a liminal field of possibilities.
How long have you been working on this show? And what’s been involved?
I have been working on the theme for over a year. It has been an intimate act of pushing the digital camera to capture essential elements of light and magnification. The works are scaled up for exhibition but started as small vestiges of ideas, internal landscapes that explored psychological ground.
Where did you draw your inspiration from for this show?
Maholy Nagy’s photography has been an inspiration, as has Pat Brassington’s work, thoughmy work does not represent anything of their work. The exploration of photography as a medium as well as a projection of internalised language are two thing that I have invested in this body of work.
In 10 words or less why should people get moving and check out your work?
‘Lose yourself in this field of imaginary and evocative imagery’.
It’s Spring and the country is flush with a heady sense of nature, the trip is easy by train and the Gallery is a lovely space to explore art works.
What was your biggest challenge along the way?
Financing the production of the work.
Where will we see you next or what are you next working on?
I hope to tour this exhibition nationally and I will be working towards some Melbourne and Interstate venues for next year.
I am thinking of a portrait type series next ….lets just see…
Moving Galleries E-News July 2010
Welcome
This month, we celebrate the first five years of Moving Galleries. In that time, and with your support, we’ve transformed it from an idea into a reality, and we have produced five sensational exhibitions, which have been seen by hundreds of thousands of Melbourne commuters.
While it may be a few more months before the next exhibition of Moving Galleries is up and running, don’t think for a second we’re resting on our laurels.
As you’ll see from this issue, there has been plenty of activity at Moving Galleries. Firstly, we’ve tallied up your votes and we are delighted to announce the winners of the ‘People’s Choice Awards’ ... you’ll have to read on to find out who won.
We’ve also gathered a group of passionate Moving Galleries supporters to form an Advisory Board. They are helping us take the necessary steps to establish Moving Galleries as a separate organisation, with a clear and sustainable model for future operations.
At the same time, our Poetry Selection Committee has been knee deep in short poems, prose, rookus and haikus sorting through submissions for the ‘Observance’ exhibition, which we’re hoping to bring you in the coming months, with art from our arts partner, Arts Projects Australia.
Between now and the next issue, we’ll be letting the shortlisted poets know of their involvement and announcing the exhibition dates - so stay tuned.
And don’t forget, you can always join us at http://www.facebook.com/MovingGalleries.org or follow us at http://twitter.com/movinggalleries
Cheers,
Jack Walden and the Moving Galleries team
Program news
People’s Choice Award Winners
Did you see the announcement on the ‘Melbourne Life’ page of The Age today?
Moving Galleries is pleased to announce the recipients of the People’s Choice Awards for the Transformation exhibition are Sean M Whelan and Kirsty Hulm.
The Poetry Award goes to Sean M Whelan for his poem ‘everything we ever changed our minds about’. His poem about autumn and love was a standout among the final 30 poems displayed.
Kirsty Hulm won the Artist Award for her installation ‘Imagine Me and You I Do’, which featured on the city’s St Paul Cathedral. Her work was originally part of the 2008 Next Wave Festival.
Congratulations to Sean and Kirsty as well as all the wonderful poets and artists who were involved in the ‘Transformation’ exhibition.
Public prize
Congratulations also go to Daniel Donahoo who won a prize worth $500 for simply casting his vote in the People’s Choice Awards.
Daniel was a little taken aback by the prize, as he was unaware that with voting came a reward. So what does he think about receiving a prize for simply voting for the piece that resonated with him the most?
“Moving Galleries has provided me with so much enjoyment over the years. A Moving Galleries carriage demands that we commuters pick ourselves up from our seat and survey each poem and artwork before we depart for jobs or home or otherwise.
I think Moving Galleries is demonstrating the increasing connection authors and readers have with each other, and hopefully with this city. The Internet has emerged from its infancy and we are now capable of all simultaneously being producers and receivers of words, stories, poems, pictures and ideas.
Thanks for making the journey a little brighter Moving Galleries, and thanks to all those that contribute to a project that we hope prospers and thrives well into the future.”
Well done Daniel and thank you for supporting our poets and artists.
Advisory Board
An interim Advisory Board has been established to help take the necessary steps to set Moving Galleries up as a separate entity, and develop a sustainable business model.
We will be keeping you updated on the progress of the Advisory Board via our website.
Poetry Selection
Thank you for the overwhelming response to our call for poetry submissions for the next exhibition.
Our Selection Committee now has the task of sorting through hundreds of submissions of short poems and haikus for the ‘Observance’ exhibition. Selection is well underway and we should have our final 30 poems chosen in the coming weeks.
The final selection will be undertaken by veteran Moving Galleries selector Kevin Brophy from the University of Melbourne as well as Luis Serrano Gonzalez, the new director of Overload Poetry Festival and Elisabeth Williams from the Department of Transport.
Commuting with… Matt Hetherington
Matt Hetherington performing at the 2008 Overload Poetry Festival (Image courtesy of Michael Reynolds)
In each issue of our e-newsletter, we’re going to ask a poet, artist, sponsor or a member of the team about their experiences commuting with Moving Galleries.
What’s your role with Moving Galleries?
Along with Lia Hills and Myron Lysenko, I was the initiator of the poetry aspect of the project. So I see my role partly as looking after the artistic side of things, remembering where we started, and making sure the poets don’t get forgotten in the middle of this massive, many-sided enterprise. Officially, I’m one of the poetry editors, and also I’m on the Advisory Board.
What does the initial selection process involve?
LOTS of poems! Reducing the submissions down to the required number (usually from something like 1,000 to around 90 or so), which seems to involve open-mindedness, tact, and the ability to give up poems that one likes, too...Lia and I get on pretty well, and generally have fairly similar ideas of what good poetry is and isn’t, and are both able to compromise. Although, I’m the good guy, of course…
What is your overall reaction to the quality of poetry submissions, for this exhibition and previous exhibitions?
Funny, actually, this was the first time I thought ‘Wow, pretty low standard there’, and then later realised I was wrong. About half the people who submit obviously don’t read much poetry, but I think occasionally can produce a good poem anyway. I’d actually like to see even MORE well-known poets submitting, but the amount of input from the general public has been really large, which is what we were hoping for, and a big part of what we wanted the project to be about.
What’s your favourite part of Moving Galleries?
Seeing the work when travelling myself, the genuine gratitude from the writers (who are so glad to actually be read by people who may well not read poetry any other time), and hearing stories from folk who don’t know I’m involved, and tell me about this great piece they’ve seen on the train…
What’s next for you?
Coffee.
Have you got a tip to share with budding poets/writers?
Other than writing and writing and practicing patience? I think the other way to become a good writer is to read intensely and widely, particularly in the forms in which you’re writing.
Get moving and check out...
Henri ROUSSEAU
French 1844-1910
The avenue in St. Cloud Park (1907-08)
(Allée dans le parc de Saint-Cloud)
oil on canvas
46.2 x 37.6 cm
Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main
Acquired in 1926
Image courtesy of the National Gallery of Victoria
Catch a train to Flinders Street station and walk or catch any tram along St Kilda Road to:
European Masters: Städel Museum, 19th-20th Century
19 June - 10 October 2010
National Gallery of Victoria
Tickets: $23 Concession: $18
European Masters brings together a remarkable collection of masterpieces from the Städel Museum in Frankfurt, one of the finest collections in Europe.
For more information, visit www.ngv.vic.gov.au
Get off the train at Melbourne Central and head along to:
Debut Mondays: Featuring Daniel Ducrou, Anna Dusk, Tess Evans and Andy Jackson
19 July 2010, 6.15 - 7.15pm
The Wheeler Centre Auditorium, 176 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne
Free event
For more information, visit www.wheelercentre.com
Also watch out for Melbourne Art Fair (4-8 August), Melbourne Writers Festival (27 August - 5 September) and Overload Poetry Festival (10 - 19 September).
Check out more arts and literate events you can head along to at www.movinggalleries.org/getmoving
And in other arts and literature news
Skype Slam
Melbourne poets will be taking on the cream of the crop from Singapore’s LIT UP festival in the first round of a Tri-Nations Skype Slam on July 18 at the Wheeler Centre. Representing Team Melbourne will be Emilie Zoey Baker, Maxine Beneba Clarke and Steve Smart. Ezra Bix will emcee the night.
May the best cyber-slammer win!
Tickets are available on the night. For more information, please visit http://www.overloadpoetry.org
What does $60 million buy you?
Did you know that Pablo Picasso’s Portrait of Angel Fernandez de Soto - also known as The Absinthe Drinker - sold for £34.7million? That’s $60million in Australian dollars. Painted in 1903 during Picasso’s blue period, the piece set a new record for British art sales.
At this stage, we can confirm this will NOT be featured in the next Moving Galleries exhibition 
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Yandell Walton collaborates for Gertrude Street Projection
Moving Galleries artist Yandell Walton, who’s work ‘Cargo’ featured in the ‘Transformation’ exhibition, is part of an exciting collaboration which will feature in the 2010 Gertrude Projection Festival from this Friday.
Walton has collaborated with the indigenous communities of Fitzroy and the Melbourne Aboriginal Youth Sports Centre (MAYSAR) in a series of workshops to create a shadow projection titled “From All Over”.
The work is a cultural community art project funded by the City of Yarra and part of the 2010 Gertrude St Projection Festival opening this Friday night and running for 10 nights along Gertrude St, Fitzroy.
The festival’s theme “Me You Us” is reflected in the work. It is a shadow projection reflecting the coming together of the indigenous communities in Fitzroy from across Australia.
Over the last 10 weeks, Yandell and group met informally at community barbecues and at the recreation centre. Yandell said, “This was such an important part of the process, because by getting to know each other, the stories of the people and the importance of this area and street to the people came out.”
It was during this process that Walton ran the workshops at MAYSAR and at her studio in Collingwood.
“The idea was to engage, talk about the concept and develop a work that has deep meaning for the people involved”
Celebrating and encouraging the diversity that makes up the Gertrude St community is an aim of the Gertrude Association, the not for profit group producing the Gertrude St Projection Festival.
Gertrude St is an incredible mix of social community services, artists, restaurants, high fashion shops and it’s also a place where indigenous people have strong emotional, historical and cultural connections. This street saw the birth of many key developments of modern indigenous history.
‘From All Over’ is projected down a lane beside The Charcoal Lane restaurant, named in honour of the real Charcoal lane of Archie Roach’s song.
While it’s not an official part of NAIDOC week, the Festival exhibits it with pride and in the spirit of celebrating our remarkable indigenous Fitzroy community.
Jump on a tram and head along to the Festival from Friday.
Still on track
Moving Galleries may not be on the trains right now but don’t think for one second that we’re resting on our laurels.
As you may be aware, Moving Galleries is an initiative of the Committee for Melbourne’s Future Focus Group to foster Victorian artistic and literary talent. Currently, we’re working to establish it as a separate entity, including the development of a sustainable business model. We’ve also been in talks to Melbourne’s public transport operators and exhibition partners and hope to bring you another exhibition very soon. For more information about our Advisory Board, click here.
If you have any comments or feedback, please contact Jack or Maryann on .
Moving Galleries’ wheels are in motion so keep an eye out for us.
Sigourney Young Poets Interview
What drives you to write/create?
I draw a lot of inspiration from the everyday situations and the world around me. I think that too often people let everything pass by while they’re caught up in work and stresses. In my writing I want to capture a moment or an image or scene and just slow it down. I want to appreciate details and the depth that can be found in ordinary situations
How would you describe your writing style?
My writing uses a lot of imagery and often concentrates on the rhythm and sound of sentences through structure and word choice. I’m fascinated with the way that these elements can create mood and so enjoy working with them in my writing. I write usually in the third person because it gives me the opportunity to explore a number of characters in depth…
Who or what has influenced your writing?
My brother has had a lot of influence on my writing. While our styles are much the same he has the skill to easily manufacture situations in his writing that succeed in presenting a deeper meaning to reader. He encourages me to look more at the symbols and metaphor used in writing. I am also greatly influenced by social issues such as body image and human rights.
What good is poetry for the community/the world/trains/yourself?
I think that poetry is an incredibly thought provoking medium. The nature of poems to selective in words often means that they can relate to a larger variety of people as meaning can be subjective. I think that poetry is important to communities and those traveling on the trains in that they allow for engagement with the expressions of others and encourage expression in turn.
When/How often do you write?
I try to write as often as I can but because I am studying I write less than I’d like to. I’m study Short Fiction this semester and so am looking forward to exploring some new themes and styles in my writing. I think it’s important to remember though that writing doesn’t had to be about creating a whole story. Partial images and impressions of people or events are just as important in allowing expression and the continued development of writing skills.
Do you have a favourite poem of your own?
My favorite poem is actually a silly one that a friend wrote for me. One of the delights of poetry is that so much feeling can be expressed through so few words. Published poems though, my favorite is the German poem ‘Der Panther’ by Rainer Maria Rilke. I learnt the German version in high school in class and the beauty of the piece, and the rhythm and tone that the words created, have always amazed me.
Can we see your work anywhere else soon or at the moment?
At the moment you’ll have to ride the trains to see my work. However, I have been writing a number of pieces recently, both short fiction and poetry and will hope to get some more work out in the public eye soon.
What advice would you have for budding or withered poets?
The best advice I can give to others out there interested in poetry is just to keep on writing. Remember that there are all sorts of poetry styles and to just find your own, they don’t have to rhyme and they can be on whatever has caught your interest at the time.
Transformation Catalogue
Transformation exhibition catalogue is now available in the Collected Works Bookshop in the city and Avenue Bookstore in Albert Park.
Collected Works is at
Level 1 Nicholas Building
37 Swanston Street
Melbourne 3000
It will be available at more bookshops soon.
rrp $17.
Poets Interview - Sean M Whelan
What drives you to write/create?
Bunnies, broken hearts, line drawings, country music, trees at dusk, fifties dresses, skeletons, cowboy boots, rock and or roll, her handwriting, pushing back the waves of sadness, the memory of my father and a burning hole in my heart.
How would you describe your writing style?
I wouldn’t. Not unless I have to. I’ve never enjoyed trying to describe myself very much, perhaps because I don’t really have much of a plan to what I do. It comes mostly from a place of yearning, instinct and desperation.
I wouldn’t. Not unless I have to. I’ve never enjoyed trying to describe myself very much, perhaps because I don’t really have much of a plan to what I do. It comes mostly from a place of yearning, instinct and desperation.
Who or what has influenced your writing?
I’ve always loved melancholic works, in music, film or writing. There were two major schools of writing that influenced my work, that of the Dirty Realists and the Magical Realists. I guess I’ve been trying to pitch myself somewhere in between. Like ‘Dirty Magic’!
My two major writing buddies, alicia sometimes and Emilie Zoey Baker are always a big influence on my work too.
What good is poetry for the community/the world/trains/yourself?
Poetry is the pause button of life that gives us a chance to enjoy those fleeting moments of wonder just that little while longer. And trains just happen to be one of those perfect venues for such tiny sacred acts.
When/How often do you write?
Not as often as I feel I should. I don’t subscribe to the ‘writing when you feel inspired’ method. You just don’t get enough done if you go by that. You really have to treat it as a kind of job. And just try to be disciplined and get your bum down in front of a writing machine as often as possible.
Do you have a favourite poem of your own?
That changes all the time. At the moment though it’s a poem I was commissioned to write by the good folk at Going Down Swinging. It’s called ‘Slow and Pink and Gone.’ And it was a bit of a departure for me as far as the subject is concerned. I often write love poems, but this was a poem about the ultimate act of change; death. I wanted to write about death in a way that wasn’t morbid. Death after all, is one of the most natural things that can happen to us, but in the West it’s treated as an aberration. It all started for me with an image of a lion with the face of Harvey Keitel. It’s a long, languid dreamy poem that I really enjoy performing.
Can we see your work anywhere else soon or at the moment?
I have some very big shows coming up. Firstly at the Melbourne Writers Festival I’m performing in a show called Liner Notes. These have been a series of shows that are spoken word tributes to classic iconic albums. This one coming up will be covering Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ album. Ironically the album was chosen before he died. A different writer is chosen for each track, I’ve been allocated ‘Wanna Be Startin’ Something.’ We also have a band playing unique covers on the night. It should be a very special evening. That’s on the 27th August at The Toff in Town.
The next really big show after that will be part of the Melbourne International Arts Festival and will be held at the Planetarium. It’s called Elemental and will be a series of poems based on the origins of the universe. Emilie Zoey Baker, Alicia Sometimes and Paul Mitchell (all Moving Galleries poets!) are also involved as well as a bunch of very talented film makers and sound artists. We have three shows in Oct on the 15th, 18th and the 22nd. Check out http://www.elementalplanetarium.com for more details.
What advice would you have for budding or withered poets?
Treat it as a craft. Not just some form of venting or therapy. Give your potential audience some respect by not just offering your diary and calling it poetry. Dig deep but then polish the diamonds that you find down below.
Melbourne Transformed!
The Transformation Exhibition, the latest installment of the Moving Galleries travelling exhibition of art and poetry, was launched at Flinders Street station on a chilly morning in the middle of June. Peering through their winter woollies, artists and poets in attendance were able to view their work inside one of the trains that will usher the exhibition through the arteries of Melbourne.
The exhibition, the fifth in the Moving Galleries ‘Moving Melbourne through art’ series, features the musings of 23 poets and sublime creations of 26 artists on a series of posters dotting the walls of our city trains....
The artwork was curated in partnership with our art partner, Creative Spaces, an initiative of the City of Melbourne and Arts Victoria. Creative Spaces is a digital resource promoting the use of urban and rural locations for creative projects.
Transformation was chosen as the theme for this exhibition in order to showcase some of Victoria’s transient site-specific arts projects created in such diverse locations as Melbourne’s laneways, parklands, shops, racecourses, even a supermarket! A call also went out to the poets of Melbourne (both budding and withered!) to explore the theme.
Rob Hudson, Victorian State Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts officially opened the exhibition and talked about the importance of the Moving Galleries Project for Melbourne. It was noted that projects like Moving Galleries distinguish Melbourne as the cultural capital of Australia, providing a unique venue for artists and poets to showcase their work to a wider audience. Robbie Rowlands, an artist featured in the exhibition, also commended Moving Galleries to the arts communities of Melbourne and Victoria. He was especially enamored by the ability for the ephemeral works in the exhibition to be able to “live on” in the trains.
Moving Galleries hopes the audience will experience some form of transformation, big or small, by engaging with this current exhibition. Please visit the on-line version of the exhibition on this website and don’t forget to join, vote and comment on this website and let Moving Galleries know what you think and feel about the artwork you see and the poetry you read. Also let us know what you think of Moving Galleries?
The People’s Choice Awards were also announced for the Innocence exhibition. The People’s Choice Awards is a prize to the value of $500 given to the public’s favourite artist and poet at the end of each Moving Galleries exhibition period. Congratulations to artist Ella and poet alicia sometimes!
A 60-page catalogue of the Transformation exhibition is available for purchase – contact Jessie Doring Moving Galleries Project Manager through the website.
Transformation Media Release
MOVING_GALLERIES_TRANSFORMATION_Media_Release_17th_June_09.pdf
Transformation Launch at Flinders Street Station
The Transformation Exhibition was Launched at Flinders Street station on Wednesday morning the 17th June 2009. Artists and poets attended and were able to view their work on the walls of the carriages. Rob Hudson, Parliamentary Secretary for the Arts officially opened the exhibition and gave an enlighteing speech about the importance of the Moving Galleries Project for Melbourne. It was noted that projects like ours help make Melbourne the distinctive cultural capital of Australia, allowing a venue for artists to showcase their work and bringing art and poetry to a wider audience. Robbie Rowlands, an artist featured in the exhibition, spoke about the importance of projects like Moving Galleries to the arts communities of Melbourne and Victoria. In this instance, the ability for the ephemeral works that are within the exhibition to be able to “live on” and be seen by many more people than would otherwise be the case is of great importance to the artists in the exhibition.
Please Visit the on-line version of the exhibition on this website and don’t forget to Join, Vote and Comment on this website. Moving Galleries would love to know what you think and feel about the artwork you see and the poetry you read. Also let us know what you think of Moving Galleries?
Looking forward to your feedback....
Spring “Innocence” Launch Huge Success
The Spring Moving Galleries “Innocence” Launch was a wonderful success. The Launch was held at ArtPlay, Project Partners for the Innocence Artwork, in Birrarung Marr late November. The 18 junior artists’ panel paintings and the 23 poets’ poetry was displayed within the space and enjoyed by all.
Sally Capp, CEO of the Committee for Melbourne officially launched the new exhibition. An interesting speech was given by Rob Hudson; Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and the Arts and it was wonderful to hear of his enthusiasm for the Moving Galleries Project. Following was an equally engaging speech by Connex’s Executive Chairman Jonathan Metcalfe about how their support of Moving Galleries helps to captivate, amuse and engage the commuters that travel across the train network. Mr Metcalfe explained that supporting local communities and also the arts in Melbourne is of great importance to Connex.
Look out for the great chidrens’ artwork and inspiring poetry on your traintrips around Melbourne over the next few months. Connex is currently working hard installing the new exhibition onto another 40 trains in their network!
You can also peruse the new poetry and artwork on this website by clicking on the Artwork and Poetry links on the left side of this page and do not forget to vote for your favourite artist and poet!
Voting now closed for Autumn 2008 Exhibition’s Peoples’ Choice Award
The voting process has closed for the Autumn 2008 Exhibition’s Peoples’ Choice Awards.
Thank you to everyone who voted online. Winners will be announced in the near future.
Last chance to vote for Peoples’ Choice Award
Public voting will close in one weeks’ time on 12 Wednesday, November, 2008. Place your votes via the website before next Wednesday as one lucky member of the voting public to take away a prize, to the value of $500.
Follow the link to the Peoples’ Choice Awards, and follow the instructions to place your vote. Good luck to all artists, poets and Moving Galleries members! The winners will be announced in a few weeks!
Spring exhibition selection finalised and Moving Galleries appoints new project manager
The Moving Galleries Spring Exhibition selection is finalised and all the poets and artists are being notified. Moving Galleries is full steam ahead getting ready for the roll out of the new season “Innocence” exhibition on Connex trains and you should start seeing the exciting new exhibition on your way to work or play from late November. The art side of the exhibition feature’s children’s’ art made at Artplay in Birrarung Marr, and the poetry selections have been expanded to include longer form poetry in addition to the Rooku.
The move to longer forms is part of Moving Galleries ongoing commitment to keeping the project vibrant and introducing a broader range of forms of poetry to the community. Over the coming exhibitions we will have everything from sonnets to free verse and we encourage those submitting to be innovative in their work (as long as it will fit on a decal). Also, we remain faithful to our original beginnings with short form poetry, or rooku, even as we expand into different forms. Our aim is to be as representative as possible of the type of poetry that is being read and written by Victorians.
Due to the long absence of a Project Manager for the Moving Galleries recently, the Autumn 2009 Creative Spaces short-listed artists and poets’ selection process has had to be put on hold. Jessie Doring the newly appointed Project Manager would like to state her many apologies to all artists and poets who are awaiting the results of the selection process. The new Project Manager is working hard at bringing all projects up to date. Final decisions for the Autumn 2009 selection for Creative Spaces will be announced in the new year of 2009.
Autumn 2008 exhibition Launch
Art transforming trains seemed a recurrent theme as we launched the Moving Galleries 2008 exhibition last Thursday night at Art Play, the historical red-brick railway shed now converted to a cultural precinct. Located at Birrarung Marr Park along the Yarra, just a short work from the hub of trains at Flinders St Station, the launch was yet another reminder that art and poetry need not confine themselves to traditional spaces.
The party mingled around the 36 hanging rooku and 18 artworks – little lightning bolts of Melbourne inspired moments – soon to be scattered and dispersed throughout 40 Connex trains for the next 6 months.
As diverse and eclectic as the exhibition itself, the attendees not only represented the range of artistic personalities within the city, but its unusual blend with corporate identities celebrated the very nature of the Moving Galleries project; where business and art work together to ensure Melbourne’s emerging cultural capital status.
CEO of Committee for Melbourne, Sally Capp, highlighted the significance of this collaboration claiming that ‘what differentiates one city from another is the way in which culture moves within its structure, working to shape a city, ultimately giving it its own personality’.
Bruce Hughes, CEO for Connex Melbourne, acknowledged the unlikely partnership between art and trains, but put it simply that, when you’re able to catch a train and ‘enjoy example of cultural creativity provided by some of Melbourne’s best up and coming artists’ then its travel time spent well.
Winners of the 2007 people’s choice awards were announced as the collaborative art piece You know this isn’t the way home don’t you by Louise Jennison and Gracia Haby, and Rob Scott for the poetry.
At the end of the evening guests were invited to view Melbourne from the nearby ferris wheel, perhaps with a newfound perception of their city after having been immersed in so many creative interpretations.
Moving Galleries in collaboration with established art programs
In line with Moving Galleries’ incentive to support and strengthen Melbourne’s art community, its upcoming exhibitions will draw artwork from two established programs creating opportunities for artists. ArtPlay and Creative Spaces, in their differing approaches of assistance, will also reflect the diversity of Melbourne’s art organisations.
The spring 2008 exhibition will select it artwork from children’s pieces produced at ArtPlay, located in Birrarung Marr at Federation Square. In accordance to the theme of ‘innocence’, this exhibition will aim to inspire its audience through poetry and art that considers or reflects a sense of wonder at the world, new beginnings and fresh perspectives.
ArtPlay was chosen for its mission to enrich the greater community by involving families and their children in creative activities – to give anyone from any background the chance to become a creative citizen of the world. Beyond providing an exciting opportunity for Melbourne’s young artistes to have their work displayed someplace other than the kitchen fridge, we will be indirectly supporting the artists who run the programs.
The autumn 2009 ‘transformation’ exhibition will see Moving Galleries in collaboration with Creative Spaces. In consideration of our own project’s unusual exhibition space, we’re curious to see how Melbourne’s artists are also transforming everyday spaces into unlikely canvasses and showcases for their own work.
Creative Spaces is an online resource for projects that take place outside traditional spaces. It assists artists with the necessary information to get their projects running, providing a number of spaces just waiting to be inflicted with creativity. Our partnership with Creative Spaces will work as a means to document the selected projects in a photographic exhibition. In a city that’s sprouting with creative work in every uncanny corner, wall and crack, this exhibition will highlight what the wandering eye might miss and capture the transitory.
Connex finds beauty in the most unexpected places
Connex is well known for moving people around Melbourne, but did you know that they are also helping to move the profile of the arts in Melbourne?
As well as its collaboration with the Committee for Melbourne to deliver the Moving Galleries project (which you can read about in this e-newsletter), Connex has positioned itself as a key supporter of the arts through sponsorship of Heide Museum of Modern Art. The partnership enters its third year in 2008, and sponsors regular exhibitions by established artists.
Connex is eager to foster the talents of emerging artists, too by sponsoring the Australian Academy of Design poster prize competition, which is open to TAFE and year 10-12 students.
So why would a rail operator take an interest in the arts, you ask?
Bruce Hughes, Connex’s CEO, explains, “We don’t want to just trot out the ‘corporate responsibility’ line. It’s more than that. Melbourne is known for its vibrant arts scene, and Connex is an integral part of Melbourne… it’s a natural association.
“By supporting organisations like Heide Museum of Modern Art, the Australian Academy of Design and Moving Galleries, we are cultivating strong and healthy communities, fostering the talents of emerging and established artists, as well as engaging with people who enjoy the arts,” says Bruce.
Connex is engaging with the arts in Melbourne on every level – by supporting budding artists, as a moving exhibition space through the Moving Galleries project, and in its sponsorship of uniquely Melbourne galleries such as Heide Museum of Modern Art.
Not forgetting, of course, that Connex continues to transport art-lovers to galleries and exhibitions spaces all over Melbourne.
The Australian Poetry Centre
Coming up to its first birthday this June, the Australian Poetry Centre (APC) is feeling excited about its future, even though it is really only funded to the end of this calendar year, as part of a 2 year start up grant from CAL.
The Centre grew out of the vision of Ron Pretty and CAL (Copyright Agency Limited) and aims to be a national information and advocacy centre for the support of the art form of poetry.
In its first year it has developed a program that aims to support poets, poetry audiences, poetry publishers and poetry teachers. It aims to provide information for those coming from overseas and Australia about what is happening in poetry in Australia – where one could go for a reading, for poetry assessments and dialogue about poetry.
It’s Patron John Clarke, and Chair Professor Chris Wallace-Crabbe are committed to demystifying poetry and bringing it to a wider audience. One of the key programs the centre has is its upcoming national poetry festival to be held in Castlemaine this Anzac weekend. The festival brings acclaimed international poets, regional poets and poets from every state in Australia together to read discuss and breathe poetry. International poets this year include Sam Hammil and Lorna Crozier. The town itself will come alive over three days with travelling pedlar poets, Leonard Cohen films, late night troubadour’s crooning over cocktails, poetry readings at the dawn service, Poetry tattoos and the installation that the centre created at the last Melbourne Writers Festival – The House of the Tragic Poet - will be placed in the centre of town.
Apart from this festival, which will move to a regional town in a different state next year, the centre will be hosting the Festival Franco-anglais de poesie in October 2008 - for the first time in 30 years outside of Paris - along with a poetry publishers market.
The APC has developed publishing, residential and workshop programs with Varuna and Bundanon. It also publishes the leading Australian poetry journal, Blue Dog; Australian Poetry.
For more information on these or other APC programs see
http://www.australianpoetrycentre.org.au
How to write poetry
A few suggestions:
• The sound and rhythm of the words – the MUSICALITY – is important. ‘The sound should seem an echo to the sense’ (Alexander Pope).
• Write about what MATTERS most to you, right at the centre of yourself.
• AVOID clichés.
• DISTIL the language.
• SHOW, don’t tell, i.e. rather than saying “I feel happy”, describe the feeling (“I have a bird dancing in my chest”…)
• You can write poetry about ANYTHING.
• READ good poetry.
• Then forget all the rules and just WRITE.
Click here to go to the Moving Galleries Submissions page for information on how to submit your poem.
Experiences, influences and advice
A writer of poetry, short stories and novels, Michael de Valle’s poetry has featured in both the Moving Galleries pilot and the Spring 2007 Exhibition. Moving Galleries editor, and poet, Lea Hills, approached Michael to discuss his influences.
LH: What sort of experiences do you draw on in your writing?
MdV: Sometimes I draw on my own experiences as a starting point, but more often my writing comes out of human observation and circumstance - being open to those moments and details that make us truly human:
terminal
she starts to rewrite
her diary
nativity play
an angel
picks her nose
I also draw on my observations of nature because I’m interested in how we interact as humans with our environment, in particular how we relate to animals, insects, birds and plants:
hospital courtyard
told he won’t go home
he watches a butterfly
our old dog
buried in the garden
with all her bones
LH: Being a stay-at-home dad, how does this influence your work?
MdV: I’ve always been interested in writing about the extraordinary moments to be found in ‘ordinary’ life. Being a stay-at-home dad is great because I’ve been able to develop a deeper relationship with my sons and a better understanding of what is really important in our lives together. It feeds my writing because I get to observe my children at close quarters, the way they interact with the world, their relationships, their dreams and aspirations.
The horizon of his dreams
(for Jack)
He’s flying again
nose-diving
under cloud coloured ceilings
banking left
of the fluorescent sun
taking the room
with me
blowing raspberries
for an engine.
He casts an eagle shadow
across the archipelago
of furniture and toys
shoots down his mother
in a volley of giggles
circles the kitchen table
a reconnaissance above suburbs
of saucers, cups and plates
sets his flight path
for the horizon of his dreams
with me
following in tight formation
the holding pattern
beneath his wings
This is flight training
for us both
he knows I’d never let him go
just as I know
eventually
he’ll let go of me
LH: Thoughts on love?
MdV: To me, love is as much a choice as it is an emotion. And love is behind some of the hardest choices we make:
together again
under the bed
her shoes and mine
after she leaves
a hair on the pillow
curled into a question
LH: Have you any advice for aspiring poets?
MdV: I don’t know if I have any real advice for poets except that, like all artists and writers, right now we need them more than ever. In many respects they voice the conscience of the world. It’s no coincidence that when dictators come to power they go after the artists, writers, poets and intellectuals first.
A poet I greatly admire is Charles Bukowski. His poetry is written in the accessible language of the ordinary man and he wrote about his life with unflinching honesty. A few years ago I wrote a poem called ‘how to be a poet’ as both a send up and a salute to him:
How to be a poet
(with apologies to charles bukowski)
first get a job
no shame in that
it’s always good to eat
and pay the rent
with something left over
for paper, pens and beer
or a nice piece of ass
stay up all night
drink a lot
and then some more
and bathe when you can
no longer stand yourself
allow your heart
to be broken and fixed
again and again
make loneliness a friend
let the world crap on you
from a height
everything is
‘grist for the mill’
and write
you’ve got to write
but keep it in perspective
remember these are poems
they don’t have the power
of money, guns or bombs
if they did
bin laden would have
written bush a sonnet
look for the poetic instance
in the great works
the universe
late night tv
the supermarket
or a nice piece of ass
and when you find it
you must write it
like it’s never been written
or said
you must put the words together
again and again
for the first time
To see Michael de Valle’s poetry and biography click here
Supporting young, emerging and established artists: Kings ARI
Artists Siri Hayes and Victoria Bennett are representing Kings ARI in Moving Galleries Spring 2007 Exhibition
Located in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD, Kings Artist-run Initiative aims to present the best in contemporary arts practice. The gallery on the first floor comprises two large exhibition spaces, plus a purpose built video projection room with surround-sound. Kings ARI promotes ideas-based practices and curated projects. Proposals are accepted on artistic merit with a preference for showcasing emerging talent and providing a venue for established artists to experiment and take risks.
KINGS is currently looking for volunteers please contact the gallery to register your interest.
KINGS ARI: Level 1/171 King St Melbourne Vic 3000, phone: 03 9642 0859, email: info@kingsartistrun.com.au, web: http://www.kingsartistrun.com.au
Hours: 3 - 6pm Wednesday – Friday, 12 - 6pm Saturday and by appointment
Coming up at Kings….
Opening 6 – 8pm Friday 15 February. Exhibition runs 15 February – 8 March
GALLERY 1: Hadyn Salmon
GALLERY 2: Kelley Doley
AV GALLERY: Amanda Watson-Hill
Opening 6 – 8pm Friday 14 March. Exhibition runs 14 March – 5 April
GALLERY 1: Amanda Schembri (Moving Galleries artist 2007)
GALLERY 2: Andrew Gutteridge
AV GALLERY: Marian Tubbs
The iconic Melbourne Poets Union
Melbourne Poets Union (MPU) was formed in 1977 as the ‘Poets Union’, and other branches were subsequently formed throughout Australia. A non-profit organisation, staffed by volunteers, MPU promotes the writing of poetry by providing a meeting place for poets - through poetry workshops and readings - and a forum for news, discussion and publication via our newsletter POAM, our website and other publications.
Each year MPU conducts an international poetry competition, which attracts in excess of 600 entries. MPU has over 250 members including both emerging and established poets who write and perform in all forms of poetry, a number of its members living interstate.
We are an inclusive organisation with strong representation from culturally diverse sections of the community, the annual bilingual event proving very popular. All events are open to the public and non-member poets are encouraged to participate in the Open Reading section.
We have a commitment to encouraging the participation of young poets, and experienced members provide support to new members. We are proud that so far 22 members of MPU have had poems displayed on Melbourne’s trains as part of the Moving Galleries exhibitions.
MPU events are conducted on the last Friday of the month at the Victorian Writers Centre, Nicholas Building 37 Swanston St. For further details consult our website: http://home.vicnet.net.au/~mpuinc/MPU/Home.html or contact us at: mpuinc@yahoo.com
History blesses Moving Galleries
If an idea has a future, it often has a past.
The first decorated tram in Melbourne was painted for a First World War recruitment drive in around 1914. Trams have been painted for advertising purposes since then but poetry and art boarded the public transport system last.
Melbourne’s trams hosted a few photocopied poetry series from the 1970 onwards. In 1986, professional artists were funded to paint the exterior of 12, W-class trams. In 1993 and 1995, two printed collections of poetry and art were placed inside trams and across train station platforms.
It is a poetic coincidence that the first of these series was called Moving Words.
Like the coordinators of Moving Galleries, the coordinators of these earlier exhibitions - Richard Foxworthy, Dean Frenkel and I - were inspired by the sight of poetry on London’s Underground.
In 1993, Moving Words placed 150 self-adhesive, vinyl posters carrying 150 poems and extracts from contemporary Australian writers inside 150 trams, for six to 12 months.
In the midst of a mini recession, we persuaded 100 different businesses around Melbourne to sponsor poems. Cafes on Brunswick street chose a poem for route 112. Larger corporations, including Penguin Books, sponsored several poems scattered across Melbourne.
In 1995, Art on the Met was sponsored by the Met, the Australia Council and the Yellow Pages. It placed 50 x 4 types of self-adhesive posters inside 200 trams and 50 x 4, A2 posters on train station platforms around Melbourne for six months. Each different poster carried one art work and three or four poetry pieces.
The public transport corporation provided the space and placement but we had to raise money for the selection, design, printing and promotion processes. The Australia Council gave us money to pay the artists better. We donated our time.
We got positive feedback for years afterwards. Some posters stayed up for almost two years, I suspect because tramways staff liked them. Travellers loved them.
It only seems more important today to give people alternatives to advertising in public spaces. Art humanises public space. It gives without asking people to buy. It encourages people to raise their eyes. It gives travellers a more emotional journey.
I congratulate everyone involved with Moving Galleries and am delighted it has become a part of moving Melbourne.
Andrew Bock
andrew@oceancalendars.com.au
What is rooku?
Rooku is an Australian variant of the short Japanese form called haiku, but without the usual rules. Rooku also lends itself to humour. Want to learn how to rooku? Melbourne poet Myron Lysenko has created a wonderful guide to writing rooku.
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